Two weeks after the Olympic Games, another sporting highlight will cast a spell over the citizens of the region, and certainly all cycling fans. The final stage of the Lidl Deutschland Tour will finish in Saarbrücken on 25 August and will also pass through several communities and towns in the Saarpfalz district on the way. Not only 120 professional cyclists (elite races), from hopeful talents to international stars, will pass through the municipalities. Around 2000 amateur cyclists will also be enjoying the district's charming countryside on their bikes as part of the "Cycling Tour" from the morning hours until the early afternoon. There is also a "Newcomer Tour" for young German and international talent.
A top sporting event such as the Lidl Deutschland Tour is unfortunately also associated with temporary traffic restrictions for local residents. However, in close coordination with the local authorities and security agencies, the organiser assures us that the impact of closures will be kept to a minimum.
It will be ensured that the road sections in the transit towns are only closed to traffic for the immediate race period of the amateur and professional races. The restrictions in the municipalities involved on 25 August will be based on the time of passage of the cyclists, which can be found at www.Deutschland-Tour.com/Verkehr.
45 minutes before the start, the police, a mobile motorbike squadron and the organiser's marshals, who can be recognised by their high-visibility waistcoats, ensure that the route is clear. A police vehicle with a red flag announces the approaching athletes 30 minutes later. Once they have passed the section of the route, a police vehicle with a green flag will clear the route for regular traffic again.
In accordance with a traffic order issued by the Saarpfalz district traffic authority, the following federal and state roads as well as municipal roads will be fully closed to all vehicle traffic between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. for the Cycling Tour :
Central town of St. Ingbert: L 119 Untere Kaiserstraße in St. Ingbert; Rickertstraße and Poststraße in St. Ingbert; L 119 Otto-Toussaint-Straße and Kaiserstraße in St. Ingbert; Spieser Landstraße in St. Ingbert;
City of Bexbach: Industriering in Bexbach, L 226 Rothmühle in Bexbach; L 226 Bahnhofstraße in Bexbach, Güterstraße in Bexbach; L 116 Niederbexbacher Straße in Bexbach; L 116 Bliestalstraße in Niederbexbach;
Municipality of Kirkel: L 116 Bexbacher Straße in Altstadt; L 116 Ortsstraße in Altstadt; L 114 Homburger Straße in Altstadt; L 119;
City of Homburg: L 119 Saarbrücker Straße in Homburg; Pirminiusstraße in Beeden; Remigiusstraße in Beeden; L 217 Blieskasteler Straße in Beeden; L 222 Limbacher Straße in Wörschweiler; L 111 Bierbacher Straße in Wörschweiler;
City of Blieskastel: L 111 Pfalzstraße in Bierbach; L 111 Homburger Straße in Lautzkirchen; L 113 Pirminiusstraße / Neunkircher Straße in Lautzkirchen;
Municipality of Kirkel: L 113 in Kirkel; L 119 Kaiserstraße in Kirkel;
Mittelstadt St. Ingbert: L 119 Obere Kaiserstraße in Rohrbach, Pestalozzi-Straße in Rohrbach; Rohrbacher Straße in Hassel; Lindenstraße in Hassel; Rittershofstraße in Hassel;
City of Blieskastel: L 111 Bezirksstraße in Niederwürzbach; L 234 Metzer Straße in Niederwürzbach; L 234 Aßweiler Straße in Seelbach; L 234 Seelbacher Straße in Aßweiler; L 107 Saarbrücker Straße in Aßweiler
Municipality of Mandelbachtal: L 107 Saarbrücker Straße in Ommersheim; L 107 Adenauerstraße in Ormesheim; L 238 in Ormesheim; L 238 Gräfinthaler Straße in Bliesmengen-Bolchen; L 105 Bliesransbacher Straße in Bliesmengen-Bolchen;
Valley circuit (insertion for cycling tour): Kaiserstraße in St. Ingbert; Obere Kaiserstraße, Im Stegbruch and Hasseler Straße in Rohrbach.
Furthermore, in accordance with a traffic order issued by the Saarpfalz district traffic authority, the following federal and state roads as well as municipal roads will be fully closed to all vehicle traffic between 3 and 5 p.m. for the elite race:
City of Homburg: L 110 Ernstweiler Straße and Hauptstraße in Einöd; B 423 Hauptstraße / Homburger Straße in Einöd and Schwarzenacker; L 111 Bierbacher Straße Pfalzstraße in Wörschweiler
City of Blieskastel: L 111 Pfalzstraße in Bierbach; L 111 Homburger Straße in Lautzkirchen; L 113 Pirminiusstraße in Lautzkirchen; L 111 St. Ingberter Straße in Lautzkirchen; L 111 Bezirksstraße in Niederwürzbach; L 234 Metzer Straße in Niederwürzbach; L 234 Aßweiler Straße in Seelbach; L 234 Seelbacher Straße in Aßweiler; L 107 Saarbrücker Straße in Aßweiler
Municipality of Mandelbachtal: L 107 Saarbrücker Straße in Ommersheim; L 107 Adenauerstraße in Ormesheim; L 238 in Ormesheim; L 238 Gräfinthaler Straße in Bliesmengen-Bolchen; L 105 Bliesransbacher Straße in Bliesmengen-Bolchen.
The organiser informs that the roads will be opened between the passages of the Elite Tour, Cycling Tour and Newcomer Tour and that the closing times depend on the race speed.
The route of the cycle race will also be signposted for all local residents. These route posters and additional no stopping signs will also indicate that the route may not be parked on 25 August.
District Administrator Dr Theophil Gallo: "I am delighted that the Saarpfalz district will be the venue for the Deutschland Tour and that the citizens are invited to experience this event, possibly even on their own bikes. We are all aware that such an event is only possible with restrictions on road traffic, which we will more or less feel on Sunday. But even if motorists in the Saarpfalz district are already feeling the strain due to a number of diversion measures, I ask for your understanding and hope that the joy of the Deutschland Tour will prevail in our region. I wish the amateur cyclists and all the professionals lots of fun on the route and a successful and accident-free event."
Further information is available at www.Deutschland-Tour.com