DE
Feier der Frühlingsklassiker – Schotter und Asphalttour auf 28 Pflasterreifen: Gö Velodrom – Dransfeld Rampe – Radweg bei Rischenkrug (B3) nach Dransfeld – L559 und dann der Asphaltaufstieg auf die Hoher Hagen – Dransfeld – Gö Velodrom.

The Pave tyre is no longer featured by Vittoria and has been replaced with the Strade Bianche winning Control range (plus a 30mm) but they can still be bought from many resellers. The Nemesis meanwhile remains proudly in the Ambrosio inventory.

The gravel and dirt of the Dransfeld Ramp isn´t as gnarly as say the Arenberg cobbles which features in the Paris Roubaix cycle race and the lack of tread on my Pave´s wasn´t too tricky.

The Pave tyre is no longer featured by Vittoria and has been replaced with the Strade Bianche winning Control range (plus a 30mm), but they can still be bought from many resellers. The Nemesis meanwhile remains proudly in the Ambrosio inventory.

Links
Gutingi Strade Bianche
Gutingi PRBX
Road Races that stray from Asphalt
Dransfeld Ramp and Hannöversche Südbahn
Gauß Tower

The Ride
From the velodrome it is a mix of gravel, cycle paths until the Dransfeld Ramp which begins on asphalt and becomes gravel/dirt soon after. At Rischenkrug (the B3 road) I departed the old railway line and followed a concrete/asphalt cycle path/farm road to Dransfeld. Here the route switched to an asphalt public road which eventually led up to the Gauß Tower. A long descent followed bedecked with graffiti to encourage TDE cycle sportive particpants (they go up) taking me back to Dransfeld and I went home descending along a waymarked cycle route.

There was still some snow at the Gauß Tower, and it was hard day in the saddle because rain fell, a bit of sun shone, it was cold on the high ground and a stiff head wind blew in my face for a large chunk of this ride. Super ´Classics´ weather in fact.

44km including 11 sectors of gravel.

Notable Gravel
Dransfeld Ramp: 10.4km. gravel at 6.6 for 3.8km.

Climbs/Anstieg
Ellershausen Loop: 7.6km max gradient of 2% plus (A long drag up).
Hoher Hagen: 1.6km max gradient of 7%

Garmin Connect: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/6429749753
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/4947015045
Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/361276013