MTB News: The seventh edition of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Albstadt is about to start. This coming weekend, the crème de la crème of cross-country sports will fight relentlessly for important points and victory in the Swabian Jura. The course in Bullentäle was still being worked on until the last minute. In an interview, World Cup ambassador and former World Cup winner Mike Kluge reveals his impressions of the route, which was also further adapted for the 2020 World Cup.
Mike, as a former world-class biker, you know that the course is the heart of an event for the athletes. How do you see the course in Bullentale?
Albstadt is a stressful stretch for the athletes. Steep up, steep down and very little time to catch your breath. The material is also severely challenged on the track in Albstadt.
The perspective of the athletes is one, that of the spectators, on site and on TV, is a second. And then there is the security factor.
Correct. Last year there was rain in Albstadt and there were three passages that were almost impossible to control. At the Red Bull Devil's Corner, at the Albstadt Drop, but above all at the Mitas Abbyss, there were a number of crashes that disabled the following riders and in some cases also resulted in injuries.
There was some criticism. The organizers have reacted and prepared the passages again. You were there, how do you assess the changes?
The safety of the drivers should be the top priority for the organizers and track builders. Together with the UCI and trainers, we had thought about changes to the route in advance and the best was implemented so far. Albstadt is a very tough track that demands everything in terms of fitness and strength. The concentration must be at the limit the whole time, otherwise it can become very painful.
Is the track now too easy in dry conditions? Are you missing the fun factor and the challenge?
From my point of view, the fun factor has increased per se, the races will gain speed. There will be more battles for positions and that makes mountain bike racing more exciting. I also liked it technically back then and nothing was too dangerous for me. But today people drive even faster than back then, but unfortunately the "protective equipment" hasn't grown with them.
Could the track builders have solved this in a different way?
The route builders can draw on many years of experience and have repeatedly optimized the route. When it's dry it will be very fast, you will be riding in the slipstream and that will inevitably increase the tension. I'm looking forward to very exciting competitions and would have wished for such distances in my time.