Why people in the Allgäu love the BR bike tour so much
Created: 08/11/2022, 08:00
Challenge: Driving 550 kilometers in temperatures of up to 36 degrees is worthy of all honor.
© Bauer
Kempten/Oberallgäu/Unterallgäu - Even the bike was specially composed for this tour: "Fast, thin tyres, a special gear system for climbs and flat sections, low weight." This is how Dietmar Benthele from Binswangen describes the machine with which he now completes the six sections of the largest stage cycle tour in Bavaria for amateur cyclists.
For ten years now, the fit 65-year-old has been setting off every summer to experience this cult BR event right in the middle.
"It's something unique," he enthuses.
The reporter of the district messenger who is cycling can hardly follow the man: one, two, three powerful kicks on the pedals - and he's gone.
Dietmar Benthele dives with his special bike at 26, 27, 28 kilometers per hour into the rushing peloton, in his typical saddle step he picks up speed in the flat sections, climbs lightly the miserably long 15 percent final climb in Landau an der Isar or bids in the Gäuboden -level literally defies the desert-like hot headwind: "I like doing the BR bike tour for three reasons," explains the wiry Oberallgäuer.
“I'm meeting totally different people this week, almost everyone has something interesting to tell.
Just forget everyday life
Between Cham and Gunzenhausen he can completely hide and forget the stress and problems of his everyday work as a freelancer.
When he creates highly complicated concepts for the transport of heavy loads through and into the Allgäu, he is extremely challenged.
That falls completely off him on the country roads and market squares.
Before the ascent to Hirtlbach in the Dachau region, Benthele explains why he absolutely wants to be in the leading group today: "I have to get to the mass quarters in Aichach for myself and my two passengers quickly in order to get three good places to sleep." Sleeping with 300 Complete strangers, snoring, noises, heat until dawn - that must be made as bearable as possible.
The man from Binswangen doesn't mind, he lives frugally on this "Tour de Bavaria", which has been inspiring people in the Free State since 1990.
"After the tour I go on vacation, sometimes in a five-star hotel," smiles Benthele.
Well trained in the mountains
He gets back on the pedals.
Behind Odelzhausen, the glowing strip of asphalt of a country road stretches up a hill without a shadow.
Conversations fall silent in the field of participants, soon only the panting and panting of 800 cyclists can be heard.
The sweat burns my eyes, my legs get heavy, and the temperature under my helmet rises to 60 to 70 degrees.
Dietmar Benthele has tied a scarf around his forehead to protect him from the scorching sun.
He is well trained and tough: "Before the bike tour I cycled up the Fellhorn three times and up the Nebelhorn twice." He laughs.
"Yes, my friend, the Bavarian Forest is welcome to come!" On the side, he does fun runs up the mountains of his homeland.
Imberger Horn, one of his favorite running areas.
It's now paying off.
Praise for the perfect organization
Like him, many of his fellow cyclists are regulars at this event.
They appreciate the perfect organization, from breakfast to the water break and luggage transport by the THW.
The police cordon off the streets and let the field roll over the traffic lights even when the traffic lights are red.
Every evening, the BR invites you to spectacular open-air concerts with popular bands: this year, among others, Max Giesinger, The Hooters and the Sportfreunde Stiller.
Free entry everywhere.
That attracts the masses, especially in stage locations away from the big cities.
And brings the participating municipalities a lot of advertising and image improvement via television, radio and the press.
Sonthofen was the destination of the tour in 2017, Mayor Christian Wilhelm would immediately invite the tour back to his city: "The bike tour was a very important piece of the jigsaw for our development into a bike town."
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Cycling during the day, partying in the evening
Andrea Kunz from Unterallgäu would also find it interesting for the bike caravan to stop in her home country: "That would be great," says the 55-year-old IT specialist.
She has won a free ticket for the cycle tour across Bavaria via the BR and is beaming all over her face.
"I wanted to cycle, have a party and meet people - everything arrived, perfect, great!" She pedaled her preparation kilometers - you should have at least 500 kilometers in your legs before the start - in Oberallgäu: "Through Adelegg, up to Eschach or to the Wenger Egg, you're in good shape!” She races through the countryside on a pedelec, her partner accompanies her in the mobile home.
"You know," she says to the reporter, "you don't experience anything like this anywhere else."
At some point before the highest point of this tour near Konzell in the Bavarian Forest, she suddenly rolls along next to Dietmar Benthele.
Quickly strikes up a conversation with him: "Ha, you're from Oberallgäu?
I'm from Lauben, Unterallgäu, near Memmingen!"
The bike tour connects, creates a sense of community, demands mutual consideration and tolerance.
People of all ages (this year between 9 and 83 years of age) roll along, of all backgrounds, of all professions.
Ambitious and connoisseurs, Swabians, Franconia and old Bavarians.
Stubborn rompers without a motor and self-confessed e-bikers.
Ministers, farmers and housewives.
They are all the same on the country road when the August heat leaps at the cyclists from the yellowed fields and they all want only one thing: water and a place in the shade.
Dietmar Benthele will also register in 2023 for his eleventh tour: "The bike tour is addictive." (lub)