Weather conditions were less than favorable in Innsbruck over the Crankworx weekend, but riders battled through the windswept and rainy conditions and mountain bike fans from all around the world witnessed a spectacular show from the comfort of their own homes, filled with actionpacked riding amongst all disciplines and a clean sweep for the RASOULUTION athletes at the Slopestyle competition!

For the first Crankworx event since Rotorua in March 2020, quite a few challenges had to be overcome. With the event being held fully digital and accessible via livestream only, things were a bit different for riders, spectators and organizers. Yet the motivation was high to kick things off after a long break from competing.

Rock Shox Pump Track Challenge

Crankworx Innsbruck is traditionally opened up by the Rock Shox Pump Track Challenge. In a thrilling head to head format, some of the world’s best mountain bike athletes’ race for the win on a circular track made of berms and rollers. Fast paced racing and happy faces all over made for a successful start of Crankworx Innsbruck 2020.

RASOULUTION athlete Tomas Lemoine, one of the only Slopestyle athletes to also compete in both Pump Track and Speed & Style competitions, was able to move up the ranks heat by heat, wrapping up his day with a 3^rd place podium finish.

Slopestyle

Just a few hours later, at 9:00 in the morning, the big show was about to go down. Originally scheduled one day later, the Slopestyle competition had to be rescheduled due to predicted rainfall on contest day. Even though riders were battling the wind throughout the entire morning, the level of riding was as high as usual. RASOULUTION athletes Emil Johansson and Tomas Lemoine only needed their first runs to prove that they hadn’t missed a beat. With runs scored at 94.00 and 90.00 respectively, both riders put on a clinic and put down runs that would see them finish in first and second place. While Erik Fedko was not able to finish his first run due to strong winds picking up while he was on course, he was also one of the few riders that was able to dramatically improve his score – scoring 3^rd with an 88.00 in his second run to complete the podium. Thomas Genon also saw his score improve after slightly underrotating a Cash Roll in his first run, showing highly technical tricks like a Truck Driver to Tail Whip and a Cash Roll in picture-perfect Tommy G fashion, leading to a score of 80.33 and a 6^th place finish. Swedish rider Max Fredriksson, who joined the Slopestyle competition as an alternate, made his way down the course with a flawless run, showing technical combos on every feature and scoring 79.00 after his first run, finishing in 7^th place.

Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle Top 10:

1. Emil Johansson (SWE) | 94.00 | TREK
2. Tomas Lemoine (FRA) | 90.00 | CANYON
3. Erik Fedko (GER) | 88.00 | ROSE
4. Timothé Bringer (FRA) | 85.33 | COMMENCAL
5. Lukas Knopf (GER) | 83.00 | ROSE
6. Thomas Genon (BEL) | 80.33 | CANYON
7. Max Fredriksson (SWE) | 79.00 | NS BIKES
8. Lucas Huppert (SUI) | 77.00 | RUFF CYCLES
9. Alex Alanko (SWE) | 75.33 | CACHET BIKES
10. Torquato Testa (ITA) | 73.00 |ROSE

For the full Results please visit: www.fmbworldtour.com

Speed & Style

This iconic mix between timed racing and tricks is always one of the favorite disciplines for both fans and competitors. Max Fredriksson, who is still relatively new to the Speed & Style format, proved he also has the speed to match his style, finishing in 7^th with a time of 22.964 seconds in front of big names like Szymon Godziek (POL) or Kaos Seagrave (GBR). The rider with the longest week of competitions during Crankworx, Tomas Lemoine, showed no signs of fatigue. Tomas was rocketing down the track without slowing down at all after technical tricks and took the win with a time of 21.376 seconds over Sam Reynolds and Lukas Schäfer.

Downhill Race

The Downhill competition wasn’t spared the pouring rain either, making the wet roots of the course a lot harder to master. Both Fabio and Gabriel Wibmer got caught off guard by the slippery conditions of the track, preventing them to climb to the top ranks. Despite the crash, Gabriel still managed to finish 12^th in the U19 class and he seems hungry for more.

Missed the action or want to see the highlights? The Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle LIVE replay is now available on-demand on Red Bull TV.

