Incredible Results Of iXS European Downhill Cup 2011 In Spicak

Stop No.4 of the 2011 iXS European Downhill Cup was held in Špičák, Czech Republic for the second time. 320 competitors from 24 countries plus a wet competition day was the perfect recipe for some incredible results and muddy racing.

The 2011 iXS European Downhill Cup made its way to the Bohemian Forest in Spicak, Czech Republic for the fourth leg of the season. The elite category was dominated by superstar bikers, Markus Pekoll and Miriam Ruchti in their respective divisions.

The 1.8 km long track with an altitude difference of 320 metres was revamped for the 2011 event with the second half completely redesigned. The subsoil allows lots of drifts; rocks, roots and perfectly constructed jumps are the order of the day.

Weather conditions were consistent, but atypical of summer. Saturday saw torrential rain, which didn’t make things easier, but this style of competition is not intended to be easy. On Sunday, the weather stayed dry, allowing the riders to maximize their results.

During the seeding run, Markus Pekoll and Miriam Ruchti demonstrated magnificently that they are not afraid of a little bit of mud. Markus Pekoll managed to snatch the victory in the final with the shortest of leads – just 2 tenths of a second. The win has pushed him to second place in the overall rankings.

Joshua Button came in second, thus leading the overall rankings and Matej Charvat finished the race in third.

During the women’s final, Miriam Ruchti set a best time by finishing more than 17 seconds ahead of the field in the Elite Women's category. These results saw her take the lead in the overall rankings.

Carina Cappellari came in second place, followed by Diana Marggraff in third.

Series leader Wilfred van de Haterd was visibly satisfied with his win in the Masters category. Marcel Waldmann finished second, ahead of Petr Joch, who had to settle for third.

In the U17 category of the iXS European Donwhill Cup, the riders showed the world how to master a bike. Ferdinand Brunold won the race, followed by Jan Berkenkopf in second and Jan Vacek completed the podium.