Gateway to the world
"Crazy architecture - when I saw the roof of the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg harbour, I really wanted to bike and flip up here," says Fabio Wibmer. And as a superstar, you're allowed to do that. The Austrian used the stunt to promote the "Masters of Dirt" show, which is taking place in Hamburg for the first time in mid-May. If you look closely, you can see Fabio's backflip on the 110-metre-high concert hall, which was completed in 2016 and cost 866 million euros. This means the building was eleven times more expensive than originally planned.
Great cinema
Nature is still the best dramatist. Her evidence room is full of props. Take: Wispy clouds, mountains, meadows and a trail the width of a towel! These are the ingredients for happiness - at least for this single trail hunter far above the tree line. The biker will remember this moment of happiness for a long time to come - bet!
Dry zone
It is the toughest stage race in mountain biking: the Cape Epic in South Africa. The legendary race for teams of two took place for the 21st time in March and caused quite a stir. According to rumours, there were heat-related deaths among the participants in 40-degree temperatures. Fake news, as it turned out, but this further cemented the event's reputation as an endurance test. Nino Schurter managed to win the race for the third time. Serial winner Karl Platt (5 victories/elite men) won with Calle Friberg (two-man teams) in the Masters class.
Interview with slopestyler Tobey Miley (22): "Even more awesome!"
BIKE: Tobey, you were the only German at the Crankworx Slopestyle in Rotorua, New Zealand.
Tobey Miley: Only one place in the world rankings separated me from being invited. So I was really happy to win a wildcard for Rotorua at the slopestyle in Christchurch.
Why didn't Erik Fedko start?
Erik broke his thigh a year ago. The injury has not yet fully healed. It would have been too early to go all out again in competition and take the full risk.
In your run, you jumped a Cork 720 in both directions of rotation. How difficult are the so-called "Oppo" tricks (Opposite)?
Everyone has a chocolate side. If you do the tricks in the other direction, they are much harder for you. The judges rate it very highly if you show the Cork 720 in close succession in both directions.
You ended up in 10th place - are you happy with that?
Top 10 among the world's best is always great. Of course I would have liked to have had a second run, but only the top 8 riders were allowed to start the second run.
The level of trickery is crazy and even insiders can hardly judge it. How do you see it?
It's absurd how much the standard has risen in the last five years. It's getting more and more blatant. I already know the tricks that are being practised but have not yet been shown in public. It's unbelievable.
And five years ago, people were already saying that the limits had been reached.
It can be even more blatant! However, this also increases the risk if you want to keep up with the world's best. That's the price you have to pay for the increase.
What's your super trick right now?
My super trick is the doubleflip tuck no hander. Double flips always look spectacular and are very risky. It's very difficult to pack in tricks as a combo. Every time I do a doubleflip tuck no hander I think: I'm going to die! The G-forces are so high that you can hardly believe it works.
I'll do it myself!
None of my photographer friends have time? No problem, thought pro rider Robert "Rob J" Jauch and travelled to the south of France alone with his van and bike. "In 2002, I was impressed by snowboarder Mike Basich when he jumped out of a helicopter into a snow flank and took a photo of himself using a remote shutter release," reports Rob J. On this ridge ride in Digne-les-Bains, near the Evo Bikepark, Rob also pressed the remote shutter release and the rear wheel through the turn.
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Dimitri Lehner
Editor
