Cycling is going through the roof again, the epic battles are not only being shown in the media on Eurosport, ARD and ZDF, even Netflix has discovered the sport and has easily released two seasons of heavily dramatized stuff with Pogi, Jonas, Wout, Primo, Mark and all the other boys, showing a whole new generation that cycling is great cinema. To be honest, sometimes I have a few reservations as a hobby cyclist, but in the end the joy that more people are learning more about cycling outweighs it. And as a result, you don't get overtaken so closely on the road because everyone is really impressed by how fast you are on a bike like that. Well, almost...

But it's not just the men mentioned who are becoming role models. We mustn't forget Lotte, Demi, Elisa, Alison and all the women in the Tour de Femmes: cycling isn't just a boys' thing, it's suitable for everyone. It's the best sport in the world. Now we just have to make sure that the whole of Düsseldorf is buzzing on the second Sunday in August when the first races start at 9:00 a.m.

Oh, Düsseldorf has a cycling race?

As a newcomer, I'm not particularly well versed in Düsseldorf's history, but I don't think there are that many local events that were founded in 1968, have only been cancelled three times, and are still going ahead. The alternatives, if they exist, are guaranteed to have something to do with carnival, shooting festivals, or football. Or alcohol in the broadest sense.

Something else is quite interesting: the whole thing is based entirely on volunteer work. At least the whole event has apparently stubbornly refused to allow anyone to make any real money out of it. Although I honestly can't say exactly what happened in the 70s and 80s, in the boom times of Didi Thurau and Jan Ullrich, something might actually have stuck with the organizing club. Perhaps someone would like to research this? There's definitely a great story... and we would also bring a certain amount of curiosity, and we would be grateful for any serious tips.

But in general, you can be as proud as Oskar in 2024 when you look at what is so unique about this day on our magnificent boulevard: a colorful mix and clash of Gucci at 60 km/h on the straight, Prada in rock'n'roll - speed rush, Dior with toned calves, fixed crit, folding bike races, Hermès with high-profile wheels, Louis Vitton in the cargo bike race and Coco Chanel in the exclusive women's peloton. It doesn't get any better than this. Luxury and passion, shooting, enjoying, being happy about it and spending a great day with the whole family. So now the appeal to everyone who reads this: bring all your friends, convince the family and arrange to meet up with colleagues at one of the food trucks to watch the races, chill in a deck chair, cheer along the route or pedal yourself.

But Rund um die Kö is not just the race day on August 11th, Rund um die Kö also has a fantastic supporting program. This year the first party starts on Thursday, August 8th at 7 p.m. on the campus of our friends from Sipgate. We are really looking forward to this opening evening, after all, not only will the pairings for the first round of the Düsseldorf city championships be drawn, we will also have a visit from Bremen: Michael from the bike shop/bike café CYCLYNG will be a guest and will read from his great book "The day before yesterday in Japan", in which he lets us share a small excerpt from his journey from the toilet of the old Neuss Okie Dokie and pop club concerts to the championship of the Japanese D-class in cycling. Come along, free!!! You can get tickets for the reading here. And after the draw there will be music, snacks, drinks and relaxed chats. Depending on the weather, the evening will take place inside or outside, there is plenty of space and options available.

On Friday, there will be various trips, including the "Thank God it's Friday" special edition "Thank God it's Around the Kö" . Our destination that evening will not be the Mütze, but Lightroast Coffee on Hoffeldstrasse 104/Hof 2, 40235 Düsseldorf, where a few cycling films await us as part of the Cine, Cycling & Friends party. Details can be found here.

On Saturday you can polish the classic again, Volker and his crew invite you to the classic ride as part of Rund um die Kö, the start and finish is the Mütze, everything you need to know about the round is available after registering at Eventbrite, you can get tickets here.

Anyone who would like to take part in this trip but doesn't own any equipment can look forward to the classic bike market on Sunday as part of Rund um die Kö: here you can buy complete bikes, beautifully restored or as a rocking crafting base. Or you can actually find the stamped Campa brakes from 1982 with the original hoods in NOS. And the best thing about it: even if it's the Kö - you can still find bargains. There's a lot going on...

Back to Saturday and the rides: of course the women's road bike movement ride cannot be missed as part of the supporting program for Rund um die Kö. Even if Iris Slappendel is not on board herself due to scheduling conflicts, the hopefully numerous participants can look forward to a ride on Saturday evening, which, thanks to the relaxed pace, is just the right evening round to loosen up my legs for the two exclusive women's races on the Kö. You can register here.

The race day starts at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, and the final party with the LifeIsARide Fixed Crit starts in the evening at 7:25 p.m. As changes can always occur, please refer to the Rund um die Kö website for the exact schedule.

We would like to point out a few formats that are particularly dear to our hearts in addition to the women's races mentioned: the so-called fun formats. Even though we think that hopefully all the races on the Kö are a lot of fun for riders and spectators, there are formats that are even more fun. This definitely includes the cargo bike race, which has become dear to both us and the Düsseldorf press in recent years with its great spectacle. New this year are two formats that outsiders probably see as closely related, but which are separate for insider universes: the folding bike race and the folding bike race. Both will start in the spectacular "Le Mans" mode and will set off at different times. We expect great cinema, including moustaches. The fact that we have since dealt with a helicopter flight and landing options for the King of Ghana has something to do with this race, by the way. But that's another story. Maybe it will work in 2025.

The balance bike race is a real classic, followed directly by the first pedal race. This year we have a new partner for the two race formats, Blackbear. All participating children can look forward to a fantastic wooden bear medal in addition to the races, which are just as tough as Santa Claus.

In this context, a little tip for parents and everyone else who is interested in the races as an active participant: register yourselves or your children early. I don't enjoy looking into the disappointed eyes of children while parents explain to me that little Robyn was so excited about the race and that I can make an exception so that he/she can take part. Everyone involved in the organization is trying to bring a broad and varied program to the Kö, taking care of prizes, the route, the start and finish and everything that happens on the day. We all put a lot of work into it because we want to keep a great race format in our city. Help us by buying tickets early and accepting that sold out means sold out. We would like to increase Rund um die Kö to 1 ½ or two days and offer other race formats because that would mean more fun and less stress for all of us, but to be honest, that is hardly realistic at the moment.

Our grandiose concept of the ultimate Super-Dura-Königsallez wheelbarrow race is just as unrealistic. But we're sticking with it and not losing hope of bringing this innovative format to the Kö in one of the next fifty years. Stay tuned.

Well, it starts on August 8th. Join us and all the other positively crazy Rund-Um-die-Kö organizers and supporters for an extended cycling weekend in Düsseldorf. Four days long.

Königsallez! We rock it.

Carsten