The approximately 70 km long stage starts in the paper town of Düren in the northern Eifel and leads past the evidence of the local industrial culture via the copper town of Stolberg to Aachen.

Starting from the train station in Düren, you cycle along the Rur and its riverside cycle path to the medieval fortress town of Jülich. The Sophienhöhe, a huge spoil heap created by the Hambach open-cast mine, is always present and visible. On your tour, you will circle a section of the Inden open-cast mine and catch spectacular views and vistas over the open-cast mine. The route continues through a renaturalized "landscape in transition" through the picturesque Inde floodplain, past the "GrünZug" in Aldenhoven and the Blausteinsee in Eschweiler, which invites you to take your first break on the lakeshore. The last few kilometers lead out of the renaturalized natural landscapes surrounding the open-cast mine into the towns of Eschweiler and Stolberg, which were once shaped by early industry. Before you reach the end of the stage, you have to conquer the Donnerberg between Eschweiler and Stolberg, the only longer climb of the stage. However, this can be bypassed on a signposted and flat bypass. Once you arrive in Stolberg, the historic old town with its unique copper courtyards and medieval castle is waiting to be discovered!

From the Stolberg tourist information office (Zweifallerstraße 5) below the castle, the route then takes you along the traffic-calmed Steinweg towards the districts of Unterstolberg and Atsch before turning off Steinbachstraße into the forest. On car-free, quiet forest paths, you now ride straight through the Würselen forest and soon reach the first Aachen districts of Verlautenheide and Nirm. You will be given a warm welcome to the imperial city at Europaplatz. Now it is only a stone's throw to your destination and you cycle past the Ludwig Forum for International Art towards Aachen's city center and reach the destination of this day's stage, Aachen's city and spa gardens, surrounded by the Eurogress and the exquisite Hotel Quellenhof.

Highlights along the route:

• Leopold Hoesch & Paper Museum Düren
• Jülich Citadel
• Jülich bridgehead park
• Inde floodplain and Inden open-cast mine
• Blausteinsee lake
• Goltsteinkuppe & Indemann
• Historic old town of Stolberg with castle and copper yards
• Zinkhütter Hof Museum Stolberg
• Ludiwg Forum for International Art
• Aachen City & Spa Gardens with Eurogress and casino
• Historic center of Aachen's old town with cathedral, town hall and Elisenbrunn fountains