Great cycling enthusiasm in Chemnitz
Chemnitz proved to be the cycling capital of Germany this weekend. Thousands of enthusiastic spectators in the city and along the routes provided a worthy setting for the German Road Cycling Championships. On all three days of the competition, more than 25,000 spectators were counted along the route as well as visitors to the supporting programme.
Mayor Barbara Ludwig: "Chemnitz showed this weekend that we are a city of sport. We have experienced a great event. The many thousands of spectators created a great atmosphere. I am thrilled by this atmosphere and the enthusiasm shown by everyone involved, which made the weekend such a success."
The weekend centred around the individual time trial competitions (men's U23, women's, men's elite) on Friday on a course in the Chemnitz Valley and the road races on a circuit with start and finish at Hartmannplatz on Saturday (women) and Sunday (men's elite).
Enthusiasm could be felt along the entire route, especially at the turning points of the time trial competitions in Markersdorf and Altmittweida as well as at the mountain classification on Gornauer Berg. Hundreds of spectators crowded around to cheer on the athletes.
The response to the Sportstadtrunde organised by the Stadtsportbund Chemnitz e.V. was overwhelming. Before the women's road race, the programme on Saturday included this cycling tour for everyone. Anyone who felt fit enough to complete a 19.4 kilometre lap of the original championship route could take part. The start, finish and route were identical to the road race. Around 1,500 participants completed the
the course and were cheered on by many enthusiastic spectators at the side of the track. The starting signal was given by Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig. The field of participants was led by track cycling world champions Joachim Eilers and Stefan Bötticher. Täve" Schur and Erik Zabel also rode the lap.
But sport was not the only focus. In addition to the activities in the start/finish area on Hartmannplatz, you could get active yourself in Innere Klosterstraße, for example, and obtain a penny-farthing licence or compete against celebrities on two official Team erdgas 2012 training machines in the "Super Speed" action area. On Hartmannplatz, Chemnitz bicycle dealers presented their latest products.
The Jakobikirchplatz was a sporting venue. Here, six-time trial world champion and 19-time German champion Marco Hösel from Thalheim demonstrated his breathtaking mountain bike course.
The City of Chemnitz would like to thank the approximately 600 volunteers, the police, the emergency services and everyone involved in the organisation of the German Cycling Championships for their outstanding cooperation and support. Thanks also go to all Chemnitz residents and visitors from near and far.
The Chemnitz Police Headquarters contributed to the successful organisation of the German Road Cycling Championships with its own and support staff from the neighbouring headquarters in Leipzig and Zwickau. From Friday to Sunday, up to 200 officers helped to ensure that the event ran safely every day. Around half of the emergency services were deployed on the race course, particularly at the locks. The
The Sportstadtrunde organised on Saturday was secured with operational closures in order to keep the restrictions along the designated route as low as possible. The Chemnitz police would also like to thank the people of Chemnitz and guests for their understanding of the traffic measures and for supporting their work.