To many gravel riders, the thought of riding 220 km and climbing 3600m would be a pretty big challenge. Now add in to the mix some fairly atrocious weather conditions and some über-slippery trails and you have a recipe for a tough day out on the bike. Luckily, as one of the participants in the recent Pfalzlands event wrote “We are not made of sugar”. Event organiser Timo Rokitta sent in a great report of how things panned out at this year’s event.
A participant wrote just a few days before Pfalzlands 2024, "We are not made of sugar," when he saw the weather forecast for the day of the event. The weather app initially predicted rain until just before the start at 6 a.m., then dry weather during the day until the early evening. But as the German humorist and poet Wilhelm Busch once said, "First, things turn out differently, and second, than you think!" Right on cue with the starting gun, the heavens opened and a heavy downpour drenched the participants. The 41 undeterred gravel bikers, including one woman, who took on the challenge were made of tough stuff and were determined to finish that day. The "Facebook posters," "virtual storytellers" and "signal sirens," who frequently comment on everything and everyone related to gravel biking on social networks, were not present today!
After two kilometres, the first fall occurred. On a moss-covered cobblestone section in Worms, a participant bent his brake lever so badly that he only had a rear brake from that point on — not ideal for the next 230 demanding kilometres.
After 16 kilometres, they reached the "German Wine Route" and the first climbs awaited the riders. The path initially rose gently through the vineyards and the first riders began to sweat. The descent into the Eisbachtal was washed-out and slippery from the rain the night before. The first climb in the forest near Eisenberg had 200 meters of elevation gain and, to everyone's delight, featured a secret control point where participants could fortify themselves before the next challenge.
A perfect and very rideable singletrack trail led down to Ramsen. From here, the track followed the well-known "Barbarossa Cycle Path," which ran alongside the tracks of the "Kuckucks-Bähnel" to Eiswoog, a picturesque, mist-covered forest lake.
Exactly at the spot where the villa of former German football idol and 1954 world champion Fritz Walter stands, the forest spat the participants out. Here, they had covered exactly 50 kilometers, a first milestone for the riders. Shortly after the "Frankenstein Castle" towered over a valley, a path branched off to the right, unknown to most. The path through the Leinbachtal is a gravel track par excellence! The following climb was surprisingly paved, deep in the "Palatinate Forest!"
A dream descent through the Wolfsschlucht ended the first third of the route. The richly stocked refreshment point at kilometre 86 offered all sorts of delicacies as usual. Of course, the famous pasta was there, which the participants enjoyed extensively. This was also the point where one had to decide whether to ride the full distance of 230 kilometres or take the short variant of 170 kilometres, humorously called the "kid’s route." Most participants chose the full "gravel hero" distance.
In the Elmsteiner Valley, the track followed the old railway line to the village of Elmstein where the steepest section awaited the participants. Between two houses and not immediately visible, a narrow path branched off. It immediately climbed steeply, reaching up to 20% in the middle section - thankfully, it was paved. At the edge of the forest, the surface changed and the gradient noticeably decreased. Further on, it became steeper again and only at an idyllic spot named "Mirabelle Bench" did the climb end. From here, it continued on perfect gravel tracks over a high plateau. Riding on a narrow forest road allowed the legs of the participants to relax after their exertion.
Another highlight of Pfalzlands 2024 was the gravel track before the "Forsthaus Taubensuhl." The surface strongly resembled the legendary white roads in Tuscany, the "Strade Bianche," which is why this section is called this by local gravel riders.
The track then continued via the "Hochstraße" to the "Forsthaus Heldenstein" and from there, a well-rideable forest path circled the "Lolosruhe," ending at the "Forsthaus Totenkopfhütte." Next came the "Kalmit," the official roof of the Palatinate Forest. At 637 meters high, the wind howled and clouds swirled wildly around the summit and the "Kalmithaus," where the few hikers had retreated in these conditions.
The descent which followed ended historically at the "Hambach Castle," the cradle of German democracy. On May 27th 1832, up to 30,000 people gathered at Hambach Castle to advocate for a unified Germany, political rights and a stronger connection with Europe. They demanded freedom of the press, assembly and opinion, more civil rights, religious tolerance and national unity, making the "Hambach Festival" the birthplace of German democracy.
After passing through Neustadt an der Weinstraße, where some participants bought new brake pads or even took the train to the finish, the route led to the second refreshment point. But before the carbohydrate stores could be replenished, there was a steep path with rough cobblestones leading into the forest. Those who still had eyes for the landscape might have spotted "Catwoman," immortalised in tiles by an artist on a small wall.
After refuelling, the next highlight awaited, the "Weinbiet," a popular area among downhill mountain bike enthusiasts. The lower part of the climb is up to 17% steep and then it is almost uniformly rideable. The path consists of a small asphalt strip dotted with potholes. The short descent was abruptly interrupted by the climb to one of the best-known forester's houses in the Palatinate Forest, the "Lampertskreuzhütte." Here, too, the path was steep at the bottom and became more manageable and rideable further up. The final climb awaited the participants after exactly 180 kilometres. From the "Isenachtal," it went four kilometres and 300 meters up a track. The rain had already taken its toll on the path, causing some parts to slip. The last 150 meters of elevation gain from the Langental to the "Ungeheuersee" were classified under "other short climbs."
Due to the adverse weather conditions and the associated high difficulty of the event, 30% of the starters recorded a DNF in the end. The last participants reached the finish shortly after midnight, exhausted, drenched, but overjoyed.
They proudly received their hard-earned medals. After drinking the finisher's beer and eating a large portion of pasta with flamed salmon sauce, the world looked much better and they recounted the many experiences of this unforgettable day.
Next year, Pfalzlands will take a break, making way for the "Siegfried Gravel," which will lead into the mystical Odenwald. With hopes for better weather, many of the Pfalzlands participants are sure to be at the start again.