Pictures by Sebastian Sternemann.

Weather conditions were less than favorable in Innsbruck during the Crankworx Slopestyle finals, but riders battled through the windswept conditions and slopestyle fans from around the world witnessed multiple Slopestyle masterclasses. When it was all said and done, the podium was a clean sweep for RASOULUTION, which was represented in Innsbruck by Emil Johansson (SWE), Tomas Lemoine (FRA) and Erik Fedko (GER).

At the first Crankworx Slopestyle contest since Rotorua, in March 2020, Emil Johansson and Tomas Lemoine only needed their first runs to prove that they hadn’t missed a beat. With runs scored at 94.00 and 90.00 respectively, both riders put on a clinic despite the windy conditions and put down runs that would see them finish in first and second place. While Erik Fedko was not able to finish his first run due to strong winds picking up while he was on course, he was also one of the only riders that was able to dramatically improve his score – scoring an 88.00 in his second run, in part due to his signature 360 Indian Air Seatgrab.

Thomas Genon and Max Fredriksson scored themselves a 6th and 7th place finish. While Fredriksson was unable to finish his second run due to wind, Thomas Genon scored some redemption for the crash that took him out of the first run and put himself in the Top 10.

With only Lemoine and Johansson still to do their run, both riders decided to do a victory lap together – a Victory Train. With his win in Innsbruck, Johansson has now completed the Crankworx hattrick – winning the last three Crankworx competitions, taking the top spot at Red Bull Joyride in 2019 and at Crankworx Rotorua earlier this year, firmly cementing his spot at the top of the Slopestyle world.

Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle Top 10:

1. Emil Johansson (SWE) | 94.00 | TREK
2. Tomas Lemoine (FRA) | 90.00 | CANYON
3. Erik Fedko (GER) | 88.00 | ROSE
4. Timothé Bringer (FRA) | 85.33 | COMENCAL
5. Lukas Knopf (GER) | 83.00 | ROSE
6. Thomas Genon (BEL) | 80.33 | CANYON
7. Max Fredriksson (SWE) | 79.00 | NS BIKES
8. Lucas Huppert (SUI) | 77.00 | RUFF CYCLES
9. Alex Alanko (SWE) | 75.33 | CACHET BIKES
10. Torquato Testa (ITA) | 73.00 | ROSE

Missed the action or want to see the highlights? The Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle replay is now available on-demand on Red Bull TV.

Full results can be found on the FMB World Tour website.

All photos by © Kike Abelleira / Crankworx

COVID-19 might have thrown a spanner in the works when it comes to riding contests, but we’re upping the stakes when it comes to the Red Bull Rookie of the Year Award! Alongside the Red Bull Rookie of the Year Award, we’ve introduced two new categories – the Athlete’s Choice and People’s Choice Award, each with their own set of prize packs. 

Once again Red Bull and the FMB World Tour have once again teamed up to bring you the Rookie of the Year Award, which aims to highlight young riders (between the age of 16 and 21) from around the planet, asking them to submit a trick-filled video which will be judged by an FMB World Tour judging panel and the winner will get the chance to compete at a Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship event.

RED BULL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD

This season, the Red Bull Rookie of the Year Award will go to the winner of the Red Bull Best Line video competition. The riders who scores the best line will receive a Wildcard to a Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle event in 2021, including both flights and accommodation, as well as an additional €500, – in cash. Last year’s winner, Tim Bringer from France, was super stoked on the chance to compete and prove himself in his very first Crankworx competition, which took place in March of this year in Rotorua, New Zealand, where he finished 10th.

“I was so stoked to finally ride my first FMB World Tour Diamond event! Riding a Crankworx course is definitely scary, but also fun at the same time and it just felt great to ride with everyone, especially since I´ve already known most of the guys from before the competition, so it was all about good times in New Zealand!” – Tim Bringer, Red Bull Rookie of the Year 2019.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR VIDEO FOR RED BULL BEST LINE

To enter this year’s Rookie of the Year competition, each athlete must either have a current FMB World Tour License or a free FMB Amateur License and be between 16 and 21 years old (born between 01.01.1999 to 31.12.2003). It is also mandatory to register for the event on the FMB World Tour website.

