Operating method for a cooling path for cooling a rolled product made of metal, in particular steel, - wherein sections of the rolled product while passing through the cooling path are initially cooled by means of front cooling devices of the cooling path using a liquid cooling medium in a first cooling phase, are then not cooled using the liquid cooling medium in a second cooling phase which follows the first cooling phase, and are finally cooled again by means of rear cooling devices of the cooling path using the liquid cooling medium in a third cooling phase which follows the second cooling phase, - wherein a control device of the cooling path receives in each case an initial energy value which is exhibited by the sections before they pass through the cooling path, - wherein the control device additionally receives a target energy (E1*), - wherein the control device determines, on the basis of the initial energy value and the target energy (E1*), a first target cooling medium profile (K1*) which is to be applied to the respective section of the rolled product in the first cooling phase, - wherein the control device activates the front cooling devices in accordance with the first target cooling medium profile (K1*) while the respective section of the rolled product is passing through the front cooling devices, characterised in that - the control device additionally receives a target enthalpy (E2*), - the control device determines, on the basis of an expected enthalpy for the respective section in the second cooling phase and the target enthalpy (E2*), a second target cooling medium profile which is to be applied to the respective section of the rolled product in the third cooling phase, and - the control device activates the rear cooling devices in accordance with the second target cooling medium profile (K2*) while the respective section of the rolled product is passing through the rear cooling devices. - wherein sections of the rolled product while passing through the cooling path are initially cooled by means of front cooling devices of the cooling path using a liquid cooling medium in a first cooling phase, are then not cooled using the liquid cooling medium in a second cooling phase which follows the first cooling phase, and are finally cooled again by means of rear cooling devices of the cooling path using the liquid cooling medium in a third cooling phase which follows the second cooling phase, - wherein a control device of the cooling path receives in each case an initial energy value which is exhibited by the sections before they pass through the cooling path, - wherein the control device additionally receives a target energy (E1*), - wherein the control device determines, on the basis of the initial energy value and the target energy (E1*), a first target cooling medium profile (K1*) which is to be applied to the respective section of the rolled product in the first cooling phase, - wherein the control device activates the front cooling devices in accordance with the first target cooling medium profile (K1*) while the respective section of the rolled product is passing through the front cooling devices, - the control device additionally receives a target enthalpy (E2*), - the control device determines, on the basis of an expected enthalpy for the respective section in the second cooling phase and the target enthalpy (E2*), a second target cooling medium profile which is to be applied to the respective section of the rolled product in the third cooling phase, and - the control device activates the rear cooling devices in accordance with the second target cooling medium profile (K2*) while the respective section of the rolled product is passing through the rear cooling devices.