RADschlag Initiative and Regional Transport Minister Dr. Stephan Keller At the Starting Line for ‘Race am Rhein’

A chance to experience part of the Tour de France route under competitive conditions: a dream that the ‘Race am Rhein’ event on September 18 will fulfill for 1,200 cycling enthusiasts (according to current registration numbers). Participants will include employees of the RADschlag initiative of the state capital of Düsseldorf, especially Regional Transport Minister Dr. Stephan Keller.

Dr. Stephan Keller: "Düsseldorf is on its way to becoming a cycling city. So it makes sense for the Transport Management Office to participate in the 'Race am Rhein'. After all, bicycling is also a great form of exercise. And thanks to the tailwind from our RADschlag initiative as well as a few extra training units, we will go the distance."

The public 'Race am Rhein' for amateur riders follows part of the 2017 route for the 2nd stage. The starting shot will be fired in downtown Düsseldorf, on Berliner Allee. After the first few (flat) kilometers through the state capital, the route goes up Fahnenburgstraße toward the Galopprennbahn racecourse. Grafenberg Forest is where the professionals in the Tour de France 2017 will be vying for the first points for the mountains classification. The route snakes through the Neander Valley, from Erkrath to Mettmann, before picking up speed on the way into Ratingen and back to downtown Düsseldorf. Both team and individual registrations are available, with routes of either 46 or 92 kilometers.

The cycling day, with 'Race am Rhein', the 'Rund um die Kö' bicycle race and a junior National League race, will feature commentary by sportscasting legend Karsten Migels. Cycling fans will primarily recognize him from his Tour de France commentary on the Eurosport channel.

The RADschlag initiative, which was launched in April, offers information, cycling routes and tour navigation for all cyclists in the state capital at www.duesseldorf.de/radschlag. In addition to encouraging people to switch to bicycles, RADschlag is also intended to improve conditions for cyclists in the state capital. After developing the city-wide district bike traffic network (700 kilometers), the goal now is to start using the 300-kilometer-long main bike network, as well as NRW's new high-speed bike track from Neuss to Monheim via Düsseldorf, with the help of residents and a specialist bicycle traffic group that meets regularly. In addition, the construction of bicycle parking facilities and consistent signage will be supported.