The clips must have a maximum length of 1 minute and must contain at least 3 consecutive tricks in one line. Cuts and additional music are not allowed.

Once you have finished your registration on the FMB World Tour website, it is time to upload your Rookie of the Year submission through Instagram with the following hashtags included:

#ROTYBestLine #fmbworldtour #Redbullbike

Please note that only posts containing all three of the hashtags will be eligible.

All eligible submissions will be judged by a panel of FMB World Tour judges – some of the same ones that judge at many of the FMB World Tour events. The judging panel will consist of Grant “Chopper” Fielder, Geoff “Gully” Gulevich and Paul Rak.

Grant Fielder had this to say about what they’re looking for when it comes to video submissions – “We’re looking for a rider who shows a high variety of well executed moves, a rider who will be able to adapt to the highest level of Slopestyle contests.”

PEOPLE’S CHOICE & ATHLETE’S CHOICE CATEGORIES

This year brings even more chances to win prizes! We are introducing two new award categories: The Athlete’s Choice Award and the People’s Choice Award.

For the Athletes’ Choice Award, the winner will receive a FMB World Tour License for the upcoming season as well as €750,00 in prize money.

The Athlete’s Choice winner will be selected by a roster of well-known FMB World Tour professionals, including current riders as well as veterans. Riders like Emil Johansson (SWE), Lucas Huppert (SUI), Tim Bringer (FRA) and Anton Thelander (SWE) have confirmed their participation and will be joined by others.

The third category, the People’s Choice Award, will give a voice to mountain bike fans from all over the world, giving them the chance to vote for their favorite Rookie of the Year submission. The cash prizes for this category are awarded as follows: First place receives €750,00, while second place gets €300,00 and, last but not least, the third placed rider in this category will walk away with €200,00.

In order to make voting for this category as seamless and as fair as possible, all Red Bull Rookie of the Year submissions will be uploaded to Clippero, an online challenge platform, which will allow fans to vote for their favorite video on a scale of 1-10. People’s Choice voting will be opened once all submissions are in and all submissions can be found here: FMB World Tour Clippero.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR “PEOPLE’S CHOICE” VIDEO – AS A RIDER

1.    Head over to the FMB World Tour Clippero Challenge Page
2.    Click on “Enter Challenge”
3.    Register
4.    Upload your submission
5.    Get your friends to vote for your submission

HOW TO CAST YOUR “PEOPLE’S CHOICE” VOTE – AS A FAN

1.    Head over to the FMB World Tour Clippero by clicking here
2.    Watch the submitted videos
3.    Click on Judge Entry to cast your vote
4.    Once you’re ready to cast your vote, you’ll need to register to the platform
5.    Following registration, you’ll be able to cast your vote on the submitted videos
6.    You get one vote per video, from 1 – 10, so either leave a 10 on your favorite video or choose a Top 3, Top 5, or if you’ve got the time, watch them all and give them all a grade!
7.    Drop a comment on the video with your favorite part from the video – the riders will appreciate it!

If you want to check out the leaderboard to see which rider is currently in the lead, or how your friend’s video stacks up against the competition, check out the leaderboard.

Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide opened its gates for the first time at the start of the 2020 summer season – and they did it with a bang: “The Legend of Tommy G” led the way in a spectacular, albeit not too serious fashion. A kingdom for mountain bike riders was to arise in the Swiss Alps. Not even mixed-up 2020 could stop it. The late bike opening was compensated by a corona-induced bike boom. Looking back, the rulers of the Bike Kingdom are more than happy with its debut season. The Bike Kingdom App proved itself not only as the digital extension of the trails, but also helped to spread the riders more equally across the kingdom and to reduce conflict with hikers – an issue that still shows room for improvement.

