UCI World Cup 2023: Marcus Klausmann in an interview: It's brutal the way it is

Marcus Klausmann is a 15-time German downhill champion and says what he thinks. He is very close to the racing action. The ex-racer advises his sponsor Propain on product development, is an MTB coach and runs the suspension tuning service Klausmann Suspension.

Klausmann is the ideal interviewee for us to take stock of the first UCI World Cup under the new marketer Warner Brothers. Marcus Klausmann in a FREERIDE interview about courses that are too fast, the lack of fall zones and the losers of the 2023 season.

FREERIDE: Marcus, one year of the World Cup under the new marketing company Warner Brothers is over. How would you sum it up, Marcus?

MARCUS KLAUSMANN: Broadcasting on free TV will appeal to a broader target group. Many people who previously had little to do with mountain biking may now have caught fire. That's good news. In short, the season was a media success. Of course, some people are now doing without because they can no longer watch it for free on Redbull.tv. As a race nerd, I treated myself to a GCN subscription.

Your positive balance applies to all categories?

No, the Enduro World Cup is the loser of the season. Whether with or without a motor. A lot was promised, e.g. exciting summaries. That happened at the beginning of the season, after the first two World Cups it was very quiet.

It wasn't any better before.

It's true, the Enduro World Cup is and remains a media challenge. But the coverage of the first two World Cups has shown that it is possible. Live coverage, on the other hand, will never be feasible.

What other differences have you noticed?

Visually, some things have become more professional. For example, the video wall, or the fact that there is no longer any tape and the routes are now marked with flags. Incidentally, this is also an important safety factor.

You have to explain that.

It's no secret: the tape makes riders fall faster. I've seen riders go off the track and half choke themselves with the tape. The markings are a better solution - a good change.

You are close to the paddock. What else do you notice?

Stake-out markings or not, the World Cup is too dangerous. Everyone agrees: it's too brutal as it is. The riders are listened to far too little.

What do you base that on?

The routes are too fast. Have you seen Les Gets? They hurtle at high speed through the forest with roots, rocky edges and off-camber sections. It's a ride on the razor's edge. But the riders also know that if they want to do well, they have to risk everything. In my day, you looked forward to the race, I don't think I would do that today. Many a rider will roll into the starting gate with a sinking feeling in their stomach - I'm sure of that.

How could the World Cup be made safer?

There needs to be fall zones. Amaury Pierron broke a vertebra in his neck last season and rightly criticised the fact that there was no camber space. Unfortunately, it was no different back then, even if the tracks weren't as fast. I remember Cédric Gracia in Val di Sole. He stumbled, hit the tape, lost control and then crashed a few metres further on where some stuff was lying around - that's where he broke his hip. What I'm trying to say is that in some places it's predictable that riders can lose control. Nothing should be left there. There has to be room to fall.

You say the courses are set too quickly.

Definitely! Riders can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. And that off-road. That's intentional, because it means the times are even closer together. Good for the spectators and the organisers, dangerous for the riders.

But the tracks are not only so fast under Warner Brothers.

No, the trend was already there with Red Bull, but now it is being accelerated. Sure, downhill was already dangerous 20 years ago and will remain so. But now it's taking on a new form. The riders need to be listened to more.

Do the drivers complain?

Behind closed doors. I know that there is a lot of discussion internally. But it's true, hardly anyone says anything publicly. I remember that Loic Bruni once addressed problems on camera. Nothing more was heard after that. Nobody probably wants the role of the whinger.

There is a drivers' council to represent the interests of the starters.

That's a good thing. The drivers' council can get in touch and express their wishes. I suspect that they are not listened to very much.

The biggest changes in downhill are the semi-finals. A good idea, and would you like to explain it briefly?

The semi-finals are a good thing. They take place on the same day and are broadcast free of charge on YouTube. You have to qualify here too, as only 60 riders can start. 30 riders then qualify for the final, which is broadcast on free TV. Only ten women will qualify for the women's final. Also good: the juniors are now also broadcast (GCN), usually on the day before the men's elite. They now get a lot more attention.

