Every year, Europe’s biggest cycling race is held in Hamburg and the surrounding countryside. Since 1996, amateurs and professionals have competed in this one-of-a-kind event, which leads riders past many of Hamburg’s most prominent sights as well as through the region’s beautiful nature.
Closed roads, city sights and a Mönckebergstraße finish
In 2026, mass-participation riders choose between two courses on fully closed roads: The Experience (around 60 kilometres), starting on Alsterglacis, and The Challenge (around 110 kilometres), starting in HafenCity on Versmannstraße. Both races finish on Mönckebergstraße, Hamburg’s most prominent shopping street — as does the UCI WorldTour professional race, which starts in Buxtehude and covers around 206 kilometres.
After the amateurs have started, it is time for the UCI WorldTour pro race. Part of the WorldTour since 2005, the world’s best cycling teams compete in this one-day classic. The sport’s biggest stars attract hundreds of thousands of spectators. Witness the race along the course or visit the bike fair and Expo around Jungfernstieg boulevard and Rathausmarkt square.
Dates
16 August 2026
Location
The Experience starts on Alsterglacis; The Challenge starts in HafenCity (Versmannstraße); the professional race starts in Buxtehude. The finish line for all races is on Mönckebergstraße.
Getting there
For Alsterglacis: S11, S21, S31 trains to Dammtor; U1 to Stephansplatz
For HafenCity / Versmannstraße: U4 to HafenCity Universität (check official spectator guidance closer to race day)
For Jungfernstieg / Rathausmarkt: U1, U2, U4, S1, S2, S3, S11 trains to Jungfernstieg or U3 to Rathaus
For more information, please visit the official Cyclassics page: https://www.cyclassics-hamburg.de/
