"'No tits in the pits', as David Coulthard used to say," says Christopher Stahl (53), explaining his wife's absence - and marches through the line of fans with his sons.
His better half is in Bonn, while dad Stahl is at the double World Cup in Lenzerheide with his two offspring. Stahl calls it a men's weekend, a three-day break with his offspring. He casually lets his mobile phone peek out of his trouser pocket. No important messages, just as well. Check the time. In 20 minutes, the starting gun will sound for the women's cross-country race - the highlight of the trip for Stahl, as two of his athletes, Alexandra Keller (21) and Kathrin Stirnemann (28), will be at the start.
"Now let's get going," he cheers on his entourage of sons and employees. "We have to get to the trail entrance, where you can see exactly how exhausted the women are as they enter the trail."
Christopher Stahl, mail-order mogul of H&S Bike-Discount, creator of the Radon bike brand, owner of a downhill and cross-country World Cup team. A name that is mentioned in the same breath as Erwin Rose and Roman Arnold. The three mail-order giants had a lasting impact on the bike industry in Germany and Europe at the beginning of the internet era. Stahl's H&S Bike-Discount alone ships over one million parcels a year. The 53-year-old is considered a price radical, extrovert and looks like a cross between Helmut Dietl and Micky Rourke. A man who does not shy away from pink shirts or direct confrontation. Stahl knows about competition, knows about repression, knows his competitors' legal mail inside out. Over the years, the man from Bonn has dissected his production processes, trimmed procedures and prices, sometimes to such an extent that he ended up earning just 70 euros for a bike. Last year, Stahl found a new advertising opportunity. He expanded his Downhill World Cup team with world champion Manon Carpenter and bought into the former Stöckli team led by team boss Ralph Näf and World Cup ace Mathias Flückiger. He now has nine world champions in his teams alone. Not necessarily to the delight of his business partner Ralf Heisig, who probably sees Stahl more as a world champion in spending money.
The two founded the Radon brand 20 years ago; the name of the company was an oversight, as family father Stahl says today. He actually wanted the name to convey lightness - but he didn't realise that radon is one of the heaviest and most radioactive materials. But the man from Bonn, who started out with a 20-square-metre small business, couldn't care less. Today, he wants to show the world that you can ride at the front on his bikes. On high-end bikes for 6,500 euros, for which the competition usually charges significantly more. He really wanted to have Jolanda Neff on the team - but he couldn't get her. The costs would also have exceeded the annual budget. He is now quite happy that it didn't come to that, because Alexandra is also really good, he says on the way to the race track. A week earlier, the young Swiss raced to ninth place at the World Cup in Andorra despite a flat tyre. Now she should go one better in Lenzerheide. In terms of team status, it will be difficult for Radon to go one better. The Radon area is already dominating the event site. A huge truck, two large vans, 80 square metres of exhibition and team area. Plus a classy espresso machine that serves the visitors. If you like: Radon is buzzing - even more so than the stand of world champion Nino Schurter.
He is currently squatting on the roller and sweating himself warm. His race starts in just over 90 minutes, but before that the Stahl family and the fans are cheering on the women's race, which is running at the same time as Schurter's warm-up programme. Stahl sits on a tree stump and checks the riders' split times.
"Alexandra on seven," he calls out to one of his colleagues. "I'm sure she'll be out the back," he adds, continuing to stare at his iPhone. Alexandra has been battling with the other women for 16 minutes for positions and seconds. Stahl's sons stand next to their dad and watch the course. The head of the family taps furiously on the display and keeps peering at the trail from under his rimless glasses. Suddenly one of the marshals shouts: "Electric motorbike!" An electric motorbike whirrs quietly into the trail, then the leaders arrive: Maja Włoszczowska, Yana Belomoina, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, Jolanda Neff, with Alexandra Keller in fifth place. "Come on, that looks good," shouts Stahl. "Did you see that? Alexandra in a group with Emily Betty and Sabine Spitz - it's amazing how far ahead she is."
