The German Cycling Federation or BDR (in
German: ''Bund Deutscher Radfahrer'') is the national
governing body of
cycle racing in
Germany.
The BDR is a member of the
UCI and the
UEC.
History
The BDR was first created in 1884 in
Leipzig, only to be subsequently dissolved in 1933 after the
Enabling Act of 1933
The Enabling Act (German: ') of 1933, officially titled ' (), was a law that gave the German Cabinet – most importantly, the Chancellor – the powers to make and enforce laws without the involvement of the Reichstag or Weimar Presi ...
, which legally gave Hitler dictatorial control of Germany. The ''
Deutscher Radfahrer-Verband
The Deutscher Radfahrer-Verband (DRV), "German Cycling Association", was the cycling unit of the National Socialist League of the Reich for Physical Exercise.
History
Cycling associations existed in Germany since 1884. On that year the Bund De ...
'' (DRV), a unit (Fachamt) of the
Nazi Sports Body took over, until it was disbanded on May 31, 1945 for being the branch of a Nazi organization.
The BDR was re-established on 21 November 1948.
In
East Germany the cycling section of the
Deutscher Sportausschuss
Deutscher is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Alma Deutscher, British musician and composer
* Drafi Deutscher, German singer and composer
* Guy Deutscher (linguist)
* Guy Deutscher (physicist)
* Isaac Deutscher, Britis ...
, the DDR's sports body, was established in 1946. In 1957 it was renamed ''Deutscher Radsport-Verband der DDR'' (DRSV), "East German Cycling Federation", which was responsible for the sport until the merger of both countries on 7 December 1990.
Since 2005, the president of the BDR has been former Federal Minister of Defence
Rudolf Scharping. Between 2001 and 2004, former track-and-field athlete Sylvia Schenk led the BDR.
Work
The BDR issues
racing licences, organises training for athletes and coaches, undertakes youth work, and oversees cycle races in Germany. It works regionally through a network of local associations.
The BDR is also an advocacy organisation, lobbying for the interests of both sporting and leisure cyclists, although it does not aim to represent cyclists who use their bicycles on the road for transportation.
Disciplines
The BDR covers almost all disciplines of cycle sport:
road racing
Road racing is a form of motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held either on a closed circuit or on a street circuit utilizing temporarily closed public roads. Originally, road races were held almost entirely on publ ...
,
track racing,
cyclo-cross,
artistic cycling,
cycle ball
Cycle, cycles, or cyclic may refer to:
Anthropology and social sciences
* Cyclic history, a theory of history
* Cyclical theory, a theory of American political history associated with Arthur Schlesinger, Sr.
* Social cycle, various cycles in soc ...
,
cycle polo,
BMX racing,
BMX freestyle,
bike trial and
mountain bike racing.
In addition to the sporting disciplines, leisure cycling is also covered, including cycle touring.
Regional associations
Other
The ''
Bundesradfahrerdenkmal'' (federal monument to cyclists) is located in the Kurpark of
Bad Schmiedeberg.
External links
German Cycling Federation official website
National members of the European Cycling Union
Cycling
Cycle racing in Germany
Cycle racing organizations
Sports organizations established in 1948
{{Germany-sport-stub