30 years internationale kids tour. What has this tour experienced! In spite of all it lives, is loved by our offspring. From 24.08.- 27.08.23 the anniversary tour will take place. This is an occasion to look back on the tried and tested and to announce possible changes.
1993 to 2023 - that's a long time. Historic Berlin stage races no longer exist, only the kids-tour lives on. And what it has been able to and has had to experience in all its ups and downs. Torn between beaming children on the one hand and a lack of support and chronic underfunding and adverse weather conditions on the other hand, it was and still is a lighthouse event and in the meantime, despite all that, the only one.
Under no circumstances should such a Berlin success story be shelved. Even the attempt to let it die, to even consider competing with it, runs counter to the ethical values and goals of all sports fans. Founder Jens-Holger Mey spoke out against enmity, against hatred and for international understanding. Sport is a bridge. The task of our young people is to cross it. That is a great and lofty goal, especially in this day and age. We should start with the small and our own things and want to make an understanding on our own doorstep.
As political as the character of the Tour has always been, so sporting has its content. Between 1993 and 2023, the Tour changed, often for the better. The organising team has been working on this improvement since December '22, and is now proposing to include a prologue in the kids' tour, just like the pros. It is planned that parallel to the 2nd stage of the Deutschlandtour '23 in Merzig, the international youngsters will also have a representative stage in Berlin. To this end, we are currently coordinating and exchanging ideas with politicians and the business community in Berlin.
The anniversary tour will take place from 24.08.-27.08.23.
30 years of the International kids-tour. 30 years of sport against violence, for international understanding, 30 years of tradition in the Berlin Cycling Federation, 30 years of the motto: "Cycling kids fight for the yellow jersey and against xenophobia", 30 years of fair goes first. And it will be cool and diverse, this tour in 2023 - as cool as the kids.
All in the spirit of Jens-Holger Mey and the sports metropolis Berlin.
"In 1993, Jens-Holger Mey had a great idea. After numerous xenophobic attacks in Germany, he launched the kids-tour. The first event was held under the motto: "Cycling kids fight for the yellow jersey and against xenophobia". It was here that today's cycling stars came into the limelight for the first time. John Degenkolb, Pascal Ackermann, Maximilian Schachmann, Leon Rohde or Nils Weispfennig, among others, were successful here. Now the kids-tour urgently needs support. Don't let this great platform for the youngsters go under.
Jens-Holger Mey passed away on 8 January 2020 at the age of 75. But the Kids Tour must live on. 250 young racers from around 10 nations want to win, finish and above all gain experience at Berlin from 21 to 25 August 2020. With the selection of the routes, all elements of a grand tour are offered. The distances are age-appropriate." from Challenge-Magazin.com.
More information will follow here on the blog and on the website.