Police world champion clinches victory in NRW Police Cup held in Hamminkeln
Get ready to pedal, peeps! The Hamminkelner industrial area is once again the cycling hotspot, as RG Haldern 03 hosted the 4th "Rund um Hamminkeln" - a Grand Prix event on the Lower Rhine's calendar. This year-round race attracted a pile of competitors, ranging from ambitious critter riders to hobby jocks, all vying for victory in eight classes across six races.
"The registration numbers aren't as high as they used to be. But we're happy campers, especially since there were last-minute registrations, and we had great weather," Volker Maas, the big cheese at RG Haldern 03, gleefully summarized.
The district champs of Kleve and Wesel were determined in the Jedermann race, where Carsten Krüger, a grizzled veteran of the Rees riding scene, snatched the title with style. He quickly outpaced the competition and enjoyed a sizable lead of over a minute at one point. The chasing pack wasn't as tight as they should have been, and Krüger's team took full advantage, ensuring the Kleve district championship crown for their rider.
Tobias Otten ended up being the Wesel district champion, beating out Marcel Klötgen and Pascal Schlebusch, respectively. Lucas Liß, the most recognizable name in the field, nabbed second place overall and won the NRW Police Cup. Despite being in Switzerland the day before the race for a Sauerland professional team, Liß still managed to put up a strong performance, particularly impressive considering he works as a police commissioner and is mainly a track cyclist.
On the sidelines, Monika Mechlinski rooted for our three homegrown Jedermann race contestants from the RC Tornado Rees, swearing she'd you-know-what ride if she could. "I'm a sucker for cycling, but I'm still a noob," she laughed. Dieter Bauhaus, the big boss at Rees City Sports Association, accounted for his fondness of cycling by noting his son-in-law was a racer but was currently nursing a shoulder injury.
The event got an extra boost as RG Haldern 03 joined forces with a cycling tourism event organized by Dinslaken enthusiasts. About a hundred participants clicked "Attending" digitally, while the Indoor Cycling Lower Rhine showcased their sport near the track. The big boss, Bernd Romanski, the Mayor of Hamminkeln, also turned up to cheer on the racers and present prizes.
Get your bike ready, because the Lower Rhine's biggest cycling event rolls into town once a year - mark your calendar for June 10, 2025, when the "Rund um Hamminkeln – Großer Preis der Niederrheinischen Sparkasse Rhein-Lippe" takes place in the gritty Hamminkelner industrial area. And who knows, maybe you'll snatch the district championship title next year!
Sports enthusiasts should keep their calendars marked for next year's "Rund um Hamminkeln – Großer Preis der Niederrheinischen Sparkasse Rhein-Lippe", as it promises to be the Lower Rhine's biggest cycling event. Tobias Otten, a police commissioner and track cyclist, showcased his prowess in sports by securing the Wesel district championship title.
