BIKE Junior Team: Raging in Bad Tabarz

Race report Elias Hückmann, U15

The slalom was on the programme on Saturday. The course was very fast, the surface was extremely grippy and there were few steep uphill sections. A total of two runs had to be completed. I was able to complete them without any problems. However, I made a small mistake in the second run, which ultimately cost me the victory. Nevertheless, I was happy with the 2nd place in the slalom This meant a perfect starting position on the front row for the XCO race on Sunday.

After the slalom, we went straight to the course inspection. I particularly liked the XCO circuit as it was characterised by steep, technical climbs and technical downhills. So the anticipation grew all the more.

I could already feel that my legs were good during the warm-up on the rollers. After a fantastic start, I was able to take the lead directly after a gravel climb on the start lap and ride my lines on the technical climbs and descents. This allowed me to utilise my strength on the climbs and open up a gap on the chasers. I still had two tough laps ahead of me, which went as planned. That's why I had a lot of fun in the race and enjoyed the penultimate national junior race of the season. I crossed the First to cross the finish line and was very proud of my performance.

All in all, it was a very nice event on a great course in Bad Tabarz. Now the full focus is on the last race of the national junior series in Wetter an der Ruhr.

Race report Lucie Hückmann, U17

I went to the start this weekend with mixed feelings, as things hadn't been going so well for a while due to illness. I did well in the first run of the slalom, but wanted to be even faster in the second run. However, I then slipped a bit and ended up in second place. Seventh place landed.

On Sunday, I started the XCO race from the second row, which wasn't so good as some riders pushed me away. However, I was able to catch up with Paulina Weigelt's chasing group relatively quickly and kept up very well. On the last lap, I wanted to break away from the group and ride away. I managed to do that. Until the moment when my chain fell off at the back AND the front. As a result, I lost time and was overtaken again.

In the end I came across the fifth place but overjoyed to have finally felt good again.

Race report Dennis Krimmel, U17

After standing on the motorway for 1.5 hours, we arrived later than planned on Friday. This meant that I was then able to train directly on the track. The track was very similar to a real downhill track with a straight sprint finish at the end. After just a few test rides, I decided to go back to the caravan and have a rest. I went through everything again over lunch and didn't feel as well prepared as usual. I still had some issues with my line choices and the fluidity of my driving.

The next morning, I went out on the slalom course twice more, but had to stop training because my lungs weren't cooperating. I could already feel the cold that had been bothering me all week.

In the afternoon, I went up to the start with start number 1 because I was the overall leader (last starting position). I checked the most important details on the bike again and set off. After missing the pedal at the start and clicking off twice more in the race, I gave it my all again on the final straight. When I heard the commentators shouting something very emotional into the microphone, I had a very good feeling. Only at the finish did I realise that I had beaten my previous best time by another three seconds.

In the second run, my team boss and I agreed that nothing would be risked. I drove down my run without making any mistakes and improved my own best time by another second and won the thing! 1st place. Anyone who has been following me for a while knows that I don't waste my time after the slalom and go straight to cleaning my bike.

XCO race on Sunday

On Sunday, I had to get up early because the XCO race was already scheduled for the morning. The warm-up and everything else went really well. The start was also good, but from the second lap onwards I realised that I was struggling to breathe. It was probably the after-effects of the cold from the week before.

The breathing problems made it difficult for me to drink fluids. That's why I had to let two riders from the leading group go. I held my position alone until the finish, and once again I wasn't entirely satisfied because I could have done more than I did. 3rd place.

My lead in the overall standings for the German championship title is very narrow, but hopefully I can defend it. It's particularly annoying that I missed the athletics test due to a false-positive SARS-COV-2 antigen test and am now missing out on the points.

Race report Paulina Lange, U 17

Nice to be back in the racing action after the summer break. The track inspection for the slalom on Saturday went well and was therefore ready for the last slalom of the season.

For the first run of the slalom on Saturday, I had to produce a safe and clean run for the first time. This time I was able to put the track training from the previous day into practice and was in fifth place for the first time in a very tight field, but the podium was still within reach. The second race was coming up, so I had to concentrate fully and step on the gas again. It started to rain, but that didn't bother me. With a very controlled, fast run, I was finally able to finish on the podium in fifth place. third place after a very close duel for second place. I'm very happy and satisfied with the result after the very unsuccessful slalom in Wombach!

The first XCO race of the day started for us girls. We had three tough laps ahead of us. My start wasn't the best, but it was perfectly fine. A trio formed around Lucie and me. After the first lap, Lucie took off and opened up a gap on us. The course didn't have enough technical elements for my taste, but still had a lot of uphills. We stayed together and were able to catch up with Lucie again because she had a problem with her chain. On the last climb, I couldn't follow the second and third-placed riders and finished in a completely ungrateful position for the third time this season. fourth place to the finish.

Not entirely satisfied after I had hoped and wished for a podium finish. But the season is not quite over yet. And now it's time to train well again in the last two weeks and then give everything for the last national junior classification! And I would like to say that it was another very strong team performance with very good results that we can be happy about!

Race report Max Ebrecht, U 17

In Bad Tabarz it was the same as always at the BNS: qualifying on Saturday and the main race on Sunday. This time the qualification was a downhill/slalom, which took place on one part of the course. The slalom had two runs, the times of which were added together. After some very good weeks of training during the summer holidays, I went into the weekend with a good feeling and a lot of confidence.

Despite a few minor mistakes, the first slalom run went surprisingly well and I finished in 12th place. I had set my sights even higher for the second run. It went almost perfectly in the first half. I didn't make any mistakes and skied really smoothly. Unfortunately, I then slipped off a jump on the meadow, which was wet due to the heavy rain. Even though I jumped back on my bike as quickly as possible, I still lost about 10 seconds. All in all Place 27 out. For me, that meant 6th or 7th row on the grid, because only four drivers start in a row.

Cross-country race on Sunday

The race start on Sunday was at 10.30 in the morning, which was good because the course wasn't so rutted yet. The XCO course has short but steep climbs and is not super technical. There were only three slightly more difficult sections: a climb with slippery roots, a rock garden and a meadow at the start/finish that took quite a lot of energy. Due to the rain the day before, the course was muddy and slippery, which worked in my favour.

After slipping up in the slalom, I had to start the race from 27th place. But I had three laps and an introductory lap to work my way up the field. I managed that quite well in the start loop and I was already in the top 15 relatively quickly. Over the next few laps, I was able to work my way forwards and settle into the group of riders around 8th place. However, the track and small slides here and there cost me a lot of energy. I ran out of energy during an attack at the start of the last few laps. But I was able to catch myself and make up some ground. In the end I fought my way to 9th placeI had a lot of fun, cool and fair duels and am very happy with my performance and the result. It's the long-awaited first top 10 finish of the season in the national junior classification.

All results of the national young talent scouting in Bad Tabarz (Thuringia)

Saturday - Slalom race

• 1st place - Dennis Krimmel U 17 m
• 2nd place - Elias Hückmann U15 m
• 3rd place - Paulina Lange U 17 w
• 7th place - Lucie Hückmann U 17 w
• 27th place - Max Ebrecht U 17 m (fall in 2nd run)

Sunday - Cross-country race (XCO)

• 1st place - Elias Hückmann U15 m
• 3rd place - Dennis Krimmel U 17 m
• 4th place - Paulina Lange U 17 w
• 5th place - Lucie Hückmann U17 w
• 9th place - Max Ebrecht U 17 m (defect)