Next weekend, the Biketember Festival will once again transform the Saalfelden Leogang region into a mountain bike Mecca. The highlight: the season finale of the iXS European Downhill Cup. At the fifth and final stop of the tour, Europe's best downhillers will battle it out for overall victory in qualifying on Saturday and the final on Sunday (from 12.30 pm).
European downhill elite comes to Saalfelden Leogang
334 riders from 26 nations will be competing in seven classes at the European Downhill Cup next weekend. Thirty-six Austrians and three Austrians will also be taking on the challenging World Cup course. Among them are big names such as Austria's best downhiller Markus Pekoll, who naturally wants to compete in his last race as a professional at home in Saalfelden Leogang. And the local ladies are also well worth watching - especially in the battle for the overall standings: while the still unbeaten local hero Valentina Höll can no longer be denied victory in her Pro U17 women's class, it's all to play for next Sunday for Simone Wechselberger. The Tyrolean is currently in fourth place in the elite women's category, with the podium within reach. She is just 70 points short of a top-three finish. But the competition and thus the battle for second and third place is merciless, as the best in the overall standings will not miss out on the season finale. Only the first places in both the Elite Men's and Elite Women's categories have been decided - the two Slovenians Zabjek Jure and Hrastnik Monika will triumph in their classes in any case.
There is also plenty on offer off the track
Risky manoeuvres, breathtaking speed and incredible racing action aren't enough? Then Biketember also has plenty to offer off the track: At the SCOTT Junior Trophy, even the youngest riders will get their money's worth on a varied trail around Lake Ritzensee. The excitement continues when the participants in the VIGINTSIX Best Line Contest show what is possible with a mountain bike - ingenuity is required to secure victory at the end of the day. Anyone can take part! And as if that wasn't enough of a supporting programme for three days of events, you can also browse in the Team & Expo Area or party with the Dutch deep house duo DEEPEND at the Ö3 Disco on Saturday.
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
