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Niva! No Diva Race camp 2017

I just love my life as a racer.

I love to coach and I love to see someone else getting better and better on the bike. I guess you already have figured out that I also adore to race. I am the generation who improved their riding when you race, because the good tracks were just open for races and chair lifts were just running on race weekends. Now we have many bikeparks and you don’t have to race to ride the best tracks. But I still think when you race and you like to compete (thats very important) you get definitely much faster and better. 

So three years ago I decided to make race camps for girls who had never raced before. I teach them all the stuff I had to learn by myself and pass on my experiences and secrets. I really enjoy the time with them I pretty much live with them again through my whole DH career. It is very emotional and can be stressful.And every year we have some little dramas but nearly always with an happy end.
This year it was something special. The first time in the Niva! no Diva history one of my racer girls made it to podium next to me. She was all weekend long very fast and sticked to my back wheel. But it is something different to ride fast in the training or ride fast in the race run. She kept it together and kept her 3 place from qualification.
At the beginning of the race camp we were 5 girls. On friday we did the track walk together and talked about the fastest lines. Unfortunately on girl got really sick over the night and could continue the race camp. So we were 4 on Saturday. We did some good trainings runs and in my opinion we were a very fast group this year. I was totally satisfied and happy. The qualification run went fine for all of us too and because we were riding the whole day with our gopros we could discuss afterwards the best lines by watching our videos. On raceday (Sunday) Mara had bad luck because in her first trainings run her breaks didn’t work and she got of the track very bad and decided not to race. And so at the end it was Nicole, Stef and myself. But the girls very already like professionals and stayed focused even we missed one dream team member.

In the race run Stef had very good run just one mistake at the top and Nicole hit all the lines she wanted and also did the big gap which she did just twice.
My run was also good and I didn’t make a big mistake. I ended up on the second spot behind my good friend Angie Hohenwarter followed by my Niva! No Diva Ladie Stef. The only girl who beat us was the local young gun Valentina Höll. She smoked our times and is the future of the Austrian downhill scence – or even of the world. She is so fast and I can’t wait to see who she will do at the World cups in two years.

I want say a big thanks to my sponsors, who supported the camp and made my girls smile, because of this big goody bag stuff. (Go Pro, Iriedaily, Baby-G, Verival, Coco Drink, Ion, Carbocage, Maxxis, Acros, Board-Shack, Epic-Wear, Saalbach Tourismus, Glemmride)

My Heros for the weekend Stef and Nicole. (and Mara even if she couldn’t race)
Big thanks to Saalbach Hinterglemm trourism and the Glemmride crew.

Niva! No Diva race group

Number plate perfection …

Where is the best line? Thanks Go Pro for the cameras. #Heros

On the same weekend was also the Niva! No Diva Ride camp, for girls who prefer to ride than race. My friend Michèle Quint was leading it. They have all a lot of fun and improved their riding skills.
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Another good event you shouldn’t miss / Crankworx Innsbruck

 

INNS‘ BRUCK CRANKWORX in one word – WOW. I just can’t say anything negative about the first Crankworx Event in Austria. It was just a blast for me. The venue was great, the weather was perfect, the downhill track was something „new / old „. It was great to see old friends and have actually time to chat with them. The vibes were good. I had so much fun riding the Pumptrack and the Downhill race. I didn’t get hurt and I didn’t had mechanicals. We had nice place to stay and good food.
The only thing maybe I would like to have is a qualification run at  the DH. Because I am more a two run person. In the first run I give much and in the second run I know where I can give even more.  But yes that shouldn’t be an excuse.
In Pumptrack I had two solid qualification runs but I didn’t made in the top 8. In Downhill I finished 11 th.
Tracy Hannah won in DH and Caroline Buchanan got first in Pumptrack.my next stop is the Glemmride Festival in Saalbach Hinterglemm, where I also have my Niva! No DIva Camp running. If you want to be part of it go to www.viennabikeacademy.at and register.