The announcement of the Bike Kingdom was a complete success. The YouTube clip “The Legend of Tommy G”, produced by Anthill Films, reached one million views within just two weeks. Of course, Lenzerheide’s repositioning includes new trails, such as the Top Fops singletrail, which connects the June Hütte with the Alp Fops or the “Urdenfürggli Twister,” which is riddled with tight switchbacks and takes riders to the Mottahütte, are just a few of the new offerings. There is also a new skill center at the Rothorn station, new drops in the bike park and the Bike Kingdom App of course. These efforts weren’t in vain: the Lenzerheide holiday region had the biggest increase in overnight stays compared with previous years across Graubünden and third-biggest across Switzerland. The cable-car companies speak of a record summer. Furthermore the “Bike Kingdom” project has been nominated for a Milestone, the official Swiss Tourist Award.

Marc Schlüssel, Head of Marketing in the holiday region Lenzerheide looks back on a very special season in a very special year: “With the creation of the Bike Kingdom, the holiday region gave a new form of identification to old and new bike fans. Our aim, this very repositioning, that creates a USP in the market while satisfying all the rider’s wishes went very well.” Ironically, Covid-19 and the associated bike boom helped with the launch: “With the Bike Kingdom, we reinforced the topic ‘bike’ at the right time, thus Corona, and we started on the road to a successful development in future.”

The testRIDE event, which saw 2,000 people attend during three days, as well as the Bike Kingdom Feast, with special guest Tommy G, were a huge success. Both events had to take place on a smaller scale as originally planned but proved that the prevention concepts work.

All bike enthusiasts who are planning to make the most of this season, can still enjoy the Bike Kingdom until the 25^th October. The X-Calibur Quest is a final highlight before the season ends: Ride number 3,000 down the Motta Express – one of the Bike Kingdom’s new trails – will be awarded with a Rocky Mountain Instinct BC Edition full-suspension bike.

#bikekingdom #bikekingdomlenzerheide

For more information on Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide please visit:

www.bikekingdom.ch
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bike.kingdom
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bike.kingdom

Title image by Christian Egelmair.

When Swedish slopestyle pro Emil Johansson gets on his bike, he demonstrates playful ease in everything he does. He shows his unique style once again in his latest video project “Emil Johansson | South Island MTB perfection”, which was shot in Queenstown, New Zealand this March. In the breathtaking 3-minute video clip Emil jumps over huge kickers and proves with impressive tricks – including a 360 tailwhip windshield wiper – that he is completely at one with his bike.

“Back in March as the world was slowing down I was forced to extend my stay in New Zealand after Crankworx Rotorua 2020. It gave me a chance to make a good situation out of an odd time and I learned up with Scott Robb and Hunter Paul to film some fun on the bike”, says Emil about filming his new clip in New Zealand.

Three weeks until the UCI 2020 Mountain Bike World Championship in Saalfelden Leogang kick off and preparations are in full swing. From October 7 to 11, the world’s best Cross-Country, Downhill, E-MTB and Cross-Country Relay riders will compete for World Championship medals in 13 competitions. The circumstances are a particular challenge, but World Championships organizer and CEO of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik, Marco Pointner, is looking forward to the World Champs: “We want to organize a great and successful event, and everyone has to make their contribution,” says Pointner.

For the first time since 2012, UCI Cross-Country races will be held in Saalfelden Leogang. In addition to a new section for the Downhill track, a completely new Cross- Country course is currently being built and partly shared with the second UCI E-Mountain  Bike World Championships, which will take place on a slightly modified Cross-Country route.

“Unfortunately, we have to do it without our numerous mountain bike enthusiasts, but we respect the decision of the authorities. The health of everyone involved and the implementation of the event are clearly in the foreground. In addition, we are in contact with TV broadcasters and streaming providers worldwide so that mountain bike

fans can follow the action as it unfolds, from the comfort of their own homes. In

Austria, for example, the races will be broadcasted on ORF Sport+ and on Red Bull

TV”, says Pointner.

For further information on the triple Bike World Champs can be found here:

https://www.bikewm2020.com/en

Photos by Moritz Ablinger.

Fabio Wibmer fans will be quite surprised when they suddenly find themselves being greeted by their idol in one of the gondolas at Saalbach Hinterglemm.

