300 km certificate TCR CP1

07.05.2022 08:00 a.m. Velodrome Heidenau

Length 316.9 km

Altitude difference: 5843m

Time limit: 20 hours

Checkpoints:

• km 72: Nutcracker Museum Neuhausen
• 90 km: Litvinov
• km 121: Cinovec
• 222 km: Litoměřice market square
• 270 km: Komáří Hurka
• km 317: Velodrome Heidenau

To say one thing straight away: I don't imagine my brevets in the future being like this round! So why this route, which is extremely mountainous for brevets (practically half a superrandonée)? Well, over the last few years I've not only ridden certifications, I've also competed in numerous self-supported ultra races. One of them is the Transcontinental Race. As luck would have it, the organizers of the TCR in 2022 planned a checkpoint practically right on my doorstep. More precisely in the Eastern Ore Mountains, in Krupka. A course of 120 km in length with around 2300 meters of altitude difference is covered. In 2019, the target course was moved from the TCR to the route from PBP to Brest. Now the idea was born relatively quickly to do it the other way around. So include the CP1 course in a brevet. In this case, it also means that we have to drive over the Ore Mountains to the start of the campsite in Litvínov. And from the destination of the CP in Litoměřice via České Středohoří and the Krušné ridge back. Despite the hardships, I hope it will be a nice day, with beautiful nature and beautiful views.

As always, the start is at the cycle track in Heidenau. From here we first drive through the small town of Dohna to then come out directly in the Müglitztal. Here we leave Weesenstein Castle on our left on the outward journey and shortly afterwards turn off to Maxen in a hairpin bend. Passing an old lime kiln, it first goes uphill at a leisurely pace before it reaches an easy 10% at the end. From here it's wavy for the next km. We have to cross one valley after the next to advance further into the mountains. At the Klingenberg dam we enjoy a short serpentine descent. Shortly thereafter, we pass the Lichtenberg dam, where we head straight into the small town of Dittersbach. Here I can recommend the bakery on the right (Café Hexenhäuschen) for a piece of cake.

Then we drive down into the Muldental, which we only drive on for a short time. We immediately turn right again and today we reach over 700m for the first time. From here we have a beautiful view of the Ore Mountains. Not far away, we can already see the Schwartenberg, which we will climb a little later. But first it goes down to the Rauschenbachtalsperre and on to Neuhausen to our first checkpoint. We make a short stop at the largest nutcracker in the world, here in front of the Nutcracker Museum. In the meantime we have arrived in the middle of the Ore Mountains. Here and there you can also see pyramids, candle arches, incense smokers or nutcrackers outside of the Christmas season. Simply because their birthplaces are here. As before, these are made here in traditional manual work.

But now it's up again. On the rind, affectionately called by the locals. Even if I haven't set up another checkpoint here, I hope that everyone will drive the few meters up the dead-end road to enjoy the view for a moment. From here it is only a few kilometers to the Czech border in Deutscheeinsiedel. We leave Germany and head down the Křižatky slope. A relatively flat descent into the Bohemian Basin with numerous switchbacks through densely overgrown forest awaits us here. Unfortunately, the end comes too quickly and abruptly. Suddenly the forest spits us out and we stand in front of huge prefab buildings with great Eastern block charm. Since we like it here so much, we stop briefly to enjoy the moment to the fullest and to be able to take a control photo. A good opportunity would be to replenish supplies when crossing Litvínov.

CP1 begins at the end of the town. It's about 500hm back up to the Erzgebirge ridge via the Osek driveway. First it goes relatively leisurely uphill in the forest. Further up in Dlouhá Louka, however, it becomes increasingly steeper and reaches 10% again and again. From here it goes up and down on mostly small, lonely roads on the Erzgebirge crest. Occasionally we can catch a glimpse of the Bohemian Basin. For the most part, however, we drive between forests and high moors. So that nobody misses a climb, we stop at the bridge in Cínovec and take a control photo at km 119.4.

Let's ignore the Komáří Hůrka in Krupka for the moment. We save the best for last. From Petrovice the road gets bigger again and there is civilization again. We already know the next section from the 200 certification, but in the opposite direction. However, today we leave Decínský Snežník on the right. After all, we already collect enough meters in altitude.

In Děčín we cross the Elbe and turn into the Ploučnice valley in the direction of Česká Lípa. It's off quickly and soon we're cycling on a section of the legendary Heimat Light, a preparatory tour of the Elbspitze, 250km long and peppered with 5500hm. In Malá Veleň we go up to Lesná. We are already on the edge of the České Středohoří, which still looks like a normal low mountain range here. But the further south we go, the more often we see the basalt cones typical of this mountain range. We go down to Litoměřice, where we take a control photo at the beautiful market square at km 220.7. From here we can look forward to the only flat section of the day, because it runs parallel to the Elbe as far as Lovosice.

From Lovosice we are in the heart of České Středohoří. First we pass the Lovoš. A little later the highest mountain in the range, the Milešovka with 836m. However, none of these mountains is passable. Its flanks are too steep and impassable for a road to have been built in the past. A large part of it is now a nature reserve and reserved for hikers. After Milešovka we see the large, wide southern flank of the Ore Mountains in the distance. Those who know it will eventually be able to spot the house on Komáří Hůrka.

Of course, before we start climbing up Krupka, we have to go down into the valley again. Unfortunately, you can't go home without it. If you still need food you should look for something here. After that there will be nothing apart from the pub at Komáří Hůrka. Krupka is a typical old mining town, believed to have existed since the 12th century. Mainly tin and later lignite and other metals were mined here. Across the small town, the first two kilometers get steeper and steeper. Anything between 10 and 13%. Only after we have left the city and disappeared into the forest does it become a little flatter after a left turn. From here only one-digit percentages are available. We are already halfway through the Starý Martin visitor mine. Then comes Horní Krupka, at the end of which we finally see Komáří Hůrka. The checkpoint is at km 268 at 808m. If we're lucky, the snack bar outside is still open. A freshly tapped Kofola and a Koláč - I'm already looking forward to it as I write. But the restaurant is also highly recommended.

From here it is only a short hop back to Germany. For the second time today, we go down to Fojtovice. But this time we turn left in the village. After a small counter climb we have to ride a 700m short piece of gravel to the border. This saves us a few kilometers on the way back. When we arrive in Fürstenau, the best asphalt awaits us. From here there is only one climb to the finish. It goes up past the Lauenstein dam and immediately down over the small burner to the Müglitztal. Passing the Lauenstein and Bärenstein castles, the route leads to Glashütte. Completely inconspicuous in the valley, clocks have been made here by hand in several manufactories since 1845. Not just any clock. No, elaborate and expensive watches. Watches from A.Lange and Sons can quickly reach six-figure prices. So nothing for us and so we roll relaxed down the last 10 km to the finish.