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Schladming / IXS Cup / my favourite track

For sure one of my favorite places to ride and race the Schladming Planai Bike Park. I missed Crankworx Les Gets for this one and it was totally worth it. The track is so good. Fast, technical, flow, challenging and so much fun. So I raced there. The practice runs went well for me. My Bike worked perfect. I just played a bite with my High speed compression on my Cane Creek rear shock and made my fork harder and swooped to Maxxis Minion tires front and rear. The track was so dry and fast so my changes were perfect.
On Saturday I had the qualification run and I have to commit I was finished and my shoulder hurt from a small crash on Friday. I hardly could hold my handlebar I had nothing left in my tank. I ended up on the 19Th place.  But luckily this run wasn’t the important one.
On Sunday I felt so much better again and could generate much more power that could hold on very well. Always nice to see what your body can do if you reset your mind and try hard. I hit the lines which I wanted and my bike had no mechanical. The starter field was this time very big over 25 racer girls and big names were there.
It was nice to catch up with all the ladies and I enjoyed to go fast. I was about 12 seconds faster in my final run and finished 13Th.
To sum it up a good place for me and I am happy about my race run.My next stop is Crankworx Innsbruck where I am right now. Here I compete in DH and Pumptrack.
You can watch the events on www.crankworx.com.

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The craziest race of the year!

Full story:
What a week. I flew out to Edinburgh on Tuesday and drove straight up to Fort William. I also used to time to relax a bit and enjoyed the wonderful landscape. On Thursday the first practice started in the afternoon and it went good. I like the track and I have been here many times so I knew what to expect. On Friday we had practice again and after qualification. I just made one mistake in the last turn. I guess I rode it faster than normal and nearly washed out. but all good somehow I managed to stay on my bike. I finished 3rd. I was happy.
On Saturday we had practice again and straight after the heats started. I felt good and was very happy to race in Fort William. The place is just one of the best stops in my season. The traveling and planing is also very exhausting but it is worse it.
We were also so many girls and it was great to see how everyone supported each other and gave advises even we raced 10 minutes later against each other elbow to elbow. The british riders are just great and a big family. Even if I am not british they cheered for me.In the final I raced against Natasha Bradley, Romana Labounkova and Deborah Primrose.  I had a good gate but then lost it a bit on the first straight. At the second straight I had one of this „oh no please“ moments when I nose dived in the double landing. No idea why in practice it had never happened. Then I followed Natasha and she passed Romana in one turn. I could pass Romana because I was to far away and stayed until the end on the 3rd spot.
To sum it up I am happy about my quali run and my race run.

My next stop is the IXS DH Race in Schladming in 2 weeks and after this  I go straight to CRANKWORX Innsbruck.

Thanks to Nix Forster and her husband, who let me stay in their house. 
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MY SEASON KICK OFF // 4x PRO TOUR ROUND ONE

This winter was tough for me I was standing like horse in the start box with my feed banging against the wooddoor ready to run. But the cold kept me of my bike. I tried to make the best out of it so I trained in the gym, at home, in a circuit workout group and tried different things to keep myself entertained.

So I couldn’t wait to pack my stuff and my family and drive down to the Cote d’azur for practicing my french. No just kidding – I couldn’t wait to try this big step down which I saw in the videos from last year. It was actually in real much bigger than in the videos.. Ups. But I really wanted to do it. At the first try I was way to fast and over jumped it and I was glad that I had a full suspension bike…because I did a flat landed it. The next tries went fine and it felt great. What didn’t feel great was the last BMXstyle jumpy straight which turned out to be my breaking point 🙁 but what should I say nobody is perfect. So I tried to make the best out of the situation and practice to jump the first one – then roll the second and third one as fast as I could because I wasn’t able to jump them nicely.
In qualification I got 4th. And the first 4th riders were all in one second. So the final race was sooooo tight.
And because the first and second turn was the only place to pass on the whole track I put everything on one card. I had a good gate and tried to pull over to cut off the third but ended then elbow on elbow with the second (Nathasha) and she got pulled over by the first (Sabrina). So I rode in Natashas back wheel nearly felt over in the first turn and the 3rd rider could pass us. So Sabrina, the first in qualify stayed at the first spot. the 3rd got second. Natasha 3rd and me 4th.
Next time it will work better I guess. 🙂

 

1st. Sabrina Jonnier / 2. Fiona Ourdouillie  / 3. Natasha Bradley 4. Myself 5. Jessica


my race plans for 2017: 

14. May Austrian DH champs (Windischgarsten)
21. May DH Rennen in Höllenstein (AUT)
28. May Kalnica Bikefest (SK)
04. June 4X pro Tour Fort Williams
18. June IXS Downhill Cup in Schladming (AUT)
25. June Crankworx Innsbruck (AUT)
09. July NIVA No Diva DH Camp beim Glemmride Downhill in Saalbach (AUT)
16. July 4x Pro Tour JBC (CZE)
27. August 4xWorld champs (ITA)

4X Pro Tour Gallery




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DAMALS HÄTTZ DES NET GEBN’….

