The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Les Gets (FRA) from 2-4 July is just around the corner. After the world cup in Leogang, it will be second double header event this season including Cross-Country as well as Downhill. As usual all races will be broadcast live on Red Bull TV.
Eager to prove herself: Young Austrian Vali Höll directly jumped from to the top of field when she entered the Elite competition. Here she is during her winning racerun at Crankworx Innsbruck 2021.
With only one race completed yet, the 2021 Downhill season is still very young and tough to predict. After Leogang saw Troy Brosnan (AUS) winning his first World Cup race since Vallnord in 2017 and Camille Balanche (SUI) demonstrating her affinity for Leogang winning the race on the same downhill track where she became World Champion last year, the cards will be reshuffled for the Les Gets race. Especially Austrian hot shot Vali Höll, who finished second in Leogang due to a minor crash in front of the finishing line, will be eager to prove herself. Not to mention the local heroes like Myriam Nicole, Marine Cabirou or Loic Bruni.
Back on track: Tom Pidcock returns after a shoulder injury.
For the Cross-Country competition the picture is completely different. Three races are in the books already and the frontrunners are known – at least in the women’s competition, where there’s no way past Loana Lecomte. The French reigning U23 World Champion has won every race on the Olympic distance so far, making her the one to beat. No only in Les Gets but also at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Within the men’s competition returnee Tom Pidcock (ENG) is back for a final test after having had to pause in Leogang due to a broken collarbone. Next to him all eyes should be on Mathias Flückiger who finished among the top 3 in every race so far.
Closest rival to Loana Lecomte:World Champion Pauline Ferrand Prevot, performing at UCI XCC World Cup in Leogang, Austria on June 11th, 2021.
From September 3rd to 5th, 2021 the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup with the disciplines Cross-Country (XCO & XCC) and Downhill (DHI) will take place in Lenzerheide. The event is planned with a limited number of visitors per day; ticket sales will start on July 1, 2021. Lenzerheide can’t wait to host this popular major event with an overwhelming atmosphere created by the fans.
MTB WC Lenzerheide 2017; XCO
In contrast to last year, when there was hardly any planning security for major events and the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup had to be canceled around two months before the event date, the current situation looks very promising. The organizing committee is planning the event with up to 10,000 visitors per day. “We are happy and grateful that the epidemiological situation in Switzerland has improved so much that it is possible for us to organize an event for bike fans,” says OC President Christoph Müller. Of course, you have to adhere to all official requirements and have to constantly reassess the situation, emphasizes Müller. “We know from experience that the pandemic is unpredictable and that the situation can look different from one day to the next. As of today, we are confident that we will be able to organize an unforgettable bike festival like in previous years. ”
Tickets are only available in advance
If you want to visit the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Lenzerheide, you have to buy your ticket online at mtbworldcup.ch in advance. as there will be no box office this year. In addition, all event participants – not just visitors, but also athletes, supervisors, helpers, etc. – must show a Covid certificate. The Covid certificate, which is issued in paper form or as a PDF document with a QR code, documents either a Covid 19 vaccination, a past infection and recovery or a negative test result. Since a negative antigen rapid test, which can be done free of charge in the pharmacy, is accepted, there are no additional costs for the visitors.
World Cup as part of the Bike Kingdom Games
As part of the repositioning of the Lenzerheide bike region as Bike Kingdom, the World Cup also receives a facelift. The festival will be marketed under the name Bike Kingdom Games. The platform is intended to offer even more scope for side events and innovative communication with the guests of the Lenzerheide holiday region, especially for future events. The king himself, local hero Nino Schurter, as well as the queen and reigning downhill world champion, Camille Balanche, are the protagonists of this year’s campaign.
With Crankworx Innsbrucks 2021 in the books the RASOULUTION athletes demonstrated once again that they belong to the very elite of the sport.
On Saturday, Swedish top-nochter Emil Johansson showed that he plays in a league of his own when it comes to big jumps and unbelievable tricks, winning the highly anticipated first Crankworx Slopestyle contest of the season with impressive 97.5 points. German Erik Fedko just missed the podium by 1.75 points, finishing fourth behind Nicholi Rogatkin (USA) and Torquato Testa (ITA).
