MTB cycling: More than 300 riders from 26 nations experienced another highlight of European downhill racing in changeable weather conditions in Spicak. In the fourth round of the iXS European Downhill Cup 2016, Jana Bartova and Johannes Fischbach clinched the victories.
For the sixth time, the small bike park in the Bohemian Forest hosted a run of the European downhill premium series last weekend. The scene of the turbulent events was the Struggle Trail with a length of 1800 meters and an altitude difference of 320 meters. The alternating subsoil of rocks, stones, forest soil and root sections is characteristic of the demanding and perfectly groomed route. The weather, however, once again tipped the scales this weekend with changeable conditions.
Actually, the weather would have offered optimal conditions on all three days if Petrus hadn't opened the floodgates shortly before the end of the qualification on Saturday. The last starters in the Elite Men class now found completely different track conditions, which made it absolutely impossible to set best times. Many top riders therefore had to make use of the protected status, which ultimately led to 37 riders in the Super Final on Sunday - otherwise the usual 30 riders.
On Sunday the conditions were ideal again and many spectators found their way to the bike park for the fourth round of the iXS European Downhill Cup. In the 2016 season, two women riders are fighting hard for the lead in the overall standings: the Czech Jana Bartova (RRP) and the Italian Veronika Widmann (Bike Club Egna Neumarkt). Although the Italian was ahead in qualifying on Saturday, she had to settle for third place on Sunday. The Swiss Carina Cappellari (Radon Magura Factory) finished second behind Jana Bartova. In the overall standings, the Czech is now 22 points ahead of Veronika Widmann.
In the men's race, NS Bikes FroPro team rider Slawomir Lukasik led for a long time on Sunday, only Johannes Fischbach (Radon Magura Factory) was one of the last starters to beat the Pole's time. Jure Zabjek (Unior Tools Team) from Slovenia was third fastest and also finished on the podium. Johannes Fischbach now leads the overall standings, followed by Slawomir Lukasik, 63 points behind. As with the women, everything is still open in the Elite Men class. Two races are still on the iXS European Downhill Cup 2016 calendar: Les Deux Alpes and Leogang.