….dass Facebook Zahlen meinen Start verhindern.

Ja genau richtig gelesen, meine Followeranzahl war ausschlaggebend, ob ich starten darf oder nicht. Ich mag jetzt gar nicht genau sagen, wo oder was für ein Rennen es war, das tut hier jetzt nichts zur Sache.

Fakt aber ist, dass ich in der Quali 3 Sekunden, bei einer Fahrzeit von 60 Sekunden, schneller als der geladene weibliche Superstar aus Übersee und schnellste Frau war und zu den Top 16 Elite Männern zählte. Laut Reglement hatte ich fix einen Startplatz. Somit trainierte ich noch mit und freute mich aufs Finale. Das Finale kam und mir wurde kurz vorm Start beinhart vom Veranstalter ins Gesicht gesagt, dass die andere Dame mehr Facebook Follower hat und ich dürfte somit nicht starten. Sie nehmen lieber sie, sie sei bekannter. What the f##?? Dafür trainiere ich so viel? Damit dann am Ende meine Facebook -Followerzahlen über meinen Start entscheiden? #truestory #sosiehtsaus #socialmediacountsmore

Mein erstes Rennen, der Hinterbrühler MTB Sprint, bestritt ich im Oktober 1998. Ich habe es damals gewonnen und hatte Blut geleckt. Mein Ziel war seit diesem Moment so viel Zeit und Spaß wie nur möglich am Bike zu haben und Rennen zu gewinnen. Seit damals ist viel passiert. Ich habe viele Fliegermeilen gesammelt, neue Freundschaften geknüpft, aber auch viele Neider erlebt, Röntgenbilder gesammelt wie andere Briefmarken, zick Teile zerstört, viele Champagnerduschen erlebt, viele Sponsorenverträge unterschrieben, viele Tear offs von meiner Brille gezogen, viele tolle Strecke befahren, bin viele Male im Dreck gelandet, viele Tränen vergossen, bin über 100 mal am Podium gestanden und bin über 300 Rennen gefahren.

Es hat sich von den aufgezählten Sachen nicht viel geändert von damals zu heute, aber was sich geändert hat ist,

  • dass ich jetzt weit aus stylischer Aussehe dank meiner Troy Lee Kits und Spy goggles – die Volldodl optik war gestern.
  • dass die Technik ein Wahnsinn ist, und meine Bikes um so vieles besser geworden sind.
  • dass meine sportliche Leistung nicht mehr den selben Stellenwert hat wie vor 18 Jahren. Meine Social Media Accounts und Statistiken sind jetzt auschlaggebend.
  • dass ich zum Social Media Addict und Athleten zu Like – Hunters werden, ob sie wollen oder nicht.

Ob das dritte gut oder schlecht ist sei dahin gestellt.

Für die Entwicklung des MTB-Rennsports ist die Social Media Welt sehr hilfreich, keine Frage. Ergebnisse und Neuigkeiten werden rasant verbreitet. Die Rennen und Contests sind besser organisiert und werden immer fetter. Regionen investieren in Bikeparks, Firmen können viele Werbekanäle und Marketinginstrumente nützen und erreichen dadurch neue potentielle Käufer. Klingt alles sehr positiv und man kann sich eigentlich nicht beschweren. Was ich mich nur frage – Wo bleibt die Athletin als Mensch? Die ja primär für sich selber fährt, um zu gewinnen und nicht um Followerweltmeisterin zu werden.

Manche Fahrerinnen profitieren von der Entwicklung und für manche wird es zur Belastung. Es ist ja nicht jedermanns Sache sich wöchentlich, täglich oder sogar stündlich fast selbstverliebt zur Schau zu stellen, sich immer Texte, neue Hashtag Kreationen, nie dagewesene Stories oder Storyboards auszudenken um am Ende mehr Zeit vorm Laptop zu verbringen als am Bike. Dann kommt dazu, dass man ja auch die ganze Zeit am Handy hängt, um zu schauen was machen die anderen und um zu checken wie viel Likes das letzte Foto erzielt hat. Der Vergleich passiert jetzt nicht nur mehr auf der Rennstrecke, sondern auch noch im Word Wide Web. Es geht immer noch um Zahlen, aber halt um Likes statt um Sekunden.

