Due to the rainy weather, the athletes fought through the weathered track giving everything at the season’s final of iXS European Downhill Cup, at the last stop of the Specialized-SRAM Enduro Series and at the Cross Country Europacup.
What a finale! The weathered iXS European Downhill Cup track added even more adrenaline into the intense race. Slawomir Lukasik (POL – NS Bikes FroPro) and Veronika Widmann (ITA – Bike Club Egna Neumarkt) dominated the field of 300 riders from 24 different nations and took the title of the iXS European Downhill Cup Champions 2016. Leading with a 5 seconds gap, Lukasik ended up first ahead of young Italian Loris Revelli (Argentina Bike Devinci Italy) and Stanislav Sehnal (CZE – Banshee Bikes Factory Team). Also Widmann impressed the spectators with her six-second lead ahead of runner-up Eleonora Farina (ITA – GB Rifar Mondraker). “This year, I already became eighth during the World Cup here in Leogang which is a great result. I am absolutely stoked to have achieved now the win of the day and the overall win”, declared the happy Widmann. Swiss Carina Cappellari (Radon Magura Factory) finished third.
The fourth and last race of this year’s Specialized-SRAM Enduro Series successfully went down last Sunday. Zakarias Johansen (NOR – Specialized Nordics) celebrated a victory with a significant lead of nearly 10 seconds, followed by Gerd Skant (AUT – rideTSG) and Markus Reiser (GER – Focus Trail Team). Special highlight for riders and fans: for the first time in history, the Enduro race was likewise the staging of the Austrian Enduro Championships. Skant gave it all and with his podium result he could save himself the title of first-ever Austrian MTB Enduro Champion. Veronika Bruechle (GER – Focus Trail Team) made it on the top of the women’s podium, next to her Birgit Braumann (AUT – TREK Gravity Girls) who also secured the title of the first female Austrian MTB Enduro Champion, and the German Lisa Policzka (Ghost Riot Racing).
On the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike XCO World Championships track the cross country athletes fought for important points at the Cross Country Europacup. The technical and wet course stretched the athletes to the limit. At the end, Austrian Karl Markt (Haibike Ötztal Pro Team) was the first to cross the finish line ahead of Martin Loo from Estonia (Hawaii Express) and Daniel McConnell from Australia (Trek Factory Racing Team). In the Women Elite race Ukrainian World Cup rider Yana Belomoina (CST Superior Brentjens MTB Racing Team) finished first after 1:43:18,28 hours, followed by Jitka Skarnitzlova (CZE – Ceska sporitelna – Accolade) and U23 rider Lena Putz (GER – Genesis Entireinfra Racing).
Last but not least 85 kids and teens between the age of 3 and 16 gathered for the Scott Junior Trophy at the Ritzensee Stadion on Sunday. Having fun was number one priority for everyone involved and all the rookies were rewarded for their participation.
Beside the races, there were numerous entertaining side events for visitors. The sold-out Ö3 Disco with LUKE K and the expo area rounded off the jam-packed Biketember weekend. "Whether young or old, amateur or professional: the variety makes Biketember Festival pretty special," says Marco Pointner, CEO of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik. "Adding the final touch of the 2016 event summer, autumn has officially been introduced in Saalfelden Leogang by our Biketember Festival. Nevertheless, Bikepark Leogang will be open until mid-October." Everybody, who wants to shred again properly before winter, should come to the Fan Weekend at Bikepark Leogang from September 30th until October 2nd. In good weather, bike fans can look forward to a comprehensive program with the GoPro Bag Jump Contest, Best Line Choice and other highlights.
