We need more races! - Interview with Max Hartenstern, downhill racer
FREERIDE: Is there more action in the World Cup this year?
Max Hartenstern: The double race runs may bring more action, but also much more risk. Because there are always points, so you have to go full throttle. The first World Cup will show you.
There is also a new track. What do you know about it?
Nothing. (Laughs) Except that there has already been an EWS race in Loudenvielle. But I have no idea what the track is like.
Junior World Champion Jackson Goldstone will compete in the elite class in 2023. But super racer Sam Hill also wants to race World Cups again. Your assessment?
Jackson will be a top 10 candidate. For Sam Hill, on the other hand, it will be more difficult. A lot has happened on the downhill. It's not like it used to be: just riding downhill and hanging out a bit. The World Cup has become much more professional than it was in Hill's day. My tip: top 30 for Sam, probably not better.
And enduro ace Richie Rude?
I know that Richie rides Enduro fast, but the fact that he wants to compete in Downhill World Cups is new to me. There's no talk of that in the scene, or I don't know anything about it.
Fischbach is gone, who else is flying the German flag in the Downhill World Cup?
Hannes Lehmann. Hannes finished fourth at the European Cup in Croatia. Erik Irmsch is also fast and in top form. In the juniors, Henri Kiefer is one to keep an eye on.
Which track are you most looking forward to?
I like Andorra and Leogang. But I'm also looking forward to Loudenvielle. I liked Les Gets at the World Championships last year - they're actually all good tracks, as long as the weather plays along.
Some drivers are calling for more races. You too?
Yes, we need more races - definitely! That strikes me when I think about motocross. In America, the supercrossers race on 17 weekends. That produces so many more chances to get a good result than if you only have eight races like us downhillers.
The alternatives to the DH World Cup in the racing scene
1 - Red Bull Hardline
The Red Bull Hardline is a mixture of monster jumps and terrain of the highest technical difficulty. Until now, the Hardline has taken place once a year in Wales. Red Bull wants to turn it into a series. The challenge is to build such extreme tracks that only a handful of bikers in the world can master.
2 - FEST series
The jump series was reduced to just a few events. The FEST motto: no judging and XXL jumps. The FEST events now seem more like insider meetings without media attention. Exception: the Darkfest in South Africa; it regularly makes headlines and sets records.
3 - FMB World Tour
The slopestyle circus has been whirling around the globe since 2010, with athlete performance and media coverage at the highest level. Over 40 events are on the calendar for 2023, 20 of which have women's rankings. Highlight of the year: the Red Bull Joyride competition in Whistler.
4 - Proving Grounds
The big mountain slopestyle is reminiscent of the early Adidas slopestyles and is regarded in the scene as the ticket to the Red Bull Rampage. So far, there has only been one competition in Oregon. But organiser Todd Barber wants to expand the event into a series. That won't work this year, but three events are planned for 2024.
5 - Urban downhill
What a spectacle! The Red Bull Cerro Abajo city downhill series in Mexico and Colombia is reminiscent of Nuremberg's District RideThousands follow the race with enthusiasm. There were three stops this year: Valparaíso, Medellin and Guanajuato. It's astonishing that the series receives so little attention in Europe.
6 - Crankworx Downhill
Red Bull wants to strengthen the downhill series at the Crankworx events and give them high prize money. The money is intended to attract a high-calibre field of starters to a total of four events in 2023 (Rotorua, Cairns, Innsbruck, Whistler). And chatterbox Rob Warner will give the races a dramatic presentation.
More articles on the topic of MTB competition:
Pros & cons of more action in the Enduro World Cup
Does enduro racing need to become more spectacular for the public and TV with jumps and stunts?
PRO: Adrien Dailly, Enduro racer
Yes, of course! Enduro could be more spectacular. Depending on the race, but many enduro stages are no fun, because the organisers take bike park tracks, for example, plus a few CC sections on grass, and that's it - bad! Enduro races have to be spectacular. Spectacular, but not dangerous! In the last two years there have been a lot of crashes in Crans Montana, not because of the jumps, but because the bike park tracks were unsuitable for racing. I'm in favour of more jumps in enduro racing! Stages in the middle of the city would be cool too.
CONTRA: Jack Moir, EWS Champion 2021
No, enduro racing doesn't have to become more spectacular. We ride crazy tracks in crazy places. But you could stage the angry sections better. That's quite difficult when you consider how long the tracks are and how remote. In Maydena and Derby it was done well. More jumps would be exciting. On some occasions, jumps were taken out because they were "too hard". I can't agree with that, because the Enduro World Cup should be damn hard!