Ich persönlich tue mir nicht so leicht mit dieser Entwicklung, weil ich mich lieber mit meiner Linienwahl und meinem Training beschäftige, als mit Social Media Statistiken. Und dennoch müsste ich lügen, wenn ich sage „LIKES sind mir egal“ und ich fühle mich auch geschmeichelt, wenn meine Fotos LIKES bekommen, aber lieber wäre mir, es würde nicht so eine große Wichtigkeit haben. Es ist aber so wie es ist und wird eher noch extremer, als anders herum und daher sehe ich es, als gesponserte Fahrerin, als meinen Job, mein Leben öffentlich zu teilen und Content zu liefern. Zum Glück fotografiert mein Freund gerne, zum Glück liebe ich kreative Arbeit und zum Glück gefällt es meinen FollowerInnen und Sponsoren. Denn es ist ein Geben und Nehmen. Ich liefere Content und echte Emotionen und im Gegenzug kann ich mich auf meine Sponsoren zu 100 % verlassen. Am Ende des Tages lese ich über Postings wie „ist dir das nicht schon langsam zu blöd“ hinweg. Weil wer ist da am Ende der Blöde, wenn ich aus dem Sessellift in Whistler winke und posten kann #happyface #girlrider #ALINE #lovemyjob

Am Ende noch mein Tipp an die jungen FahrerInnen, die ganz nach oben wollen, pflegt eure Social Media Kanäle, postet überlegt, ehrlich, authentisch und lasst euer Smart Phone auch ab und zu Zuhause und genießt die Trails im hier und jetzt mit euren Freunden.

Eure Helene

(Artikel aus dem GRAVITY Magazin ISSUE #034 2016)

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4X WORLD CHAMPS // VAL DI SOLE (ITA)

„You don’t need to be perfect to inspire others. Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfection.“ 

This sentence is normally the one which keeps me going and holding my chin up. But 4 days, after my biggest race of the year, the 4X World Championships in Val di Sole it seams weights are still hanging on my chin. I am super proud on myself that I jumped the pro line so well in practice and proud on myself that I am a tough cookie.

BUT I still can’t believe what happened and why it happened.I know that I jumped the first pro double to short and I didn’t have enough speed to clear the second one. But why exactly in the most important race run in my entire career?

I came to Val di Sole very early and wanted to train on the track. But because of my broken rips and the causing muscle pain I could hardly move a all not to mention ride my bike.
So I had to wait and hope. Luckily the Austrian Cycling National team has one of the best and nicest physiotherapists I have ever met. Margot worked on my body and let the impossible happen – I could train on Wednesday afternoon. I was so happy about it and jumped the first double of the pro line. The next day a jumped the second one without any problems. I was over the moon and couldn’t believe that first I can ride my bike with a broken rip and second that I jumped the pro line. So there were just 3 other girls who jumped the Pro Line. (Anneke Beerten, Caroline Buchanan, Romana Lambounkova)
In my qualification run I placed 8th, which I didn’t like at all and it caused me a sleepless night. The next day I trained the pro line even more and it worked just perfect. I was ready for the finals and so hungry to perform well for myself.
In my first heat I jumped the pro line and it worked well I just started to feel my broken rips again and that the painkillers wore off. In the next heat I had to start from the outside. I had a good gate and crossed to the right (first turn was a right turn). Lucia Otjen handlebar got tangled up with my one but I rode left and she crashed. So I was third and Anneke Beerten and Franzi Meyer (GER) were in front. I was right behind Franzis back wheel and she went for the chicken line. I went for the pro line but was for the first jump a bit to short and couldn’t built up enough speed for the second one so I landed on the top of it.

That was my heat where it worked well for me.

I still feel it and see it in front of my eyes where my handlebar turned and I couldn’t stand the pressure. I bounced from the top of the landing down and crashed hard on my hips and head. In the finish I couldn’t remember the first minutes what happened. I asked always the same question over and over again.  „I am not the finals, or?“ I had a concussion and wasn’t able to ride the small final, which didn’t count for me anyway. I came  to grab a medal. So yes that was my World champs story. 

