Marathon beginners in particular can look forward to a significantly shortened Small Loop (33.7 km/830 m elevation gain) at the BIKE Festival Willingen in May 2025. On the new medium route, however, racers will have to invest the saved energy directly in somewhat more challenging trail descents and can even collect UCI points on the big loop.
Small loop: Three Valleys Flow North
33.7 kilometres / 830 vertical metres
Asphalt: 23 % / Gravel: 45 % / Forest path: 23 % / Trail: 9 %
Every ambitious touring cyclist who enjoys flowing trails can tackle the small loop of the BIKE Marathon. After a short roll-in phase, the route climbs the longest ascent to the Hoher Eimberg (806 metres). That's 230 metres in altitude in one go, but the reward is immediate: a flowing trail stretches for 4 kilometres up here, first over to the Dreiskopf and then down towards Schwalefeld. You then get to know the green mountain flanks of the Ittertal, Aartal and Dommeltal valleys in an up and down before a final long 100 metre climb to the next highlight: At the top, a mix of trails and forest paths with an easy to sporty sawtooth profile takes you to the Mühlenkopfschanze and finally back to Willingen.
Middle loop: Summit trails south
71.8 kilometres / 1880 vertical metres
Asphalt: 16 % / Gravel: 42 % / Forest paths: 30 % / Trail: 12 %
Those who opt for the medium marathon distance will tackle a further, more challenging 1050 metres in altitude and, after the small loop, turn off not to the finish but into the steep climb up to the Ettelsberg. A short refreshment break at the Wilddieb, then it's on over the summit - now with the southern mountains of Willingen in your sights. You fly over the Große Grube towards the Strycktal valley. Collecting metres in altitude, panoramic points and the finest trail descents, you continue around the Hohe Pön, over the Usselner Kreuz and over the Ka-Lied summit to Titmaringhausen. It's worth stopping at the refreshment station here, as the following climb up to the Hillekopf is a flat 300 metres in altitude.
At the top, the trail leads to a high plateau and strolls for 5 kilometres through an idyllic nature park landscape - until the Biggenstein downhill finally grabs your attention: steep, rough and root-ridden, this forest trail sabres your nerves and suspension. And as soon as you have passed this 2-kilometre-long test, the next one piles up on the other side of the valley, because the climb is just as steep. 150 metres in altitude with an average gradient of 10 percent have to be cranked up here. At the end, however, the beautiful Hoppecke valley takes over and the last 5 kilometres are mostly downhill back to Willingen. Summary of this southern loop: tough, but above all a lot of fun. 42 per cent of the route is on trails and narrow forest paths!
Big round: Expert circle
110 kilometres / 2930 vertical metres
Asphalt: 14 % / Gravel: 41 % / Forest paths: 32 % / Trail: 13 %
The kings of the long distance will opt for this additional 37.5 kilometres and 1050 metres in altitude. This means that after the middle distance, they will turn back onto the climb to the Ettelsberg and pump the southern loop into their legs a second time. But now with significantly less traffic and a clear path on the technical trail sections. To make the full throttle mode really worthwhile, there are also UCI points up for grabs on the long loop!
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