Emil Johansson performs at Slopestyle during Crankworx Innsbruck on June 19, 2021.
Top 5 of the Slopestyle competition:
Emil Johansson | SWE | 97.5
Nicholi Rogatkin | USA | 95.5
Torquato Testa | ITA | 93.25
Erik Fedko | GER | 91.5
Tim Bringer | FRA | 90
With Thomas Genon (BEL), Tomas Lemoine (FRA) and Max Fredriksson (SWE) finishing on places 8-10, Saturday’s competition saw five RASOULUTION riders within the top 10.
Please find the full replay below:
Two of them, Tomas Lemoine and Thomas Genon, already went head to head in two close runs on Friday, as they competed in the Speed & Style final – with the better end for the French rider, who came out the winner with a double backflip on the last jump. Having already placed second in the Pumptrack Challenge, Tomas Lemoine, the winner of last year’s Speed & Style, was supposed to repeat history with a first and a second place.
Top 5 ranking of the CLIF Speed & Style competition:
Tomas Lemoine | FRA
Thomas Genon | BEL
Tim Bringer | FRA
Greg Watts | USA
Peter Kaiser | AUT
Thomas Genon and Tomas Lemoine celebrate during Dual Speed and Style at Crankworx Innsbruck on June 18, 2021.
Please find the full replay of the competition below:
Overall 2021 King of Crankworx Standings:
Tomas Lemoine | FRA | 210 points
Tomas Slavik | CZE | 120 points
Thomas Genon | BEL | 110 points
Tim Bringer | FRA | 105 points
Emil Johansson |SWE | 100 points
The overall Kingf of Crankworx standings mirror the results above. Tomas Lemoine is in strong lead, followed by Dual Slalom winner Tomas Slavik and his close friend Thomas Genon. Slopestyle ace Emil Johansson currently ranks fifth, with Tim Bringer in fourth position. Definitely more than just a snapshot in time, but with two more Crankworx events to come, these standings are anything but cast in stone yet.
Gabriel Wibmer has been counting on bike gloves from ZANIER since 2018. In return, the young downhill and urban trials rider has been providing the Austrian glove specialist with valuable impulses for the product development. In June 2021, this long term cooperation culminates in Gabriel Wibmer’s own signature glove. The stylish glove with Gabriel’s very own design and his silicone signature is available online exclusive on zanier.com and will be launched during Crankworx Innsbruck.
Handlebar control and tactility are decisive for Gabriel’s tricks and speed, and endow every off-road biker with security. The palm of the glove is therefore made of a special perforated Amara with silicone print. 4-way-stretch material with elastic waistband secures comfort all day. Due to the touchscreen functionality, mobile phones and navigation devices can be used with the glove. Gabriel has combined his signature colour with white and black in the design. His signature is printed in siliconeon the palm and the upper hand. The glove is 100% climate neutral, as every product from ZANIER GLOVES.
„This gloves provide optimum features for every sport which includes handlebars. I use them for downhill and trial bike as well as motocrossa real all-round model. My favourite ZANIER GLOVE has been Shredder for a long time. I was able to contribute to its product development the previous years. It was easy for Markus Zanier and me to decide that the Signature glove has to provide all the features of Shredder, and do it in my very own design, where I had free reign. I am really proud of the outcome.” – Gabriel Wibmer
How robust Gabriel’s equipment needs to be is obviously shown in his far-reaching Social Media accounts, as well as at contests such as the UCI Downhill World Cup and Crankworx Innsbruck, where he starts in the downhill and whip-offs competitions certainly with his self designed glove.
From 16th to 20th June 2021, Innsbruck, heart of the alps and home base of ZANIER, becomes the vibrant center of the mountain bike scene. At the Crankworx Innsbruck, not only the Official European Whip-Offs, the Dual Slalom and Pump-Track Challenge take place – the scene celebrates itself with a big bike festival, too. At the ZANIER booth – right in the middle of the City Expo – a limited edition of the Gabriel Wibmer Signature Glove plus the official, exclusive Crankworx gloves and merchandise are available. A signing session with Gabriel Wibmer takes place on Saturday, 19th June from 10.00 to 11.00at the ZANIER City Expo booth, too.
The glove is available online exclusively for 39,99 € in sizes 7, 8, 9, 10 as of June 16, 2021.