The partnership of the Austrian bike destination and Fabio Wibmer continues for more than three years by now and having his very own gondola at the Kohlmaisbahn cablecar in Saalbach is another great way to celebrate the close cooperation between the two. The entire gondola has been designed according to Fabio´s wishes and turned out to be a feast for the eyes. Its outside is completely covered with photos of Fabio shredding the trails of Saalbach.  A friendly “Servus Leitln” welcomes you in the gondola which is Austrian for “hello guys” and is definitely one of the phrases Fabio is known for. But there is more! Fabio´s gondola has its very own selfie point, which fans can use for a quick photo session on their way up, sitting next to a life size print of Fabio.

The lifts in Saalbach are open until 4 October, which will be your last chance to take a ride in Fabio´s gondola for the 2020 season. So, what are you waiting for?

Photos by Nathan Hughes.

15 years ago, shortly after Tarek Rasouli successfully organized and hosted his very first bike event called “Ride to the Lake,” RASOULUTION was born and a great amount of event requests followed quickly.

Nowadays, the agency is deeply connected within the biking industry and is on everyone’s mind when when it comes to pushing the mountain bike scene and helping the sport progress. As part of its anniversary, Velobiz made their way to our office in Munich to talk about the history of RASOULUTION, its ups and downs and how the sport has emerged and grown throughout the years.

“We want to help bring athletes into the limelight, stoke the fans and make them ride their bikes, whether on the trails or on pump tracks all around the world – that’s what motivates my team and myself!”

Enjoy the read. Even though it’s in German, we thought it would be a good opportunity for you to expand your language skills. 

Photos by Yorick Carroux.

As a contact point, it’s a small but crucial component for every rider and a big step for PEMBREE founder Phil Law. With the market launch of its first flat pedal, the British company is pursuing a modern corporate philosophy that should have long been standard in the bicycle industry: manufacturing excellence, product quality and strength coupled with environmental sustainability. With the launch of its first flat pedal targeted at e-MTB, freeride and enduro, the ‘R1V’, Phil is realizing his long-cherished desire to take on a pioneering role within the cycling industry with “innovative products and green solutions”.

Establishing PEMBREE has been a labour of love for founder Phil Law and builds on his lifelong passion for cycling and bicycle components. The 41-year-old Brit is now making his vision a reality with the newly formed British company; to conquer the bike market with sustainable high-end components made in the UK. With the ‘R1V’ flat pedal, PEMBREE is now launching its first product. Particularly focused on e-MTB, but equally at home in freeride and enduro, riders can look forward to premium sure-footedness that meets the highest ecological standards. “A pedal that is strong, light and tough as nails is essential. Through in-house manufacturing, attention to detail in product development and innovation we have attained a standard seldom achieved by others,” says Phil.

R1V flat pedal: A new level of quality

Designed and manufactured at the solar and wind powered factory in Heathfield (East Sussex), the ‘R1V’ represents the benchmark in sustainably produced quality MTB parts. Costing £199, each pair consists only of high-quality individual components, weighing 312 grams per pedal and has a 5-year guarantee. “It’s our intention to lead the way in the cycling industry with both innovative products and green solutions to ensure we do our part in making cycling a truly low impact sport on and off the bike,” explains Phil about his founding principles.

The PEMBREE R1V elevates the flat pedal to a whole new level of quality and durability. Wherever you ride, you’ll get there with the confidence of a pedal designed and manufactured by PEMBREE. The replaceable traction rails and pins combined with the concave pedal body provide unrivaled grip and support for the rider.

The SKF sealed ball and needle bearings will provide many years of maintenance free riding, coupled with a dedicated spindle seal which will keep even the worst of the winters out. Each pedal has two ball bearings and one needle bearing. All traction pins, bolts and nuts as well as the spindle are stainless steel providing strength and corrosion resistance. The replaceable traction rails and pins are available to purchase on the PEMBREE website.

The PEMBREE promise: “Pedals4Pedals”

The campaign #Pedals4Pedals underlines the sustainable idea of PEMBREE. From day one PEMBREE will have a recycling program that will allow customers to send used or broken pedals from any manufacturer and they will be ethically and responsibly recycled. In return, PEMBREE will issue a 10% discount on new PEMBREE products. Customers can apply for this discount prior to their purchase, and the old pedals can be returned after receipt of the new product; a compostable return envelope will be provided with your purchase.

