A little less than a year before the major event, organisers and athletes looked ahead at a press conference. In addition to spectacular sporting action, thousands of fans and a major event with international appeal are expected.
Back in 2012, the path to the world championship title led via the "Speedster" in the Leogang Bike Park. Back then, 12,000 people lined the track to watch the spectacular races of the world's elite live over root carpets, through steep bends and high-speed passages. Eight years later, the experienced World Cup venue is now writing another chapter in World Championship history. From 4 to 6 September 2020, the riders will once again battle for the coveted rainbow jerseys at the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Championships in Saalfelden Leogang: "Being able to host another World Championships after eight years confirms that we not only stage exciting races and offer a good infrastructure, but also that the entire team works together perfectly. We can also draw on a wealth of experience as an organiser and have shown that we are a reliable partner," explains Marco Pointner, Managing Director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik: "The eyes of the international mountain bike scene will be on us again with the Downhill World Championships. We can once again emphasise our status as a bike destination." And the Managing Director of Leoganger Bergbahnen, Kornel Grundner, also knows: "With the support of the federal government, state, municipality and landowners, we will do everything we can to organise another unforgettable World Championships."
Leo Bauernberger, MBA, Managing Director of SalzburgerLand Tourismus GmbH, emphasises the appeal of this major event: "The third UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in SalzburgerLand is hugely important for cycling in Austria. 13 per cent of our guests come to SalzburgerLand because of our mountain bike offer and we are very happy that Saalfelden Leogang is so committed to this incredibly important sport and has created a unique centre of excellence within Europe."
Cross-border cooperation with the Cross-Country World Championships in Albstadt
For the 2020 World Championships, the Pinzgau World Cup and World Cup organisers are pulling together with the venue for the Cross-Country World Championships, the German town of Albstadt. In addition to a combined ticket, which offers all fans two weekends, one in Saalfelden Leogang and one in Albstadt, for just 99 euros, there will also be a joint approach to advertising and sponsorship. "We negotiate together in terms of TV production and broadcast times, this symbiosis naturally helps us to get the best out of each venue and to bundle our interests," says Pointner. This year's Downhill World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada, also saw a joint bid from the two European World Championship venues in 2020.
"Speedster": Some changes, same thrill
If you want to pull on the famous rainbow jersey in September 2020 for the following twelve months, you will have to show all your skills in Saalfelden Leogang in terms of concentration, fitness and riding technique. The "Speedster" World Championship course, which is known in the gravity scene as a demanding challenge, will shine at the 2020 World Championships with a few additional adaptations. One thing is clear: the future world champions must succeed in a flawless run.
Home advantage for Höll at first Elite World Championships - Hoffmann also full of anticipation
Valentina "Vali" Höll, who knows the trails in "The Epic Bikepark Leogang" like the back of her hand, knows this too. She has already competed twice in the junior class in the World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang - she clearly dominated both appearances. In 2019, she skied to a winning time that would even have been enough for third place in the women's elite class. In 2020, the 17-year-old local heroine is now old enough to compete in the elite women's event and is considered a great red-white-red medal hope: "Not every athlete in our sport gets the chance to compete at a home World Championships during their active career. For me, this will be my first elite year and therefore special in many respects. Of course, a medal would be an absolute dream. But everyone is training for it and I still have to go to school next year, so I'll have to see how I can optimise my time. Of course I will prepare myself as well as possible, because I want to make Austria proud," explains the Saalbach native.
At the press conference organised by the World Championships organisers in the Jochen Schweizer Arena in Taufkirchen, a long-standing partner of the Saalfelden Leogang tourism region, Germany's medal hopeful Nina Hoffmann also expressed her enthusiasm for the World Championships in Saalfelden Leogang: "I'm really looking forward to it, there will be lots of friends and family there. We already had a mega atmosphere last year. Leogang is definitely worthy of the World Championships," says last year's World Cup runner-up in the elite women's event.
New trails, new pump track
The World Cup of the mountain bike downhill elite has been held regularly in Saalfelden Leogang for nine years now. The sporting action is traditionally accompanied by an extensive supporting programme, with music acts, parties, expo and more. According to Pointner, this should of course also be the case for the World Championships in September 2020: "Preparations for this are in full swing." A lot has also happened for hobby bikers in the now newly titled "The Epic Bikepark Leogang" and the Saalfelden Leogang region in the recent past. New trails ("Steinberg Line by Fox", "Antonius Trail", "Schwarzleo" and "Forsthoftrail"), a new pump track and, for the first time, the "Steinbergbahn" cable car for mountain bikers were put into operation in the summer.
Further current news, dates and information about the trails of the Epic Bikepark Leogang can be found at bikepark-leogang.com, instagram.com/BikeparkLeogang or facebook.com/BikeparkLeogang.
For a "well-rounded cycling holiday", there are special bike hotels in Saalfelden Leogang such as the Salzburger Hof, Bio Hotel Rupertus, Hotel Bacher, Hotel Riederalm, Hotel Ritzenhof, Mama Thresl, Hotel Saliterhof, Hotel Forsthofalm and Hotel Der Löwe as well as competent bike shops such as Sport Mitterer or Sport 2000 Simon. The Elements Outdoorsports bike school offers a wide range of programmes for improving your skills, guided tours or riding technique training. A list of all bike-friendly accommodation in the Saalfelden Leogang region can be found here: saalfelden-leogang.com/en/region-experience/biking/bike-friendly-businesses.
Further information about the Saalfelden Leogang region can be found at saalfelden-leogang.com, instagram.com/Saalfelden_Leogang or facebook.com/SaalfeldenLeogang.