It’s finally time for contests again! After hosting the last Crankworx event of 2020, Innsbruck will welcome the world’s best riders in the world once again for their first contest of 2021 this week. Among them will be the all-round talent Tomas Lemoine and the legend Thomas Genon, aka Tommy G. We put some questions to the two Canyon Collective riders on their objectives and how they feel ahead of their official return to competition.
How do you feel about coming back to Crankworx?
Tomas Lemoine: I can’t wait to ride again. We’ve used this long off-season to ride a lot more than the previous years, when traveling took a lot of time. Innsbruck was the last competition in 2020 and it’s also the first in 2021 so there is a little bit of wonder: who will execute new tricks, new runs? In any case, I can’t wait to be there and see how I’ll feel.
Thomas Genon: I’ve been feeling very well on the bike for the past weeks. I’m extremely happy to be returning to competition!
Thomas Genon during last year’s Crankworx Innsbruck
How did your preparations go?
Tomas Lemoine: I don’t really have a specific preparation for events. I always try to stay consistent all year long. I noticed that the more I ride, the better I feel on my bike, no matter the environment. I also listen to what my body tells me, resting when I feel it’s necessary. Physically, I’m feeling even better prepared than usual, we’ll see!
Thomas Genon: My preparation went really well. This year, the modified calendar has given us way more time than usual to prepare for Crankworx, I think it’s great!
What are your main goals for 2021?
Tomas Lemoine: My final objective will be to be on the podium and win medals. But before anything, I want to stay relaxed and not put pressure on myself. I just want to ride and listen to my body. If everything goes well and I pull good runs, I’ll already be very happy. If then I manage to land on the podium, it will be the cherry on the cake. My goal is to stay focused and motivated during the whole season, never giving up!
Thomas Genon: My focus will be to enjoy riding, have fun with everyone and make the most out of the travel opportunities we will get. On contests, I want to be as consistent as possible.
Tomas Lemoine celebrating the second place in the 2020 Slopestyle Contest at Crankworx Innsbruck.
In Innsbruck, they will face the best Slopestyle riders in the world – like Emil Johansson, Erik Fedko or Max Fredriksson – once again. Tomas Lemoine will have a busy week, taking part in the Dual Slalom and Pump Track Challenge on Thursday, Speed & Style on Friday and Slopestyle on Saturday. Thomas Genon will probably ride the European Whip-off Championships on Wednesday, and then focus on Speed & Style and Slopestyle.
The first double World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang is in the books; a weekend of pure excitement, action, cheering fans and emotions. The organizers put on a great event and are already looking forward to hosting their next double World Cup, which will take place in Saalfelden Leogang from June 10 – 12, 2022.
Already for the tenth time the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup took place in Epic Bikepark Leogang, but for the first time with the two traditional disciplines Cross-Country and Downhill as part of the Out of Bounds Festival. Across disciplines, a total of 629 athletes from 44 nations were at the start of the first double World Cup in Salzburg Land. Friday’s racing was heavily influenced by rainfall on the day before. Riders were faced with slippery descents and challenging conditions, but by Saturday morning, Leogang was flooded with sun.
For the Downhill riders, the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang was the first World Cup race of the season. The new track sections, especially Vali’s Hölle, was the key section where the best riders decided the victory among themselves. In the Downhill Elite Troy Brosnan (AUS) and Camille Balanche (SUI) turned out to be the fastest riders.
In Cross-Country, the forest sections were just as tough, while the long, steep climbs showed who was in best shape endurance-wise. Over the entire weekend, 1,600 spectators were onsite to cheer for their favorites; the excitement of the audience created a great atmosphere. Both the World Cup race over the Olympic distance and the Short Track race were won by Mathias Flueckiger (SUI) in the Cross-Country Elite. In the women’s race, young Loana Lecomte (FRA) took a superior double victory.
Marco Pointner, Managing Director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik and organizer of the event: “The efforts of the previous year have paid off. By hosting the World Championships, we got the chance to hold double World Cup events in the future. We are very happy about such a successful event. Thanks to all helpers; without all parties involved this would not have been possible!”
