BIKE Festival Willingen 2026: Nothing motivates like a season goal - register for the marathon now!
Gitta Beimfohr
· 22.03.2026
Okay, this day won't be easy: the starting gun goes off at 7.30 am, so breakfast should have been at least 1.5 hours ago. You have to line up in the start box on time and it will smell strongly of muscle oil. Nervous participants, spectators and organisers everywhere you look. But then the countdown sounds from the speakers and: Bang! The race begins. In front of your handlebars is now what you may have signed up for on a whim:
- Small loop: 33.7 kilometres / 830 metres in altitude
- Medium loop: 71.8 kilometres / 1880 metres in altitude
- Long loop: 110 kilometres / 2930 metres in altitude
- E-bike marathon: The middle lap with start at 8:15 am
But these are just the bare figures. It goes without saying that the track designers have once again gone to great lengths to pack as much scenery and driving fun as possible into the three laps. After all, every bead of sweat shed should be rewarded.
The Small Tour: Three Valleys Flow North
33.7 kilometres / 830 vertical metres / Start: 8 am
Do you enjoy flowing trails but have never ridden a marathon? Then this is the right course for you: after a short, flat roll-in phase, the first ascent to the Hoher Eimberg (806 metres) begins. At 230 metres in altitude, it is also the longest of the entire route. Once you get to the top, you've practically already done it, because now comes the freestyle: a flowing trail stretches for 4 kilometres from up here, first over to the Dreiskopf and then down towards Schwalefeld. Afterwards, you will get to know the green mountain flanks of Ittertal, Aartal and Dommeltal in ups and downs.
The second notable climb awaits you on the way back, but it only saps your energy for another 100 metres in altitude before a mix of trails and forest paths with an easy to sporty sawtooth profile takes you to the Mühlenkopfschanze and the finish in Willingen. Looking back, you will realise: The small, inconspicuous climbs took the most energy.
The middle loop: summit trails south
71.8 kilometres / 1880 vertical metres / Start: 7:33 am
Those who opt for the medium marathon distance will seamlessly tackle the steep climb up the Ettelsberg after the small loop. This adds a total of 1050 metres of elevation gain and more challenging metres of descent, but the experience also grows accordingly: A panoramic refreshment stop awaits at Wilddieb, then it's on over the summit, where the southern mountain world of Willingen soon spreads out.
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 Pön, over the Usselner Kreuz and over the Ka-Lied summit to Titmaringhausen. Another short refreshment stop before the long, flat and tough ascent to the Hillekopf (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, where the climb is just as steep. 150 metres in altitude with an average gradient of 10 percent have to be squeezed into the cranks here. At the end, however, the beautiful Hoppecke valley takes over and the last 5 kilometres are mostly downhill back to Willingen. The result 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!
The Grand Round Table: Expert Circle
110 kilometres / 2930 vertical metres / Start: 7:30 am
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 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!
The e-bike marathon
71.8 kilometres / 1880 vertical metres / Start: 8:15 am
Motorised bikers can also take part in the BIKE Marathon again: but only on the middle loop and without a ranking. But with more time for scenery, trails and breakfast. The E-field only starts at 8.15 am.
Info BIKE Festival Marathon Willingen
Date: Saturday, 30 May 2026
Entry fee: 70 - 85 euros, early bird discounts until 31 March, last-minute registrations possible until 6 a.m. before the start.
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