Congrats to Caroline Buchanan taking the gold medal and Hannes Slavik the silver and because there are just 6 medals in total to give away I also congrats all the others for their incredible passion to this sport and performance. #luckisneeded #4Xisalife  

and that’s the heat where it didn’t work out for me ….

2016 UCI Mountain bike World Championships - Val di Sole Trentino (ITA) / 4X LIVEfirst run in minute 22 and second run in minute 45 (click here)

I wanted to say big thanks to my boyfriend, who is going all the ups and downs with me. Margot and Maria who managed the national team things very well. Big thanks to Radek my working college and friend who was my mechanic. Harriet for watching out for our dog Merlin on Thursday night.  and of course all my sponsors who are helping my all the time.

and thanks for the lovely FB and Instagram support from my friends.

Bye Bye HELENE

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DH EUROPEAN CHAMPS // WISLA (POL)

I can’t remember the last time I crashed so hard.

I got invited from the Austrian Cycling federation to compete at the Downhill European Championships in Poland (WISLA).  So of course I wanted to be part of this spectacle and got a ride in the Mondraker bus. Thanks to Maria and Wolli for that (+ the austrian cycling federation for paying my hotel)
All Austrian riders arrived on Friday afternoon and so did we. We did some training laps. The track was actually very difficult. Lots of lines to remember, big jumps, a very dry surface and lots of drops but it weren’t very long, which I liked. Training just sprints, gates and jumps for the last weeks for the up coming 4X World Champs didn’t include long downhill runs. So I liked the short track.
I liked all, the food, the weather, the people, the country, the company but what I really didn’t like was my massive crash in practice. A step up kicked my back wheel and I went straight over the bars. During the flight I thought… “no hands -just try to roll over the shoulder somehow”. Arms and hand injuries normally take so long so I landed on my shoulder head and back. The head was okay the shoulder, and hips just scratched but the back was totally bruised and I broke a rip or maybe two it isn’t sure. So painkillers turned into my best friends and luckily Margot, our physiotherapist with the angel hands – she kept me on track. During the night I suffered but in the morning it was “okay”. So I decided to try it and it worked. In the pits it hurt, sitting in the car it hurt, walking to the chairlift it hurt, on the chairlift it hurt, pushing the bike up the start hill it hurt, in my training runs it hurt, but BAMM in the moment I pedalled out the start hut in my race run it stopped hurting. I think I can mentally erase the pain when it comes to the point I have to race. Good for me. At the end I placed 5th and was 4 seconds faster than in my qualification run. My team college Simone finished 4th and missed just by few seconds the medal. But in total we were very happy about our race runs. In the men class a local Poland guy won and in the women class a French fast girl.
After the European champs, I drove with Hannes Slavik to the Eurobike to meet our sponsors and checking out their new stuff. It went well for both of us.

Now I am in Val di Sole and wait for the 4X practice in the afternoon. I have been here since Sunday and I was hoping to train a little bit on the track before but my rips said NO WAY. I had so much pain that I wasn’t able to ride at all. I hope so much that I can ride this afternoon. Margot, with the angel hands, she arrived yesterday and helped me. So at the moment I am positive and it feels much better than before.
The qualification is tomorrow evening and the race on Friday night. Yes you read right – in the night… gonna be tough with the light conditions to race that late just with few lights. But wish me luck that is what you need as a four crosser very often. 🙂

THANKS TO MY SPONSORS. BIG HUG HELENE
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SCHLADMING IXS CUP // BRANDNERTAL ÖM
I know it I am one week to late but I had very busy week and didn’t find time to write down my news.
So I for those who didn’t see it on Facebook or Instagram, I raced last week in Schladming the IXS European race.  I really like Schladming track so I didn’t want to miss this date. At the same time was Crankworx Europe in Les Gets so I was a bite torn, but at the end I think I made the right decision because I had so much fun, felt good on my Norco bike and found myself in the top 10 spot. I didn’t have the perfect run because I messed up the wood section but it is a tricky section and I saw on videos most of the riders had some troubles there so I am still happy about my result. Petra Bernhard won the race with a big advantage. Congratulations to her.

If you want to know more details continue here…..