Stahl stands up and slides across the slippery muddy track to the next observation point down by the sausage stand.
The race course in Lenzerheide is particularly technical on both the downhill and cross-country sections. Countless root carpets cover the course and the sandy descents turn into mud slides when it rains. It is not uncommon for the best cross-country bikers in the world to prefer to carry their bikes short rather than risk a fall. The root fields of the downhill course arch towards the riders in a similarly frightening manner. A course that requires "balls", as Radon downhiller Faustin Figaret said the day before and then added "I forgot mine at home". His team-mate Johannes Fischbach showed more courage, but crashed his shoulder into a stone carpet and dragged himself back to the valley station of the Rothorn cable car in defeat. But it's not just World Cup pros who are attracted by the difficult conditions. Every year, 777 bikers take part in the legendary Bike Attack Freeride Marathon. After the mass start, the bikers have to conquer 2000 metres of descent and 140 metres of ascent from the summit to the finish in Churwalden. In 2018, the region near Chur was also chosen to host the Mountain Bike World Championships. Nino Schurter and Jolanda Neff grin from large billboards every few kilometres to herald the event.
Stahl can no longer grin. His hair looks like it's been gelled, but it's wet with sweat. The Bonn businessman is nervous. "Really ey," he shouts into the crowd, "It's so tough what the girls are doing here. I'm really suffering with them."
His eyes stare at the iPhone display again. Two kilometres further on, his rider
Alexandra Keller, is panting to catch up with the top ten. She's kneeling in the infamous uphill section. A nasty, twisty steep section that climbs up the mountain in an unrhythmic fashion. Keller wears down her muscles, while Britain's Annie Last blows a surprise attack at the front. She fights her way past Jolanda Neff and Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå. The fans scream. The man from Bonn watches the whole thing on the screen. "Amazing, Annie, she used to be really good. But now..." The Brit races past him, Dahle Flesjå five seconds behind. Two laps to go. Stahl is tripping on the spot, eleventh place for Alexandra, the Radon boss is really suffering.
"It hurts so much what she's doing now," he whispers to himself. The Swiss rider slides around on her saddle. Then she races down the trail, past Stahl, who once again gets everything out of his vocal chords. He looks after her, checks his mobile phone and takes a deep breath. "Guys, it's time for a beer," announces the 53-year-old, heads to the beer tent with his entourage and has a pint.
Meanwhile, rain pours down on the track. Annie Last is panting towards what is probably her greatest success, but Dahle Flesjå is not letting up. Seven seconds separate the two. Last slips slightly on the roots and dismounts. She carries her bike. Only four seconds ahead. She pushes with all her might over the softened ground, 500 metres to go. The spectators roar. Annie Last races through the finish line, with Dahle Flesjå racing in behind her. The Brit stands rooted to the spot at the finish line. Her best World Cup result so far was an eighth place - five years ago. And now a victory. Unbelievable. Minutes later, Alexandra rolls through the finish arch - 12th place, her eyes blank, her legs trembling with exhaustion and hypoglycaemia. Ralph Näf hands her a water bottle, which she holds on to. Then her team-mate Kathrin Stirnemann crosses the finish line. She also looks exhausted. Stahl hugs his riders and looks into the distance. The rain picks up another gear and lashes down on the team tents. Everyone takes refuge under the Radon stand. The men's race is due to continue in 30 minutes.
Two hours later, the sun is once again blazing down on the World Cup site. In the finish area, Ralph Näf leans over Mathias Flückiger, who is sitting sunken on the tarmac. The former U23 World Champion shakes his head and rubs the mud out of his eyes. Stahl, meanwhile, darts towards the exit, his entourage close behind him. "Now let's get a move on before everyone wants to leave and we get stuck in a traffic jam. The plane won't wait." The men's weekend is coming to an end, which means that Stahl's favourite quote, "No tits in the pits", is probably on pause again for the time being.
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