ADAC Velotour 2027

On May 1st, in Eschborn, it doesn’t just smell like lily of the valley: it smells above all like hot rubber and an oiled chain 🚴.

On the doorstep of Frankfurt, in the state of Hesse, thousands of amateur cyclists take over every year the roads usually reserved for the pros for the ADAC Velotour 🚴. This event is an integral part of the Radklassiker Eschborn-Frankfurt, one of the oldest German cycling classics 🇩🇪. In early May, the weather often plays it close: plan a light jacket for the early-morning start; the spring sun should quickly take over later in the morning ☀️. The best-prepared bodies will make the most of it; the others will have to deal with the Taunus wind ⛰️.

The route takes you from Eschborn, a quiet business town with a rich sporting past, to the heart of Frankfurt and its skyline that has nothing to envy Manhattan 🏙️. You’ll string together long, fast straightaways right through the city center before gradually heading into the Taunus massif 📈, with its dense forests 🌲, winding roads, and leg-breaking sections that don’t forgive the slightest lapse 🥵. The showpiece—reserved for the longest route—is the feared Mammolshainer Stich: a final kicker that wakes up even the most seasoned cyclists right when the legs really start to sting 😅. Between rolling false flats and punchy ramps, the program alternates pure pleasure and calf-burning efforts, never leaving you time to get bored 🤪.

Above all, this event is a unique chance to heat up the asphalt a few hours before the champions of road cycling, during the pro classic Eschborn-Frankfurt held that same afternoon 😎. Same tarmac, same turns, same climbs: for one morning, you become the hero of your own stage 🚴‍♂️. Family-friendly atmosphere or timed ambition—everyone finds their slot, from total chill on the 40 km "Skyline" to the full-on challenge of the 100 km "Taunus Classic". The event also draws plenty of corporate teams, who take the opportunity to turn a bike outing into a bonding moment in the great outdoors 🙌.

As for breaks and post-ride food, the region has no shortage of reasons to extend the weekend 🍽️. Head to Frankfurt’s old town to taste Apfelwein, the must-try local cider, paired with a Handkäse mit Musik, that typical marinated cheese whose funny name hides a real regional specialty 🧀. A trip into the Taunus also lets you discover half-timbered villages 😇, thermal springs, and a few panoramas that are well worth the detour 😏.

In Eschborn, you ride hard, you climb tough: the perfect combo to wrap up the May 1st weekend in style 🌸.