Kornel Grundner, Managing Director of Leoganger Bergbahnen and organizer of the event: “We’ve got great feedback from all sides, and that the best was to have fans and spectators back at the races onsite again. The atmosphere and the weather were perfect and we are already looking forward to the upcoming double World Cup next June.”
With a sophisticated health and safety concept, it was possible for spectators to attend a UCI Mountain Bike World Cup for the first time since 2019. Especially for the athletes, but also for the staff and helpers, this was a great highlight.
Women’s UCI Downhill MTB World Cup overall standings
Rank
Name
Points
1
Camille Balanche (SUI)
220
2
Valentina Höll (AUT)
210
3
Monika Hrastnik (SLO)
156
4
Marine Cabirou (FRA)
155
5
Tahnee Seagrave (GBR)
122
Men’s UCI Downhill MTB World Cup overall standings
Rank
Name
Points
1
Troy Brosnan (AUS)
250
2
Thibaut Daprela (FRA)
190
3
Amaury Pierron (FRA)
140
4
Reece Wilson (GBR)
137
5
Danny Hart (GBR)
135
Women’s UCI Cross-Country MTB World Cup overall standings
Rank
Name
Points
1
Loana Lecomte (FRA)
1045
2
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA)
680
3
Haley Batten (USA)
669
4
Rebecca McConnell (AUS)
544
5
Linda Indergand (SUI)
533
Men’s UCI Cross-Country MTB World Cup overall standings
Rank
Name
Points
1
Mathias Flückiger (SUI)
794
2
Ondrej Cink (CZE)
654
3
Victor Koretzky (FRA)
623
4
Mathieu van der Poel (NED)
570
5
Anton Cooper (NZL)
570
Start lists and results of the double World Cup can be seen here.
For all those who couldn’t be present live at the double World Cup, there is a replay available on RedBull TV.
Hot on the heels of the release of the QUIN crash detection technology by ABUS, the expert for home and mobile security, comes the release of “Never Bike Alone”. ABUS’s new video, starring none other than freeride legend Richie Schley who, aided by the new QUIN technology, explored trails off the beaten path in the south of France. The stunning terrain of the Provence, mixed with Richie’s taste for adventure, was the perfect testing ground for this new piece of tech. Check out the edit here:
Richie Schley has been riding trails all around the world for decades and is of course more than happy to share the trail and the stoke with his friends, but as we all know, it’s not always easy to find a riding buddy that is up for a spontaneous shred or for the lines you have in mind: “I like riding all kinds of different stuff and I typically like to ride gnarlier, steeper terrain and more technical trails. A lot of my friends sometimes aren’t into it, so in those times I find myself riding alone. When you’re away from civilization and you don’t have a buddy, it’s kind of nice to have all the different kinds of security you can have in case something goes wrong”, Richie explains. “ABUS just came out with a new technology which takes it to the next step. It’s called QUIN and if you’re riding alone and you’re going to have a crash it can notify whoever you have set up in the app,” Richie adds.
With the smart QUIN system, ABUS adds integrated crash detection to its bicycle helmets. Every helmet equipped with the ABUS-QUIN-Technology has its own private emergency call center. The helmets have an integrated accelerometer that detects and evaluates falls. In the event of a fall, the crash detection triggers the emergency routine on the paired smartphone via a Bluetooth signal and automatically notifies a previously defined person and sends through the location of the rider, allowing the contact person to organize help if needed.
Richie really appreciates the benefits of QUIN: “I like to make sure that somebody knows where I am or could find me if something really went wrong when I am by myself, so it’s pretty awesome because it kind of opens the freedom to go out there by yourself and feel pretty sure that if something happens to you, someone is going to find you.“
The heart of the ABUS-QUIN-Technology is the QUIN chip. Designed and developed specifically for cycling, the chip uses reliable Bluetooth 5.0 technology to communicate with the sensors in the helmet as well as the rider’s smartphone. In particular, the MonTrailer mountain bike helmet, which is aimed at ambitious trail and enduro riders, is upgraded by this technology in terms of active safety.
Independently of the crash detection, real-time tracking can be triggered manually in any dangerous situation. Simply tap the rear helmet area four times – and the emergency routine takes its course. The crash detection is controlled via app and all contacts and settings can be controlled there. An important feature is that the user has the option to deactivate the alarm.
