A clamping roller freewheel, which has an inner ring, an outer ring and clamping rollers arranged between the inner ring and outer ring. The clamping rollers interact, in each case, with one clamping ramp formed on the outer circumference of the inner ring. The clamping rollers are surrounded by an elastically expandable protective ring which is concentric with respect to the freewheel axis. Retaining lugs prevent the protective ring from being driven in rotation by the outer ring in idle running operation. In this way, the outer ring is prevented from grinding against the clamping rollers, and the clamping rollers are prevented from being driven in rotation, with the resulting wear to the clamping ramps, in idle running operation.