The Bike Leg in Erkner: 90 Flat Kilometers Along the Spree — How to Turn Them into Speed

The bike leg is the number one reason this race attracts athletes chasing a half-distance personal best: 90 km over two laps, minimal elevation gain, roads described as recently resurfaced. But a flat course isn't something you wing. It rewards those who've trained their aero position and punishes anyone who thinks they can hammer without paying the price on the half marathon.

Two Laps Through Forests and Lakes

The course runs along the Spree, through the forests and lakes of the Oder-Spree region, southeast of Berlin. Two laps of roughly 45 km each: on the second pass you already know every corner, every exposed stretch, every change in road surface. Use the first lap to take your reference points and the second to cash in on them.

Sources don't fully agree on the elevation gain: a description from the first edition mentioned around 50 m total, while the current race info lists up to 200 m. Either way, it's one of the flattest courses out there: no real climbs, no technical descents, very few changes of pace. The roads are reported as recently resurfaced, but that info dates back to the first edition: check the surface condition during your recon.

The Wind Is the Only Climb

With no elevation, the wind becomes the variable that decides your average speed. September in Brandenburg can bring calm days or steady breezes, especially on the open stretches near the lakes. Two practical takeaways. First: don't fixate on your current speed — ride to power or steady perceived effort. Second: the two-lap format means you'll hit the same windy sections twice; on the first pass, note where you need to stay tucked on the bike and where you can push on.

Pacing: Consistency Above All

On an uninterrupted course, the classic mistake is going too hard in the first 30 km, when your legs are fresh and the average speed climbs easily. Set a power target and stick to it: for most age-groupers, an intensity around 75-80% of FTP leaves enough in the legs to run well. If you're targeting a 2:20-2:35 split, you can go above 80%, but only if you've tested it in training on long rides. The goal: power as even as possible, start to finish. Few races make that as achievable as this one.

Watch out for traffic: on flat, fast roads, athletes tend to bunch up. Keep the legal draft distance and treat overtakes as planned micro-surges, not watt-burning duels.

Equipment and Gearing

It's an ideal course for deep-section wheels and an aggressive setup, as long as you can hold it for two and a half hours or more. Standard chainrings are more than enough: with 50-200 m of elevation gain, you don't need anything special. Functional comfort matters more: a bottle between the extensions, nutrition accessible without breaking position, fast but reliable tires. Every time you come off the bars on a course like this, you give away seconds.

What to Do Now

Three concrete actions. One: add long rides on flat roads to your plan, with blocks like 2x30 minutes or 3x20 minutes at race power in aero position, never coming off the extensions. Two: do an FTP test 6-8 weeks out from the race and set your target in watts, not km/h; on race day the wind will decide your speed, not you. Three: download the official map as soon as it's published and compare it with this data, which comes from third-party sources and the first edition.