Safety as Responsibility – Safer Cycling
Safety in cycling is not a secondary issue – it is a core responsibility. Guided by the principle of Safer Cycling, we continuously work to make cycling safer for everyone involved: from young riders to elite athletes, from a first race to professional competition.
Cycling takes place in public spaces. Roads, traffic infrastructure, and varying performance levels create challenges that require forward-thinking planning, clear communication, and high organizational standards. That is why we implement safety on multiple levels – through route planning, race organization, the protection of critical sections, as well as the education and awareness of riders.
Our approach is holistic: we invest in professional safety measures at elite races, strengthen guidance and support in recreational cycling, create safe conditions for beginners, and promote bike-handling skills and safe riding behavior from an early age.
For us, Safer Cycling means identifying risks, integrating safety into every aspect of the sport, and developing cycling responsibly for the future.
Safety at the Highest Competitive Level
In elite cycling, speed, race dynamics, and tactical competition are integral parts of the sport – making professional and forward-looking safety planning all the more important. That is why, at elite races, we implement comprehensive safety measures that go well beyond the basic requirements.
Our safety concepts are based on the regulations of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and are specifically adapted to the characteristics of each race course. Particular attention is given to potential hazard areas within the public road environment. Traffic islands, road narrowings, curbs, central reservations, and other infrastructural elements that contribute to everyday road safety can become critical points during a race.
These areas are secured through targeted measures, including:
Acoustic warning signals
Clear signage and visual warnings
Safety marshals at critical points
Protective barriers and padding systems around obstacles
Course-specific safety measures based on the level of risk identified on the route
Sporting Safety at the Highest Level
New Course Safety Concept
New Course Safety Concept
Over 25 Additional Hazard Areas Secured
Targeted safety measures implemented along the entire course.
Safer Cycling Warning Boards
LED warning lights and acoustic signals at critical points – a system familiar from the UCI WorldTour.
More Course Marshals with Yellow Flags
Early warnings for corners, narrow sections, and other potential hazards.
Enhanced Barriers and Protection Systems
Additional safety measures at bottlenecks, intersections, and corner exits.
Over 50 Warning Signs
Clear indications of corners, tram tracks, road surface irregularities, and other course features.
Protective Padding & Straw Bales
Additional protection at sensitive sections of the course.
Medical Services at Key Hotspots
Medical support positioned at all known crash-prone locations.
Complete Course Safety Reassessment
Comprehensive analysis and optimization of all relevant hazard points.
Safer Cycling Guides at the ADAC Cyclassics
Safer Cycling Guides at the ADAC Cyclassics
More guidance, support, and safety for all participants: in 2026, the Safer Cycling Guides will be introduced for the first time at the ADAC Cyclassics. These experienced riders will accompany the field, provide guidance along the course, and help promote a safe and respectful environment throughout the race.
The Guides are not race officials; rather, they serve as visible points of contact within the peloton. They contribute to a calm and safe race experience, draw attention to potential hazards, and provide support particularly during the opening kilometers and on more demanding sections of the course.
For this inaugural program, we are looking for dedicated and experienced cyclists, including licensed racers, road cyclists with racing experience, and ambitious riders who demonstrate confident bike-handling skills and safe riding behavior within a peloton.
Registration Information
Applying to become a Safer Cycling Guide is free of charge; however, submitting an application does not guarantee participation. Following registration, candidates will be reviewed and selected Guides will receive confirmation of their participation.
Selected Safer Cycling Guides will receive:
An official Safer Cycling Guide jersey
A starting place at the ADAC Cyclassics outside the official race classification
The opportunity to actively contribute to rider safety and a positive race experience for all participants
Rookie Program
With the Rookie Programme, we prepare beginners in a targeted way for the ADAC Cyclassics, thereby making an important contribution to greater safety within the rider field. In the weeks leading up to the race, we teach the fundamentals of road cycling, safe group riding behavior, as well as key race rules and procedures.
Participants learn how to move through the peloton in a forward-thinking and safe manner, avoid hazardous situations, and ride considerately alongside other cyclists. In this way, not only do the rookies themselves benefit, but all participants experience a safer and more controlled race environment.
Safety at the Bikeleasing.de Kids Race
At the Bikeleasing.de Kids Race, fun, movement, and above all the safety of all participants are the top priorities. Children aged 2 to 12 have the opportunity to gain their first racing experience in a safe and professionally organized environment.
To ensure that every child can participate according to their age and ability, the race distances are adapted accordingly. The youngest participants complete short courses of around 200 meters on balance bikes or bicycles.
To create optimal conditions, the Bikeleasing.de Kids Race is planned and conducted according to the same high organizational standards used in the major races. These include:
Comprehensive course safety measures
Clear signage and communication along the route
Marshals positioned at key points
Targeted securing of potential hazard areas
High organizational standards in planning and execution
Our goal is to provide young cyclists with a safe, age-appropriate, and memorable race experience, allowing them to discover the world of cycling with joy and enthusiasm.
Spielerisch lernen. Sicher Rad fahren.
Sicheres Radfahren beginnt früh. Gemeinsam mit unserem Partner kinder Joy of Moving führen wir Kinder bereits im jungen Alter spielerisch an das Fahrrad und den Radsport heran.
Unser Ziel ist es, früh Radbeherrschung, Sicherheit und Vertrauen auf dem Fahrrad zu fördern. Denn wer früh lernt, sich sicher auf dem Rad zu bewegen, profitiert langfristig – im Alltag ebenso wie im Sport.
Mit verschiedenen Angeboten im Rahmen der "kinder Joy of Moving mini tour" schaffen wir altersgerechte Möglichkeiten, erste Erfahrungen auf zwei Rädern zu sammeln:
- Schulaktionen rund um sicheres Radfahren
- Laufrad-Rennen für die Jüngsten im Zielbereich
- Bike Parade
Dabei geht es nicht um Leistung, sondern um Freude, Bewegung und Sicherheit. Kinder lernen, sich in Gruppen zu bewegen, Situationen besser einzuschätzen und mit Spaß mehr Sicherheit auf dem Fahrrad zu gewinnen.
Safer Cycling beginnt für uns dort, wo Begeisterung fürs Radfahren entsteht – bei den Kleinsten.