So and this weekend I raced the National Champs in „Brandnertal“ in the west west of Austria. That’s why I didn’t write any Schladming news. I worked until Wednesday evening and drove until 1 o’clock. Slept somewhere before the Austrian border in my van and continued my journey in the morning. Just half an hour before I arrived I had to stop and slept another hour. When I am getting tired I start to shake my head and then I know I can’t drive one minute longer.. so even if I was nearly there it is always better when I stop.

I had the whole day anyway for training. Okay not the whole day because my breaks didn’t work. So I had to lent some from friends (Thanks to Julian and thanks to Lisa Kreuzer helping me out) another aspect why I love DH riding so much. Everyone helps everyone. You have a mechanical no problem. You need someone who shows you the fast lines, no problem. You need someone to follow and get the right pace for the take off, no problem. Or you are a hungry, no problem. We are not many racers in Austria, which I really don’t understand considering the fact that we have so many tracks and so nice hight mountains. Or maybe exactly that is the reason… you don’t have to race to enjoy the tracks.. or because we don’t have an austrian DH cup.

The track was one of the hardest I have ever ridden but at the same time one of the enjoyable one. When I did the track walk I didn’t think that I will do all the jumps but at the end I did them all and it felt great. I was my own national champ already on friday 🙂  And it was nice to ride with Simone and Birgit, we helped each other and the company helped me to push my limits even further.

The only negative thing I can say about the weekend is that I made two mistakes in my final run, which I didn’t do in practice.

1st Simone Weichselberger
2nd Me
3rd Kathrin Wutte

 

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THE LITTLE WHISTLER /// KALNICA BIKE FEST ///

//////// vždycky ///////
It is always my pleasure to come back to this place- the Kalnica Bikepark. It is very unique. You have a small hill  a short lift and I call it the little Whistler. You find a pumptrack, a Dual pumptrack, a small jump line, a big jump line, a jump Donwhill track, …. in total 17 Tracks. And every year they creating something new. Not surprisingly is that the event THE BIKEFEST is a blast and for sure you should miss it. So didn’t we.
Motivated I registered for 4 events – the Pumptrack – the Dual Pumptrack – the Dual Slalom and the Downhill. The first two I raced with my hardtail and the third with my Range and the DH with my new Aurum.
The weather was great a good and a very good friend of mine came to watch me and ride her bike …
So my first two races were on Friday. In the Pumptrack a finished 2nd behind an BMX girl Kristina Madarasova and at the Dual Pumptrack I finished 3rd. The first two spot got Jana Horakova and Kirstina.
On Saturday I race in the evening the Dual Slalom. I liked the track and the first straight was quite tricky to be honest, maybe that’s why I was the only woman who raced this race. I don’t know… But I could race in the finals in men class and I ended up 57 from 70. It was a very crazy race and so many people came to watch us. I even thought I will hit a spectator because they leant so much over the tapes.
On Sunday I rolled out of the Van (we slept in the car) and I felt that I can’t talk my self out of it that I am getting old. These moments make me wish I were twenty once more… or better not or yes ? hmmm I don’t know. Do you know?
Anyway at the qualification I was a bit tired from competing two days in a row, pushing the bike up a lot, riding many laps and standing at the lift line in the sun – get roasted. So I took it easy and focused on the final run. I pedaled hard and tried to gain more exit speed at every turn at the end I got about 2 seconds faster but the others too so at the end I missed the podium by one second and placed 5th. It was alright for me ….ah now I know a pro from being old…you took it much easier when you don’t win and you enjoy more if you do.
My next stop will be the IXS European cup downhill in Schladming (17-19 June).
Thanks to Norco Bikes / Maxxis/ Acros/ Sixpack Racing/ Dirty/ HT Components and Novatec Wheels for this new beauty.

And thanks to my boyfriend Christian Fessl for the pictures.
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JOY RIDE FESTIVAL // DH // FIRST PLACE

The last weekend I packed my bike stuff and was on the road again to explore something new new , because after so many years racing always at the same places I felt for something fresh …. So we drove to a totally new venue in Poland, to a new bike festival, called JOY RIDE BIKE FESTIVAL, with new tracks, in our new VolkswagenT5 bus, with my new Norco Aurum Carbon DH bike, with new 650B Novatec wheels, new HT Click pedals, new Maxxis tires, a new Acros headset, a new DIRTY saddle, and new Troyleedesigns outfits in the bag.

