Tour de France organisers ASO announced on Tuesday that it was working with the German Cycling Federation (BDR) to bring back the Deutschland Tour - a race that has been in the wilderness since 2008.
It seems silly that such a big country, which has produced some of the best talent in the current peloton, hasn't had its own tour since it was axed in 2008, but that's about to change in the next few years.
"This is a pivotal agreement for the BDR," said Rudolf Scharping, the President of the German Cycling Federation.
"The new Deutschland Tour will help spread the love of cycling in Germany and increase the popularity of all its facets. 27 million Germans already ride their bicycles regularly, and many German cities have recognised the importance of cycling in their mobility strategies. This is why the Deutschland Tour will not only be a pure sporting event, but a huge celebration of cycling."
With some pretty big names in the peloton, it's unsurprising that the German cyclists were particularly happy about the return of their national tour.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Tour de France stage winner Simon Geschke shared this picture of Germany's current crop of top talent.
Andre Greipel is old enough to have ridden in the last Deutschland Tour - winning a stage in the last edition in 2008.
Johannes Frohlinger also rode the last edition of the tour, finishing fourth in two stages while riding for Gerolsteiner.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.
