When Markus Pekoll ends his active career as a professional mountain biker, a great of his sport is leaving the stage: he was crowned national champion six times, European champion once, won the overall European Cup and was the best German-speaking downhiller in the UCI rankings from 2011 to 2015. He dedicated himself to racing for 15 years - now the time has come to say goodbye: "It's just right for me. I never wanted to stop if I could no longer ride at the front. My team is the best in the world, my equipment is top, I'm national champion and fully fit. I have the feeling that I have reached my personal maximum. Now is a good time for me. You should stop when it's at its best."
Of course, he will also be saying goodbye to the place where he has always had the best time: in the mountain bike mecca of Saalfelden Leogang, where Pekoll achieved his greatest successes, such as 9th place at the home World Championships, he will once again be celebrating a top-class mountain bike festival with the iXS European Downhill Cup Final at the Biketember Festival in Saalfelden Leogang from 15 to 17 September. For Markus Pekoll, his last appearance in Saalfelden Leogang is a very special one: "I have a lot in common with Saalfelden Leogang - especially the long partnership with the Bikepark Leogang and the Hotel Salzburger Hof. Mountain biking is simply lived in the region, you can tell. What's going on in terms of media and spectators is incredible. So I'm all the more looking forward to my last appearance at the Biketember Festival. As an Austrian, this is something very special," says Pekoll.
And finally, at the last race of the iXS Downhill Cup season, not only the challenging "Speedster" World Cup course awaits the best downhillers in Europe and the enthusiastic spectators along the course, but also a varied supporting programme on all three days of the event: visitors can impress with their best tricks, whips and most creative lines at the VIGINTISIX Best Line Contest, browse in the Team & Expo Area, celebrate at the legendary Ö3 Disco or look over the shoulders of the youngsters at the Scott Junior Trophy in Saalfelden. A fitting farewell party for an Austrian mountain bike legend.
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS BIKETEMBER
14th September:
20.00 Warm Up Party @ Outback Bar Leogang
15 September:
20.00 Riders Party @ Outback Bar Leogang
16 September:
14.30 Qualification iXS European Downhill Cup @ Bikepark Leogang
18.00 VIGINTISIX Best Line Contest
21.00 Ö3-Disco with Deepend @Eventhalle Bikepark Leogang
17 September:
10.00 am Final Scott Junior Trophy @Ritzensee Saalfelden with great children's programme
12.30 Final iXS European Downhill Cup @ Bikepark Leogang
with cool expo area at the Asitzbahn valley station