The only thing, which wasn’t new was luckily my company.  My boyfriend and our dog.
We arrived on Friday evening at the hotel very late. It was actually a longer drive than I had expected. But all good we arrived safely. The Saturday started very cold and rainy, but the weather forecast said that, so I was prepared. I taped my Giro riding shoes totally in Duck tape, put my rain cloths on, clicked my laminated tear offs on my Spy goggle and I was ready to go.
My first run was good and because it rained so heavy it was kind of easy to ride. The roots were clear the rocks shiny and the tires didn’t get stuck. The only disadvantage was the visibility.  I did from 10 a to 2 one run after the other not to get cold and I found more and more my rhythm and pace.

On race day the bad weather disappeared, the sun came out and the track got dryer and dryer and because the official race schedule, which said no training on race day –  just 2 race runs –  I arrived 40 minutes before the start of the first category. But in real everyone was training before 10:00. So I hurried up and managed to do one training run before my qualification run at 11:00, which was good so I knew how dry or wet the track was.  I placed third in the qualification and new I have to step up my pace to win this game.  I was so highly motivated and positive which haven’t been at a DH Race for so long. I don’t know exactly what it was. I guess a mix of everything… the nice company – the smiling face of my boyfriend and the wagging tail of my dog when I walked towards the car after every run … the  MISS UNDERCOVER Feeling… the fact that my jersey was empty and nobody knew who I was and nobody expected anything from me. Normally when my jersey is covered with my 21 sponsor logos you get automatically this “who is she?” look, which, even after so many years of racing, puts pressure on me. Most of the people expecting from you then to perform well all the time and when you fail it is like a gossip scandal and you get the “she got even beaten by her? Look.  At a race at the end of the day the placement counts and nobody cares if you had a mechanical problem, or if it rained at your run, or if you had pain from a crash in practice, or if you are sick, or if crashed at a spot which you hit in practice always perfectly or if it just wasn’t your race.
And to be honest the look is even not the worse the worse is that you know that you did this and that few years ago easily and now you are afflicted by self-doubts…
Sorry I let my mind wander, back to the race run. But it is simply to sum up I gave all and won. I was 5,2 seconds a head of the 2nd place and about 25 seconds faster that my qualification run. I was very happy about my placement and about the whole weekend.
I also raced after the Downhill race,  the pumptrack race, where I placed in qualification 1st and at the final 2nd.
For those who missed my Sound Cloud Race Report from my last race in Brno (CZE). I did my first BMX race in my life. I though it would be good training. Sorry it is just in german. But to sum it up it was a great experience and I learned a lot. I did so many heats (12) and place not even last 🙂
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NIVA! NO DIVA // JAM SESSION

NIVA No DIVA

 

Du bist ein Female-Rider, hast Lust auf Downhill, Geschwindigkeit und viel Spaß? Fühlst dich bereits ganz sicher auf deinem Bike und möchtest die nächste Stufe erklimmen? Vielleicht sogar dein erstes Rennen bestreiten oder einfach deine Fahrtechnik verbessern?

Dann bist du der NIVA!NO DIVA – JAM SESSION genau richtig! Mit 4x Pro Tour Gewinnerin, Helene Fruhwirth und Michèle Quint bekommt ihr Spezialistinnen an eure Seite.

Die Mädels haben wieder einiges geplant für dich und das „Icing on the cake“ ist noch, dass du ein Goody Bag gesponsert von  ION, BABY-G, IRIEDAILY, OGIO, VERIVAL, EPIC-Wear, ACROS, CARBOCAGE, MAXXIS, BOARD SHACK, GO PRO (nur für die Racegruppe), SP- GADGETS, R.S.P., SPY und  Dr. Antonio Martins COCO JUICE bekommst.

 

Du kannst wählen, ob du dich für das Rennen am Sonntag auf der Proline vorbereiten willst und bekommst Helene an deine Seite, oder du möchtest ein klassisches Fahrtechniktraining bei Michèle machen.