In addition to the MonTrailer QUIN, ABUS offers three other helmets with the ABUS-QUIN-Technology in its range: the performance road and gravel helmet Aventor QUIN, its little brother, the Viantor QUIN, and the all-round MTB helmet Moventor QUIN.
After the incredible success of last year’s #bestbikebanger challenge, the family-friendly holiday region Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, situated on the sunny plateau high above the Tyrolean Upper Inntal valley, is going to challenge bike guests once again. With the #bestbikereel challenge – the competition for the best bike reel – the 2021 season offers another chance to win attractive prizes. Any rider with an Instagram account and a smartphone who has reached the age of 16 can take part. All videos from the Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis as well as clips created on the surrounding single trails that are posted with the hashtags #serfausfissladis and #bestbikereel and on which the account @bikeparkserfausfissladis has been tagged, will be part of the challenge. To help riders get started, Fabio Wibmer’s cinematographer Marius Prell – known for his work on films like “Urban Freeride Lives 3” or “Home Office” – gives tips for the perfect reel.
For the 2021 season, everything in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis revolves around the best bike clip. The #bestbikereel challenge is hosted on Instagram and the bike region is looking for the best bike clip, or more precisely, the best bike reel from the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis family region. There are almost no limits to your creativity – the lush range of routes in the bike park and the surrounding single trail network offer the perfect amount of variety and enable various approaches to video creation across all disciplines.
To set the mood for the challenge, professional filmmaker and editor Marius Prell gives you his tips and tricks for the perfect clip. In the video, he explains and illustrates what to keep in mind when filming and how to put the finishing touches on your #bestbikereel.
The jury, made up of Marius Prell himself as well as representatives of the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis Tourist Board and the Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, will announce the winner of the #bestbikereel challenge at the end of the bike season. The winner can look forward to a stay of two nights with breakfast in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, including All-Mountain Ride tickets for the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis bike region for a family of four for the 2022 summer season.
“When I was asked whether I would like to be a judge in this year’s #bestbikereel challenge, I was really happy. I love the idea of the challenge and I am sure that we will see a lot of good content. Of course, as a filmmaker, I will pay particular attention to the camera work and the general quality of the video clips. To give the participants a helping hand while filming, we shot a little tutorial with simple tricks for better videos in the Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis. I can’t wait to see the first clips and I keep my fingers crossed for all participants!” – Marius Prell
Please find Marius’ answers to the most crucial questions here in a short interview:
Filming with a smartphone – is that possible?
Absolutely. Smartphones nowadays have amazing capabilities when it comes to the integrated camera. Use wide angles when it makes sense. Practice good framing and keep the camera steady, that’s what distinguishes a good beginner from someone whom you should rather not hand a camera, haha.
What tips do you have for correct positioning when filming?
That’s difficult to answer. Make sure that your protagonist is free, especially when you’re in the forest. If you can’t really see him or her in front of the trees in the background or because of the dark jersey, the shot quickly gets muddy. So you should make sure that you can do it clean. It’s a question of framing, the aperture that can blur the background, clothing, light, etc.!
How do I recognize interesting objects/sceneries?
Your favourite feature can be anything, a beautiful panorama, a puddle that reflects, the bike train with your buddies. There will always be a new best shot somewhere down the road. Interesting scenarios can be found anytime and anywhere, and every weather situation has new ones up its sleeve. A flow line that looks boring in the sun simply gives off the coolest scenarios in the fog and is a must for filming. But the most important thing is to have fun while doing it.
To take part in the competition, you must be at least 16 years old and have an Instagram account and a smartphone. It is also important to tag the posts with the hashtags #bestbikereel and #serfausfissladis and to tag the Instagram account @bikeparkserfausfissladis directly in the reel (not the caption!). That’s it!
All posts from the 2021 season (12 June 2021 – 17 October 2021) that meet the above requirements will automatically be counted. So, get your camera ready and live out the perfect holiday – with either an exciting or relaxing stay in the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis bike region.
All information about the #bestbikereel challenge in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and its terms and conditions can be found here:
Further information on biking in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis is available at: www.bike-sfl.at/en.
Details on the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis holiday region, the precautions and measures relating to the current Covid situation as well as information on the possibilities to refund or postpone your stay can be found at www.serfaus-fiss-ladis.at/en.
