From Tour de France to Tour de Friends – A Q&A with RAD RACE

When the world’s top cyclists line up for the Tour de France in July, the excitement runs high at RAD RACE, too. The legendary race doesn’t just deliver thrilling stages – it’s also a huge source of inspiration, whether it’s for personal training, event planning, or the team’s daily chatter.

Just a few weeks after the pros cross the finish line, RAD RACE kicks off its own season highlight: Tour de Friends, starting September 1. Five days. Four stages. Real climbs – and even more community vibes.

We caught up with RAD RACE founders Ingo and Jan to chat about Tour de France rituals, personal motivation, favorite riders – and, of course, their very own event.

And here's a little surprise: Together with RAD RACE, we’re launching a brand-new jersey, exclusively for Tour de Friends. Stay tuned!

Does your team follow the Tour de France together? Any yearly rituals?

Ingo: We look forward to it every year. It’s a daily ritual for us to gather in our shop to watch the stage finales on the big screen. For a few minutes, life in the shop comes to a halt – especially when the CANYON teams are racing.

Which riders fascinate you the most?

Ingo: We’re living in a golden era. Watching Pogačar, Van der Poel, Philipsen or Vingegaard – these are once-in-a-generation talents. We're all die-hard Mathieu van der Poel fans. He’s simply the best. Multi-time world champ in cyclocross, a powerhouse on the road, and he even crushes it in MTB. He wins hilly stages and is one of the best classics riders out there. Plus, he’s super likeable. We’ve followed his career for over ten years now. He even swapped jerseys with Manuel Neuer (German soccer player and Rad Race's friend) once!

Who do you think will win this year’s Tour de France?

Ingo: Tadej Pogačar, 7 minutes ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, with Remco Evenepoel in third. And on the women’s side – even though she doesn’t ride for Canyon – Demi Vollering will win by 8 minutes! It’s amazing what’s happening in women’s cycling right now.

Does the Tour motivate you to ride more or train harder?

Ingo: There’s nothing better than heading out for a ride after watching a Tour stage. Sadly, we’re missing mountains here in Hamburg... but we make up for that during Tour de Friends!

If you could ride one stage of the Tour de France, which would it be?

Jan: Definitely not a sprint finish! Even just watching those gives me anxiety 😅 I’d love to roll through the Alps and finish on Alpe d’Huez – that would be my dream. I’ve never ridden that climb myself, but I remember so many legendary Tour finishes there.

Your Tour de Friends kicks off just weeks after the Tour de France – does the pro race inspire how you plan your event or create community vibes?

Jan: Of course – the Tour is full of inspiration! The broadcast alone makes you want to jump on your bike or just talk about cycling all day.

But when it comes to the event itself, the two couldn’t be more different. While the pros chase seconds, we aim to spend as much time as possible on the bike, making the most out of every stage. At Tour de Friends, every break counts – which wouldn’t even exist in a race like the Tour. Those who spend the longest time on the road often end up having the most fun.

There are always plenty of good reasons to stop along the way. The checkpoints on Tour de Friends are legendary. There was a mayor who rode up to a mountain pass near his town just to serve Prosecco to the riders himself. There were award-winning bakers who wanted to prove their skills by motivating everyone to eat their cake. Men’s choirs sang in village squares. Kids from local kindergartens begged for autographs. Every year, the stages through the quieter corners of Italy write new stories you couldn’t make up if you tried.

What’s the biggest difference between Tour de Friends and the Tour de France – and are there any surprising similarities?

Jan: The biggest and most important thing they have in common? Whether it’s a hardened Pro Tour veteran or a RAD RACE participant – it’s all driven by the same joy of riding and passion for cycling.

If you could invite a Tour de France pro to ride Tour de Friends, who would it be?

Ingo: Definitely Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel. They’d have to lead us up every climb. And sprint. Also: Kasia Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering – they’re both invited.

What can riders expect from this year’s Tour de Friends – what’s new, what stays iconic?

Jan: It’s basically tradition now: climbing is the main feature of Tour de Friends! A typical day in 2025 will include around 100 km (62 miles) and 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) of elevation.

The checkpoints are hopefully still the same: personal, even a little family-like. You feel truly welcomed when you leave a stop where you’ve just had Prosecco, pizza, and sung Bella Ciao with total strangers. The locals’ joy in showing us their region – those are the meaningful moments that really make this tour special.

Oh, and we haven’t even talked about the Final Party yet! It’s legendary – and definitely counts as the fifth stage. So, save some watts for that!

What’s your most beautiful or emotional memory from past Tour de Friends events?

Jan: Just last weekend, I drove back from Feltre to Berlin. I had been in Feltre to double-check the stages and meet with the local tourism folks. During the 1,000 km drive home, I thought a lot about this question – and the answer came easily.

After our first-ever Tour de Friends, Ingo, Jonas and I drove back to Germany the morning after the final party. Ingo doesn’t drink, so he was the only one able to drive. We blasted the best songs from the night before and were completely euphoric. The event had gone so well, and we all felt like we’d created something special – something that puts the community and joy of riding at the center.

The reactions from participants were full of love, warmth, and happiness. That moment made it clear: we’d bring Tour de Friends back again and again – and the name would always say it all.