 

Gruppe Helene maximal 4 Teilnehmerinnen (2 1/2 Tage- Freitag- Samstag- Sonntag) 229 €

Anmeldung für das Rennen unter www.racement.com (open Women)

Gruppe Michèle maximal 8 Teilnehmerinnen (1 Tag) 149 €

Fragen an info@viennabikeacademy.com

 

ganz genauer Zeitplan folgt noch:

Gruppe Helene: 

Freitag:

16:30  Begrüssung der Racegruppe

****GOODY BAG ÜBERGABE****

gemeinsamer Track walk 17:00-19:00

Samstag:

08:00 Uhr Startnummern gemeinsam holen

09.00 – 14.00 Uhr  Pflichttraining

14.00 – 14.30 Uhr  Streckensperrung

ab 14.30 Uhr Seeding Run (der Seeding Run ist nur für die Startreihenfolge wichtig)

Go Pro Videoanalyse Besprechung des Trainingstages (Gruppe Helene)

 

Gruppe Michèle:

Samstag:

9:30 – 10:00 Begrüßung und Goody Bag Übergabe

10:00 – 10:30 Basics Check

10:30 – 13:00 Fahrtechniktraining auf der Milka Line / Z- Line

13:00 -14:00 Gemeinsame Mittagspause beider Gruppen im Thomsn

14:00 – 17:00 Fahrtechniktraining auf der X -Line und am Hacklbergtrail

Gruppe Helene:

Sonntag: 

08.00 – 11.00 Uhr  Offizielles Training

11.00 – 11.30 Uhr   Streckensperrung

ab 11.30 Uhr  Rennlauf 

Siegerehrung ca. 30 min nach Rennschluss

Nachbesprechung für Gruppe Helene

Bei Fragen einfach mailen an info@viennabikeacademy.com oder Anrufen 0043 650 8381111

Michèle und ich freuen uns auf dich.

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PUMP TRACK – Bike festival VIENNA

 

Nice to drive just 30 minutes…to get to a nice race in VIENNA.

Like every year we have a bike festival in Vienna where normally the dirt jumpers are flying in the air. But this year the 4x/ BMX pros where pumping in circles.. So did I too. I took part at the Masters of dirt Pump Track race and I must say I did quite good. I beat many boys and made it into the top 16. I had a great heat with Clemens Kaudela the track builder and didn’t make it to easy for him to catch me. 🙂

An other good thing was that Denise from Iriedaily travelled to Vienna for the FOX HUNTING race and so I met her again. Funny.. we didn’t meet in ten years once and now in 3 weeks two times.

Vienna Bike Festival PICS

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STUNING FEW . What do you thing ?
Viennabikefest (9 von 13)
DO IT TODAY IT MIGHT BE ILLEGAL TOMORROW
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Denise and I
Viennabikefest (11 von 13)
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Clemens Kaudela and I
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PUMP PUMP PUMP

My race season officially kicked off. So was my first stop the capital of Germany, Berlin. I got invited by Jost the 4x World champ. He is organizing the Pump Track Battle World series so I took my hardtail and my BMX bike and drove up to the North. Actually I didn’t drive my boyfriend did and in the back of the car we had our newest family member – a 6th month old silver Labrador Retriever called Merlin. The journey went fine and I was excited to race again. The race was great and the level was high. I felt again the race adrenaline and was „pumped“ to be there. My bike worked fine my new wheels rolled fast and at the end I placed 3rd. I was happy with the result because to be honest I haven’t ridden a pumptrack for a while and it is not my best discipline.  Apart from the great race and the very nice exhibition a other main reason why I came here was to meet one of my longest sponsoring partner, Iriedaily. I remember very well. 10 years ago it was very trendy to wear skater pants with boxer shorts and I bought an Iriedaily Baggy Jeans and though  „WAU“ I really like this Jeans and so I asked Iriedaily if they want to sponsor me and since then I am riding for them. I counted 10 years. Such a long time. Just my sponsor R.S.P supports me longer.

And apart from this I have some sponsor changes as well. I am riding for NORCO Bikes this season and for the new Board- Shack Team. I also have Verival,  Novatec Wheels , Ogio bags and HT Components new. Norco is one of the brands I wanted since 3 years now and I stoked to get the deal this year. I am excited about the bikes and race season with this new strong partner in the back.

Some of you know that I love cereals and so I have a cereal sponsor who makes it much easier for me to get up in the morning knowing I will get a good cereal bowl. Thanks VERIVAL

Then I have Novatec Wheels and I run the Factor Carbon Wheels. HT Components gave me click pedals which I found are better than the Shimano ones. I always had problems with at the gate to trust that I won’t clip out but with those I can be sure.

So my next stop is this weekend Vienna at the Bike Festival. There is pumptrack race. So next chance to improve my Pump track skills. cu Helene