Go Green: Focus on sustainability and environmental protection

Every component part of all PEMBREE products are sourced as locally as possible to reduce the environmental impact. To ensure a complete and transparent carbon-neutral position, the Heathfield-based company has partnered with the non-profit organization TEMWA. Helping companies achieve their sustainability goals by balancing their carbon footprint, TEMWA have developed methods that promote sustainability. “PEMBREE is an independent business helping to challenge the mountain bike industry to adopt an ethical, transparent and ecologically sustainable manufacturing stance. We are delighted to have a strong partner in TEMWA with whom we can implement our vital ambitions in terms of environmental protection and sustainability,” says Phil.

What’s next for PEMBREE?

Product development is already underway for a lightweight flat pedal targeted on the performance enduro market as well as slopestyle. This pedal will maintain all of the green elements of the R1V pedal but will drive down weight and focus on top level performance for the more weight conscious riders. Quality will not be compromised, and it would also come with a 5-year guarantee.

PEMBREE’s flat pedals ‘R1V’ are now available at https://pembree.com.

For more information about PEMBREE go to:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pembreeuk/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/pembree
Website: https://pembree.com

#Pembree #Pedals4Pedals

Seeing one of our athletes on a magazine cover is definitely one of our favorite things, so you can imagine how stoked we were to see Tomomi Nishikubo on the cover of this month’s MTB Mag Asia.

And not just that – he’s also featured in a big interview!

If you want to check it out, you can read the interview here: https://issuu.com/mtbmagasia/docs/mtbmagasia_issue_068_aug_2020_web

© Header photo by Naoki Morita

15 opportunities for gold, silver and bronze over the span of five days, includes the spectacular UCI 2020 Mountain Bike World Championships in Saalfelden Leogang. Organizers Marco Pointner and Kornel Grundner give exciting insights into how the event is organized, especially in difficult times: “We have seen ourselves increasingly responsible for making the World Championships possible for the riders, teams and sponsors, but also for the fans.”

Five days of pure action with 15 golden chances – Saalfelden Leogang, the host of the World Championships, gives the heavily adjusted mountain bike calendar a bit of security. Approximately eleven weeks before the start of the UCI 2020 Mountain Bike and Pump Track World Championships, which will take place 7-11 October, the title battles in Downhill, Cross-Country, E-Mountain Bike and Pump Track are taking shape. After consultation with the UCI, organiser Saalfelden Leogang can now officially announce the schedule for the quadruple World Championships.

The festivities will start in the usual manner with the Cross-Country Team Relay race on Wednesday, October 7. On the same day, two more medals will be awarded when the E-MTB stars, both women and men, take to the track. On Thursday, the juniors will compete for gold, silver and bronze in Cross-Country. On Friday, the men’s U23s will compete in Cross-Country. Afterwards men and women will duel each other on the Pump Track for the coveted rainbow jerseys. The Pump Track competition will signal the end of the third day of competition.

The World Championship weekend starts with the U23 Cross-Country women. In the Olympic discipline, the two Elite competitors will then give it their all on the demanding circuit. The final day of competition on Sunday offers four more decisions – all of them Downhill. First, the Junior women and then the Junior men will rocket down the Speedster, before the Women’s and Men’s Elite finish the quadruple World Championships.

Spectator situation still uncertain

Despite the uncertainty caused by the Corona pandemic and the resulting difficulty in planning, the organisers are trying to make the title races accessible to spectators. A decision on this has not yet been made. All current information is also available at: www.bikewm2020.com

“Prepared for all eventualities” – 3 questions for the organizers Marco Pointner and Kornel Grundner

Organizers Marco Pointner, CEO Saalfelden Leogang Touristik, and Kornel Grundner, CEO Leoganger Bergbahnen/Bikepark Leogang, give exciting insights into the origins of the quadruple World Championships and the organizational challenges:

How did it come about that Saalfelden Leogang now hosts the quadruple World Championships?

