Cycling is a broad church. One day you’ll be watching Lycra-clad super-athletes riding road bikes over Belgian cobblestones in a storm, then you’ll switch over to Rad Race’s Last Wo/man Standing.
Packing out a Berlin warehouse, it’s one of the world’s premier fixed crit races and draws all kinds of people with its fun-first, inclusive environment, where you can wear what you like as long as you have a helmet on.
The 2023 races took place on Saturday and was broadcast free on YouTube – you can watch all the action back – with defending champions Thelma Friis-Lund and Tekkerz CC’s Alec Briggs back for more. But it wouldn’t be easy.
The organisers kindly sent us over a bunch of incredible photographs of the action by Daniel Witte and Björn Reschabek, and we’ve selected our favourites to tell the story of the 2023 Rad Race Last Wo/man Standing.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
The arena.
The first rule of Rad Race… No you should definitely talk about Rad Race.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
You should also talk about this, and say it louder for the people at the back.
radrace/Daniel Witte
The wealth of different bikes on display were vast, and thankfully in Rad Race, everyone can hear your Skream.
radrace/Daniel Witte
There is serious racing, but it’s enjoyment that prevails for all participants.
radrace/Daniel Witte
They’ll make sure the crowd is having a good time too.
As well as bike-spotting, the clothing is something to behold, with no rules meaning some rather interesting attire is on display…
radrace/Björn Reschabek
…including Hawaiian shirts…
…road racing classics, that is a look…
…and SpongeBob?
radrace/Daniel Witte
This guy knows what’s coming. Business at the front, party at the front?
radrace/Daniel Witte
Who are we kidding, it’s all the party.
radrace/Daniel Witte
No UCI here thank you.
radrace/Daniel Witte
Petition for more people to have lights on wheels, this is what Tron should’ve looked like.
radrace/Daniel Witte
British rider Amy Perryman was representing her team Tekkerz CC in Berlin.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
As was the big dog Alec Briggs, the two-time defending champion.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
German rider Kai Luge was so ready for it he kept his jumper on for a while.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
They weren’t hanging about during the races, you could say they were flaschenpast.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
Even Dolan made it onto the circuit.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
Let’s hope Nopinz help this guy out for the future.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
Totally rad man. If you didn’t know, rad is the German word for bicycle.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
There are certain privileges that come with being able to stick the 1 on, one of them is cruising through races in jean shorts. Elite.
Nice skid marks.
Perryman made it through to the final and made a very impressive save on her way to fourth place.
radrace/Daniel Witte
Paola Panzeri didn’t take her eyes off the ball, or the other riders apparently. That is a look.
radrace/Daniel Witte
And bagged herself the win.
radrace/Daniel Witte
Melissa Martucci had to settle for second after she went all-in for the win on the last lap.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
Of course it’s not all about winning her so she was more than happy with second, wearing her California flag in celebration.
In the men’s race all eyes were on Briggs, no pressure.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
Brit Sam Harding led the way for most of the final having overtaken his compatriot Briggs early on.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
But it seemed there was only ever going to be one winner.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
Back-to-back-to-back.
radrace/Björn Reschabek
It’s always the same, the Germans put on a great event and in the end an Englishman wins. Who needs football?
radrace/Daniel Witte
These are super-athletes, despite what that intro said, it was for effect. Shoutout the podium. Briggs, Harding and Stefan Schott (8bar); Panzeri, Martucci and Fries-Lund.
