It remains exciting here

Frank Bihra

On 14 June, around 800 cyclists populate Chemnitz city centre in the morning. Crowded together from the Red Tower to the Penguins, they eagerly await the starting signal for the 4th Fichtelberg Cycle Marathon. Then it's time to tackle the 84-kilometre tour with 1,900 metres of elevation gain. For some it is an unimaginable ordeal, for others a fantastic experience. The truth is probably halfway through. Frank Bihra, head of organisation, tells us about the fascination of the race. #MakeroftheWeek

How did you come up with the idea of organising a cycling marathon in Chemnitz?
Frank Bihra: I came from the Stelvio Pass. At 2757 metres, it's the highest mountain pass in Italy. 6,000 cyclists cycled up the Stelvio Pass: The atmosphere was impressive. I wanted to go out for dinner the evening before and could hardly get a seat in the restaurants. There were so many people on the road. The next day, pedalling up the mountain among the masses of cyclists was simply a wonderful feeling. Afterwards, I asked myself why we couldn't manage that here.

Did you immediately put the idea into practice?
When I got home, I contacted Heiko Schinkitz, the president of the Chemnitz City Sports Association, and told him about the event. I was in such a euphoric mood that I had to organise a race in Chemnitz. Many people thought we were just burning money with the event. They also thought that there were only 30 people who could make it up the Fichtelberg to the Fichtelberghaus.

Last year, the event was fully booked for the first time with 600 cyclists. It wasn't just local cyclists who agonised their way up Saxony's highest mountain (1,215 m). They came from half the country: "People from Hamburg, Rostock, Dresden, Leipzig, Cologne and Berlin took part," reports Frank Bihra. "This race is indeed a really good advertisement for Chemnitz beyond the day itself," wrote Mayor Barbara Ludwig in a letter to him. Words that make Bihra proud and confirm his work: "Ms Ludwig has recognised that we are doing something for our city. She has always supported us well." The Fichtelbergradmarathon has now established itself in the cycling scene.

Why do you organise the Fichtelbergradmarathon?
In addition to the purely sporting aspect - it is a challenging event for amateur and recreational athletes - there are other aspects that play a role, as already mentioned: We want to make our city better known. A sporting event is one thing, but there is another: we want to do something for Chemnitz and also for the Ore Mountains. We work closely with the Erzgebirge tourism association and write to the mayors along the route to see if they would like to support us. After all, the riders come from half of Germany. In the run-up to the event, we wrote to the out-of-town participants and asked if they needed help with hotel bookings, for example. This got us talking and the participants are bringing friends with them next year. From my point of view, this is city marketing.

How many times have you travelled up the Fichtelberg yourself?
I can't count, but I've done it a few times for training purposes. On race day, I'm in the lead car for organisational reasons: I make our marshals more alert and ask oncoming vehicles to drive carefully.

The Fichtelbergradmarathon is recommended for "well-trained recreational athletes". A brief indication of what the riders can expect on the route: 84 kilometres through the hilly landscape of the Ore Mountains and up the Fichtelberg with a 16 per cent gradient. "But only for a short time," smiles Frank Bihra. The journey takes between three and six hours. "We start in groups of thirty so that there are no major traffic jams on the roads. As a result, the field spreads out."

Why is the Fichtelbergradmarathon starting in Chemnitz of all places?
Chemnitz has developed very well in recent years and it remains exciting here. I like the city, the region, where my friends and most of my family live. We, young and old, have to work together to build what is still missing. And everyone has to pitch in. Just complaining and then disappearing from here is not a good solution. That's why I, or rather we, are doing our bit.

Do you get any feedback from external riders after the race? If so, what is it like?
Facebook is a nice thing - we get opinions or emails. And there really are letters of thanks. I get the most feedback on the plateau at the top of the Fichtelberg, directly after the race. There's such a great atmosphere there.

What is your job as head of organisation?
In addition to the organisational aspects of the race, I visit the most important bike dealers in the region, bring them flyers and posters, talk to sponsors and make agreements. The only month in which I don't do anything for the Fichtelbergradmarathon is July. The search for sponsors starts in September. They have to be finalised by November. I have to design the jersey and flyers by Christmas so that they can then go to the sponsors for Christmas sales.

That sounds like a full-time job?
At the beginning, I thought I could manage the organisation in one day. But that was only possible for the premiere event. We have since founded CSB - Chemnitzer Sportbund Sportmarketing UG, of which I am the managing director. The reason for this is that we no longer have to get everything approved by the executive committee and can act more flexibly.

Have you ever calculated how much time is spent on the organisation?
That's difficult, it's a mixture of my main job and voluntary work.

How do you finance yourselves?
We work with sponsorship money, income from the cycling jerseys and the entry fees. We don't receive any funding. Support vehicles, sanitary facilities, catering along the route - we are already moving a bit of money.

Do you have a vision of where you want to take the event?
I don't want to work with four-digit figures because we still have a lot to do before then. Just to mention one small point: Cyclists and motorists are not necessarily the best of friends. But we have to be considerate of each other because the route is not closed off. We appeal to the understanding of both motorists and cyclists and have to fight for it. Of course, our cyclists must ride sensibly and observe the traffic regulations. We would be delighted if more car drivers would leave their vehicles parked on this day and cheer on the participants. We are working on understanding this.

Can the Chemnitz sports scene cope with so many events?
Of course we can cope with this number of events. We also notice this in the registration times, how quickly people register. We have to turn many people away and have a waiting list. For me, that's proof that it's well received.

Is Chemnitz a real sports city?
We have more than 200 clubs in Chemnitz. I believe that when young people come to Chemnitz with their families to work, they don't just want to go to the opera house. They want to find and use sports facilities for their children and for themselves. Minister of State Markus Ulbig said during a visit to Chemnitz: "If there weren't such good sports clubs, the police would have completely different problems." We liked this statement.

Do you have the impression that the people of Chemnitz need to be encouraged?
It depends on the circles you move in. I have a lot of friends who say: it's a decent city. You have lots of opportunities, you just have to open your eyes and ears. I think Chemnitz is a sensible city. If young people want to be with their families again and come back home, then that would do us good.