Exciting races at their best: for some years now, the Stuttgart region has been developing into an increasingly important venue for road cycling in Germany. This applies to both professional and amateur sport. A development that is also thanks to the support of the Verband Region Stuttgart. Together with the state capital Stuttgart, the Verband Region Stuttgart sponsors the Women's Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region and the Brezel Race Stuttgart & Region: the region supports these events with 250,000 euros annually.
Top sport
The new "Women's Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region" race format celebrated its premiere in 2023 and has been held annually ever since. It is the only one-day race in Germany for professional female cyclists in the second-highest international category "UCI ProSeries". The state capital of Stuttgart and the Verband Region Stuttgart have thus set a strong example in women's sport. Multiple world champion and Olympic champion Lisa Brennauer is the sports director. After two successful events in Tamm (2023) and Böblingen (2024), the event began in Filderstadt on September 14, 2025. The route went via Denkendorf into the Neckar and Filstal valleys to the Rems valley - and then towards the state capital, where the nine-kilometre final lap was completed twice, watched by thousands of enthusiastic spectators along the route or via the media. An attractive supporting program offered experiences around the bike. Subject to further financial support, the top-class one-day race will also take place on September 13, 2026. You can find more information here.
The Stuttgart Region has already been very active with professional cyclists in previous years: since the reintroduction of the Deutschland Tour in 2018, Stuttgart and the region have already been the final venue for the professional tour with the finish line in Stuttgart city center twice, in 2018 and 2022. A great day for sport in the Stuttgart Region, which was supported by the Verband Region Stuttgart with a low six-figure sum in each case. More information on the Deutschland Tour
The Verband Region Stuttgart also sponsored the German Road Cycling Championships in 2021.
Popular sport
However, the association not only supports professional sport, but also amateur sport, which is in great demand: as part of the Deutschland Tour 2018, amateur athletes were able to prove themselves for the first time with the "Jedermann Tour" on closed-off routes with varying degrees of difficulty. A successful premiere, which was continued: The "Pretzel Race Stuttgart & Region" took place for the first time in 2021. Over 2,000 amateur cyclists "pretzel-raced" through the region in conjunction with the women's professional race. The mass sports race was also very popular in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, 4,000 cycling fans took part. Subject to further financial support, there will also be cycling through the region on September 13, 2026.
In the races for amateur athletes, all participants have the opportunity to get on a racing bike themselves on a short or long route and enjoy the great atmosphere with conditions just like the pros. The routes lead over undulating terrain - typical of the Stuttgart region. In 2025, a "Pretzel Race Stuttgart & Region" also took place directly before the "Women's Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region". All information can be found here.
