By The preparations are peaking; batches of safety bales are in place around the 2.212 miles (3560) metres long Zittau Eichgraben to Luckendorf hill climb race circuit, which celebrates this weekend 102 years since it’s inaugural edition in 1923, hosts the final European Hill Climb Road Race Championships rounds of 2025.
Welcome to ‘Luckendorfer Bergrennen,’ located extremely close to the border with Czechia. All road racing fans are-cordially invited to this fabled event in the forests of Zittau, Germany, due to also feature Yesteryear Classics, Sidecars, various four-wheel categories, Classic Formula Cars.
Notable pilots, tackling the European Hill Climb Championship, Classic Sidecar races, include:
Solos:
Maurizio Bottalico – Italy (Honda CBR 600 cc – LS Racing Team / Yamaha R1 1000 cc – Team Fox 373)
Salvatore ‘Salvo’ Sallustro – Italy (Yamaha R1 1000 cc – 4S Riding School / KTM 690 cc Supermoto)
Giacomo Failla – Italy (Yamaha R6 600 cc / Honda CBR 1000 cc – Motoclub Ducale)
Thomas ‘Uccio’ Altendorfer – Austria (Honda CBR 600 cc / Honda RS 250 cc – MSC Rottenegg by Datziii #55 Road Racing)
Cossimo Sozzo – Italy (Yamaha R3 300 cc / TM 600 cc Supermoto)
Marco Vigilucci – Italy (Yamaha R3 300 cc / Aprilia RS 250 cc – VRT vigiracingteam)
Rolf Haller – Switzerland (Yamaha TZ 250 cc)
Bernard Depierreux – Belgium (Yamaha TZ 250 cc)
Angelo Testoni – Italy (Honda RS 250 cc – Testoni Racing)
Guido Testoni – Italy (Honda RS 250 cc – Testoni Racing)
Stefano Leone – Italy (Yamaha R3 300 cc)
Karl Stiefsohn – Austria (Kawasaki 1000 cc)
Phillipp Neumuller – Austria (Husqvarna 701 Supermoto)
Classic Sidecars:
Armin Pfalz/Martin Riedel – Germany (Suzuki 1000 cc – AP-Racing Team)
Dieter Hanninger/Harald Schwarz – Austria (Yamaha 1100 cc)
Peter Gierlinger/Helga Gierlinger – Austria (Yamaha 1000 cc)
Michel Kiesow/Martin Kiesow – Germany (Yamaha 950 cc)
Alexander Hentschel/Jan Spillner – Germany (Moto Guzzi 748 cc)
Roland Gundinger/Victoria Onsowicz – Austria (Honda 750 cc – MSC Rottenegg)
Luckendorfer Bergrennen 2025 – weekend timetable for Motorcycles/Sidecars, reads as follows:
(Local time)
Friday, 1st August:
9:00 AM – Paddock opens
Saturday, 2nd August:
8:00 AM– Motorcycle classes / Sidecars – Practice 1
10:30 AM– Motorcycle classes / Sidecars – Practice 2
1:00 PM– Motorcycle classes / Sidecars – Practice 3
Sunday, 3rd August:
8:00 AM– Motorcycle classes / Sidecars – Free Practice
10:30 AM– Motorcycle classes / Sidecars – Race 1
1:00 PM– Motorcycle classes / Sidecars – Race 2
An added bonus the current track record holders per class (European Hill Climb Road Race Championship since 2024) at Luckendorfer Bergrennen (unofficial information).
(Year lap record attained near racer’s name)
Superbike: Maurizio Bottalico – 1.24.107 (2024) plus unofficial set during qualifying 1.19.625 (2024)
Supersport: Maurizio Bottalico – 1.30.481 (2024) plus unofficial set during qualifying 1.25.281 (2024)
Supermoto: Salvatore Sallustro – 1.37.667 (2024) – Bernhard Hormann – unofficial set during qualifying 1.35.072 (2024)
GP 250: Bernard Depierreux – 1.40.630 (2024) plus unofficial set during qualifying 1.39.145 (2024)
Supersport 300: Cosimo Sozzo – 1.56.037 (2024) / Daniele Stolli – unofficial set during qualifying 1.42.023 (2024)
Plus:
Classic Sidecars: Peter Gierlinger/Helga Gierlinger – 1.31.121 (2019)
Photo credit: Jan Vavra
Words by Jan Vavra