There are also protected riders who start directly in the final.

That's right, I still don't understand who is protected. I think it would be good if every driver had to qualify. Even a Loic Bruni. Why give out gifts?

They don't want to do without stars who fall flat in the semi-finals.

Why not? It's the same in tennis. Alex Zverev won't be there. That's a shame, but nothing more.

So-called privateer riders like Stefan Garlicki, who do not have a team behind them, are complaining about extremely high entry fees.

Understandable. The entry and stand fees will continue to rise in order to force the privateers out. The UCI can't obviously do that, but is trying to do it through the fees. It was the same with motocross races a few years ago.

Not good prospects. Some drivers also complain about the double risk of the semi-finals.

If that's too much for you, you need to train more. Skiers can also cope with two races a day. It's a mental acclimatisation phase, soon it will be completely normal for the skiers. Twice as many races also means twice as much attention. And that's not a bad thing.

Privateers don't have a team with mechanics etc. behind them, they work up a sweat because they have to go straight back to the start after the semi-finals.

If you have a defect in the semi-final that needs to be repaired, you've messed up the semi-final anyway and won't qualify. Besides, there are only a few privateer riders anyway.

So you're not crying after the Privateer drivers.

They have their justification. But things are getting difficult for them. Without support, nothing will work. The UCI and the new marketer Warner Brothers want everything to become more elitist. Incidentally, small measures could make it easier for privateer riders. For example, if every rider had their own washing area, which is where most of the time is often lost. Just like with motocross, it works there too.

You often cite motocrossers, should we take our lead from them?

It's never a bad thing to orientate yourself on successful formats.

Once again: Do you cry after Privateer drivers?

I am in favour of professionalisation, but I also know that this is the death sentence for many talented players. Because if you're not accepted into a junior team at a young age, you won't have a chance later on. Yes, I weep for them, but perhaps it's a necessary evil. It's always an extreme pity.

GCN (Global Network Cycling) has recently been put up for sale. The platform is responsible for transmission. Will everything be completely different now?

I really can't answer that right now. But I am an optimist.

Start/prize money, semi-finals & live broadcast: Celebrity voices on the 2023 World Cup premiere under Warner Brothers

Attempts are being made to organise everything more professionally. This is partly successful, but a lot is still going wrong. For example, the communication about what's on free-to-air TV and when - nobody can see through that. I liked the idea of the semi-finals at the beginning, but they bring a lot of hectic into the day. For us and especially for the mechanics. Unfortunately, the increased entry fees have no effect on the prize money. What a pity! - Nina Hoffmann, Santa Cruz Syndicate

A change of marketer is always exciting. A lot can go wrong, but a lot can also get better. I don't like some of the changes. For example, I'm not a fan of the semi-finals - it all takes too long and doesn't really add any value. It doesn't really affect me because I'm a "protected rider" this year, but I still don't understand why. - Brook MacDonald, World Cup racer

I'm delighted that we juniors now also have a live broadcast, albeit behind the GCN paywall. - Henri Kiefer, Downhill World Champion (Juniors)

I can't say anything about the broadcast because I'm always there. I know that the field of riders is divided when it comes to the semi-finals. Not everything works yet in terms of organisation, but they will work on that for 2024. Top: The missing flutter tape - I get better photos that way. - Boris Beyer, World Cup photographer

Are World Cup courses too dangerous? That's what the pros say:

The tracks are getting faster and faster and yes, that makes them more dangerous. I don't think anyone says anything publicly because nobody wants to be a whinger. There are also a few influential drivers who celebrate such high-speed tracks. - Andreas Kolb, Vice World Champion DH

Yes, the tracks have become more dangerous. Of course, this makes the race more exciting because the times are closer together. The riders are taking a big risk. Look at Lenzerheide, where at least a dozen riders crashed, two or three of whom were seriously injured. That can't be right. The Downhill World Cup is no longer what it used to be. Don't get me wrong. I like to ride fast, but the technical sections are missing. The courses should be steep, rough and selective - that's downhill! - Brook MacDonald, World Cup racer