The Saarvertical Gravelride is a crossing of the Saarland region of Germany with a gravel bike from north to south for a charitable purpose. There were unknown places to explore and many a highlight to discover. With a length of 125 kilometers and 1,800 meters in altitude, the sporting challenge was high and a high level of riding ability was required on one or the other singletrack sections.
Former Team Telekom professional and Tour de France participant Udo Bölts was also at the start this year. Fun fact - from 1992 to 2003, Bölts took part in the Tour de France twelve times in an uninterrupted sequence, finishing the race every time. This made him the "German record holder" until Jens Voigt started the Tour for the twelfth time in 2009 and finished it for the twelfth time on his fifteenth participation in 2012. Bölts got his best result in the most important cycling race in the world in 1994 with a ninth place.
The Saarvertical Gravelride began at the barrier in Nonnweiler at the upper car park of the reservoir of the same name and ended at the wildlife park kiosk in Karlsbrunn. The rest of the track varied from previous years again this year there was an interesting and varied route.
Numerous tourist sights and historical places were passed during the event. Our energy expenditure was rewarded with wonderful, wide-ranging views of the gentle low mountain range landscape of the most beautiful federal state in the world.
After passing the barrier at the car park of the dam in Nonnweiler, this wonderful body of water on the border with Rhineland-Palatinate was circumnavigated over the course of eleven flat kilometers. A steady up and down followed over varied open landscapes and dark wooded areas.
The track led over the Petersberg, the Hofgut Imsbach, the Schaumberg, the Höchsten, the Große Horst, the Moritzwald, the Hoxberg, the Invaliden Alm, the Campus Nobel, the Saarpolygon and the Glockenberg near Wadgassen.
From Friedrichweiler we went to the French border, where a slightly downhill flowy trail began and provided relaxation on the way down.
Then it was time to mobilise all your strength again, because the final ascent to the Belvédère - Carrière de Freyming-Merlebach on a sandy climb followed. The last descent down a beautiful trail to Karlsbrunn was also thoroughly enjoyed. Every finisher was now a real Saarvertical graveller - even if they didn't make it to the Tour de France.