Train like a pro! This route may be short - but it packs a punch! Former professional cyclist Michael Schweizer from Aachen takes you on one of his favorite laps up and down around the border triangle. Michael Schweizer has raced on every continent - but it's still the most beautiful around the border triangle - and above all challenging and varied!

Rolling along flat is not an option here: Numerous climbs, rapid descents and real classic terrain around Vaals make this two-hour "after-work ride" through three countries a challenging detour into the green west of Aachen, but one that rewards you with beautiful villages and great views.

The starting point of this tour is the Steinbergweg at Aachen University Hospital. There are plenty of parking spaces around the university hospital, but the starting point can also be reached quickly and easily from anywhere in Aachen and the surrounding area. The route starts past the golf course of the Aachener Golf-Club 1927 e. V. in the direction of Senserbachweg. Once you reach Lemiers, leave Senserbachweg on the left via a narrow path and cross the stream of the same name, which forms the border with the Netherlands. Crossing the N278, you can already see the neighboring "Heuvelland" in front of you and from here the route climbs steadily uphill via Holset to Vijlen. Shortly before entering the "mountain village of Vijlen", the tour turns left onto the "Rugweg", which now climbs more steeply up to the Vijlener Bos. Shortly before you reach the highest point, there is a parking lot on the left in the forest, from where you can reach the only "mountain hut" in the Netherlands, the "Boscafé Hijgend Hert". This is no longer an insider tip, but the rustic interior, large selection of Belgian and even home-brewed beers and delicious food always make a stop worthwhile.

From Vijlener Bos, the longest "real" descent in the Netherlands (4.2 km) takes us down to Camerig or Epen, where we turn left and follow the narrow country lanes towards Belgium. Passing the popular photo motif of Chateau Beusdael, which is surrounded by a moat and green pastures in the middle of the hills, the next ascent leads up to Onderste Bosch, which offers a wonderful view of the Vijlenerbos and the Geul valley from the top.After the descent towards Teuven, the tour turns left and now leads out of the Gulptal again past Kasteel Obsinnich via Remersdael on low-traffic side roads gently uphill to Rue d'Aubel, which is now followed for just under 3 km to Hombourg, before the route quickly heads back down into the valley towards Sippenaeken.

From Sippenaeken, which is also located in the Geul valley, the route now climbs gently but steadily for another 6 km past the Mergelland golf course towards Gemmenich, where the last climb of the day awaits: The Dreiländerpunkt on the Vaalserberg. Once at the top of the highest point in the Netherlands, the route now descends quickly down to Vaals to the N278, where you turn left at the old customs at the end of Vaals to return to the Senserbachweg, where you have already reached the end of this eventful tour.