Marco: “The UCI contacted us and asked if we saw an opportunity to integrate the Cross-Country and E-MTB competitions of the World Championships from Albstadt into our Downhill and Pumptrack World Championships. After we checked everything internally, it was clear to us that we could tackle a quadruple World Championships and that we wanted to take on the challenge.”

What are the biggest challenges right now?

Kornel: “The short-term is not optimal and rather unusual. The tracks for the Cross-Country competitions have yet to be completed. But the biggest challenge is that we are prepared for all eventualities. We don’t know how the pandemic will develop. Thus, we are currently working on four different “corona-ready” concepts. First of all for all athletes and teams, then for the entire media sector from journalists to TV teams, for all our own employees and helpers, as well as for spectators along the track and in designated corridors. Of course, we want spectators on the track, that’s just part of it and what makes Leogang and mountain bike sport so special. But the top priority is that we can host the World Champs and not endanger anyone.”

Nevertheless, the quadruple World Championships is extremely gratifying for the Saalfelden Leogang region, isn’t it?

Marco: “Of course it’s a great thing for us, for the Saalfelden Leogang region and for Epic Bikepark Leogang. We have invested a lot over many years, have developed as a reliable UCI partner and can once again underline our status as a top bike destination. But for us, it was also about the sport, the riders and everything around it. We have increasingly seen ourselves as responsible for making a World Championship possible for the riders, teams and sponsors, but also for the fans.”

For more info, head over to www.bikewm2020.com

© Photos by: Stefan Voitl and Klemens König

Following a successful Red Bull Rookie of The Year (ROTY) in 2019, the finish of which saw French rider Timothé Bringer travel to Crankworx Rotorua with a Wildcard and achieve a Top 10 finish, the FMB World Tour was looking forward to expanding the ROTY Award in 2020, but things don’t always go as planned. 2020 wouldn’t be the same without crowning a new Rookie of the Year, so in order for this to happen, the FMB World Tour is bringing back the video contest from last year and raising the stakes.

The times are changing, that much is clear. With an almost empty FMB World Tour Calendar for 2020 due to rescheduled and cancelled events, the Red Bull Rookie of the Year Award is going fully digital. In order to be eligible, riders must be 16 or older and below age 22 (age range: 31.12.2003 – 01.01.1999) and in possession of either an FMB World Tour License or an FMB Free Amateur License will be eligible to participate.

As part of the ROTY Award in 2019, the Red Bull Best Line was included as an extra contest result at an FMB World Tour Silver level. In 2020, the ROTY will be chosen through this video contest by a panel of judges.

The Rookie of the Year Award recipient will receive a Wildcard to an upcoming Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship stop, excluding Red Bull Joyride, their flights and accommodation covered, as well as a financial prize and their FMB World Tour License for the 2021 FMB World Tour season.

What’s changed from last year is that there will also be two additional Award categories; Athletes Choice and People’s Choice.

Athletes Choice is exactly what it says – a winner will be chosen by a panel of FMB World Tour professionals, whereas the People’s Choice will be carried out through online voting by the fans and supporters of the FMB World Tour and their athletes.

More details, including video submission details, ROTY timeline and Prize Packages for the additional categories, will be announced in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on www.fmbworldtour.com for the latest news.

License Structure

a) FMB World Tour License

The FMB World Tour License makes it possible for athletes to compete at all FMB World Tour Events, if they are qualified for the respective event level. Every athlete with this license will be listed in the FMB World Ranking and will have their own profile on www.fmbworldtour.com.

b) FMB Free Amateur License

For athletes, who just want to compete at Bronze Level Events, the FMB is offering a FREE sign-up. Coming with no cost whatsoever, an athlete who registers here will be listed in the global Amateur Ranking. The best amateur at the end of the season will receive his FMB World Tour License for the following year, so he can take the next step, compete and collect points for the FMB World Ranking.

Sign up for your license here: https://fmba.memberpro.net/main/body.cfm?menu=register

Keep your eyes peeled for further information about live webcasts and calendar updates on www.fmbworldtour.com.