24h-Race

on the legendary Nürburgring

Since 2003, the 24-hour bicycle race has been an unequalled experience. The atmosphere of the Formula One arena and the challenges of the legendary Nordschleife render the around-the-clock race unique in the world.

24-hour races hold a very special fascination. The athletic and organisational challenges possess a dimension that is out of the ordinary – day and night. An event that is challenging not only to the athletes but to the whole crew of assistants, helpers and friends. For this reason, 24-hour races are not only an athletic contest on the track but at the same time stand for mastering the common challenge. And after a 24-hour ride through the “Green Hell” there are only winners.

During the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring everyone will find their very personal challenge. Individual riders as well as teams of 2, 4 and 8 will compete in the correspondent classifications. Both extreme sport athletes and reasonably trained amateur athletes will equally get their money’s worth.

The 24h version of a lap includes the Grand Prix circuit and the Nordschleife and is 26 km long. Apart from 92 turns it also offers  560 meters of difference in altitude. As expected, the tarmac of the race track is perfect and provides a decent grip, especially in the twisting passages downhill. In the “Fuchsröhre” up to 100 km/h have been measured. But this is by no means mandatory. What cannot be avoided – on the contrary – is the ascent to the section “Hohe Acht”, with a temporary gradient of up to 17 %. Here at the latest also racing cyclists will understand the sobriquet “Green Hell” that was given to the Nürburgring by Formula 1 legend Jackie Stewart in the 70s.

With its Formula 1 infrastructure, the Nürburgring offers the perfect set-up for the 24-hour race. On the ample premises exactly one pit space or parcel is assigned to every team/participant. Each participant’s space is located directly by the race track and offers sufficient space for the team camp.

5.500+
Participants
24h Service &
Catering
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Track

Nürburgring: legendary Nordschleife and modern Formula One arena

The Nürburgring, since 1927 this has been the legendary Nordschleife, often also called the “Green Hell”. And the Grand Prix circuit, built in 1984 and expanded by the Mercedes-Arena in 2002. It can be driven and ridden on in two sections (sprint track and Müllenbachschleife) and it can additionally be connected to the Nordschleife.

At “Rad am Ring” we combine the existing routeings for the single disciplines in different ways and with the “24h-Rennen” we additionally lead the participants through the Grand Prix paddock.

Thus, the different track lenghts, elevation profiles and turn variations are created.

Who wants to pass the “Green Hell” will have a unique experience!

Regardless of the athletic level on which one will tackle the Nürburgringʼs legendary Nordschleife, the old track in the Eifel will demand a lot and give everything. It is the most beautiful stretch of tarmac between the North and South Pole, alluring with scenic charm and challenging with is 500 meters of difference in altitude and some 73 turn passages on 20,8 kilometers of length (These are the pure Nordscheife data. Exact data of your discipline see “information”) . Who wants to pass the “Green Hell” will have a unique experience!

At the Nürburgring cycling world champions have been crowned, individual riders have tested their personal limits for 24 hours, and amateur athletes have returned from the “Green Hell” exhausted but happy. The fascination that this unique track holds for both car drivers and motorbike riders is seamlessly transferred to the cyclists.

During countless hours the possible reason for this fascination has been philosophised upon at regulars’ tables and many reasons have been found. Itʼs quite possible, however, that each and every person had his or her very individual experience, thus resulting in a very individual love for the “Grande Dame” of race tracks. But regardless of the “why”: Who is once infected with the Nürburgring virus canʼt get rid of it that easily anymore. This also and very specifically applies to the participants of the 24-hour race.
It all starts in a harmless and at the same time impressive manner. After all, the start on a Formula One circuit is something that you donʼt experience every day. The track is 18 meters wide, there will be no huge crush, no ascent. The right turn into the Mercedes-Arena will not be a challenge yet either. The starting lap on the short configuration will challenge the participants a little bit when ascending to the “NGK Schikane”. After transitioning to the Nordschleife it will be downhill until reaching “Breidscheid”, except for a few interruptions. Those really avid cyclists will reach speeds of up to nearly 100 km/h in the section “Fuchsröhre”; wonderful outlooks onto the Eifel landscape will add alternative charms.

Starting in “Breidscheid”, it will get serious for some four kilometers. Via “Ex-Mühle” and “Bergwerk” the track section “Klostertal” will be entered– and this one is not to be underrated. The tarmac will rise very slowly, suggesting an easy job. But the ascent will grow bigger with every meter. Between the legendary “Karussell” and “Hohe Acht” the peak of nearly 17 % gradient will be hit. Here at the very latest it will dawn on everybody that the Nordschleife is also respectfully called “Green Hell” by cyclists, and rightly so.
“Wippermann”, “Eschbach”, “Brünnchen”, “Pflanzgarten”, all of these will be rather harmless again, despite the turning ups and downs. Then, passing “Schwalbenschwanz” and “Galgenkopf”, the track will lead towards the long straight called “Döttinger Höhe”. At its end, only the chicane “Hohenrain” will separate the cyclists from the start-finish straight of the Grand Prix circuit. Grandstands and pit complex will rise out of the ground. More than 5000 participants will have set up camp along the track, some of them luxuriously, thus creating a unique atmosphere. And behind all this the door of the “Green Hell” will open up for another lap.

Overnight stay

On the legendary Nürburgring

At Rad am Ring, all pits and lots for setting up the team camps are located directly at the track, in a few cases in the immediate vicinity. The pits and lots are numbered and their exact location is shown on the map. The lot must be selected in the registration system when registering. This does not apply if you book a complete pit – see at “24h infos“. If you prefer to stay at the hotel, you will also find the “ride only” packages of the Dorint hotel which is located directly at the race track, in this link too. In this case, please select “Dorint lot” when registering.