Description
May 17, 2026
108th Rund um Köln 2026 🇩🇪 (1.1) ME – Cologne – Cologne : 191 km
Rund um Köln is a UCI 1.1 classification that traverses the rolling,
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May 17, 2026
108th Rund um Köln 2026 🇩🇪 (1.1) ME – Cologne – Cologne : 191 km
Rund um Köln is a UCI 1.1 classification that traverses the rolling, picturesque landscapes of the Rhineland, where the roads wind through a mix of gentle hills, dense forests, and open farmland, punctuated by short, sharp climbs that test riders’ explosiveness and endurance. The terrain is characterized by its repeated ascents, particularly on roads like the Côte de Bergisch Gladbach or the Côte de Odenthal, where gradients reach 8–10% and force riders to accelerate hard, often sparking attacks and splits in the peloton. The descents are fast and technical, with tight bends and uneven surfaces demanding precision, while the flatter sections through the Rhine Valley are often exposed to crosswinds, adding a tactical edge to the race.
The race dynamics are shaped by these climbs and wind-exposed stretches, with attacks launching on the steepest ramps or during moments of echelon formation, the peloton thinning as riders struggle to maintain contact. The final kilometers often feature a fast, technical run-in or a short, punchy climb, where a reduced bunch sprints for victory, or a small group of riders who have escaped the chaos battle it out in a tense, high-speed finish. Rund um Köln is a race that rewards strength, tactical awareness, and versatility, blending the scenic beauty of the Rhineland with the relentless challenge of its climbs and unpredictable conditions.
Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) sprinted to his first win of 2026 at the Rund um Köln, as a late, three-man break got away in the final 50km and held off the charging peloton to the finish line.
Outnumbered by two Pinarello-Q36.5 riders in Aimé De Gendt and Fred Wright, Pithie looked on the back foot in the late move, but even after De Gendt led out the sprint for Wright, the New Zealand rider had the better turn of speed to win.
De Gendt held on for third, whilst it was Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who won the sprint from the bunch for fourth.
The trio went with 46km to go after the break was caught early, and never had much more than a 30-second gap, as small as 10 seconds at points in the final 20km, but the Pinarello-Q36.5 cooperation helped them hold off to the finish.
The day’s break went quite early on, made up of five Continental riders who were there to win some intermediates and get some coverage for their teams before the finale. The peloton were happy to let them do their thing for the bulk of the race, but they were caught quite early, with 62km to go.
With the break brought back, Louis Barré (Visma-Lease a Bike) went on a solo counterattack into the final 50km, but on his own, he didn’t survive for long.
The next move was a lot stronger, with Pinarello-Q36.5 duo of De Gendt and Wright getting away with Pithie over one of the late climbs. They built a gap of 30 seconds with 35km to go, but it wasn’t an easy task to hold off the peloton.
Robbe Dhondt (Picnic PostNL) tried to bridge across, but couldn’t make it, as the climbs and high pace strung out and split the bunch. With 15km to go and all the climbing done, the three leaders were only holding onto a narrow 10-second gap ahead of a small chase group, with the peloton not far behind.
As the peloton caught the chasers, it looked like it would be day over for the leaders, and it was touch-and-go for the final 10km, but impressively they managed to hold off the bunch, with Pithie sprinting to the win.
Results :
 ME </strong> - Cologne - Cologne : 191 km
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Rund um Köln is a UCI 1.1 classification that traverses the rolling, picturesque landscapes of the Rhineland, where the roads wind through a mix of gentle hills, dense forests, and open farmland, punctuated by short, sharp climbs that test riders’ explosiveness and endurance. The terrain is characterized by its repeated ascents, particularly on roads like the Côte de Bergisch Gladbach or the Côte de Odenthal, where gradients reach 8–10% and force riders to accelerate hard, often sparking attacks and splits in the peloton. The descents are fast and technical, with tight bends and uneven surfaces demanding precision, while the flatter sections through the Rhine Valley are often exposed to crosswinds, adding a tactical edge to the race.
The race dynamics are shaped by these climbs and wind-exposed stretches, with attacks launching on the steepest ramps or during moments of echelon formation, the peloton thinning as riders struggle to maintain contact. The final kilometers often feature a fast, technical run-in or a short, punchy climb, where a reduced bunch sprints for victory, or a small group of riders who have escaped the chaos battle it out in a tense, high-speed finish. Rund um Köln is a race that rewards strength, tactical awareness, and versatility, blending the scenic beauty of the Rhineland with the relentless challenge of its climbs and unpredictable conditions.
Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) sprinted to his first win of 2026 at the Rund um Köln, as a late, three-man break got away in the final 50km and held off the charging peloton to the finish line.
Outnumbered by two Pinarello-Q36.5 riders in Aimé De Gendt and Fred Wright, Pithie looked on the back foot in the late move, but even after De Gendt led out the sprint for Wright, the New Zealand rider had the better turn of speed to win.
De Gendt held on for third, whilst it was Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who won the sprint from the bunch for fourth.
The trio went with 46km to go after the break was caught early, and never had much more than a 30-second gap, as small as 10 seconds at points in the final 20km, but the Pinarello-Q36.5 cooperation helped them hold off to the finish.
The day's break went quite early on, made up of five Continental riders who were there to win some intermediates and get some coverage for their teams before the finale. The peloton were happy to let them do their thing for the bulk of the race, but they were caught quite early, with 62km to go.
With the break brought back, Louis Barré (Visma-Lease a Bike) went on a solo counterattack into the final 50km, but on his own, he didn't survive for long.
The next move was a lot stronger, with Pinarello-Q36.5 duo of De Gendt and Wright getting away with Pithie over one of the late climbs. They built a gap of 30 seconds with 35km to go, but it wasn't an easy task to hold off the peloton.
Robbe Dhondt (Picnic PostNL) tried to bridge across, but couldn't make it, as the climbs and high pace strung out and split the bunch. With 15km to go and all the climbing done, the three leaders were only holding onto a narrow 10-second gap ahead of a small chase group, with the peloton not far behind.
As the peloton caught the chasers, it looked like it would be day over for the leaders, and it was touch-and-go for the final 10km, but impressively they managed to hold off the bunch, with Pithie sprinting to the win.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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