BIKE Festival Willingen 2023: Downhill-DM, UCI race & everything in the live blog
BIKE
· 28.03.2023
The BIKE Festival Willingen in Hochsauerland offers four eventful days of mountain biking for every generation. Around 40,000 visitors, 130 exhibitors and 300 international brands - the centrepiece of the event is the largest MTB and EMTB outdoor trade fair in Germany. And the best thing is that visitors can not only marvel at the bikes and new products, but also test them extensively in and around the Bike Park - free of charge on all four days of the festival.
The SHIMANO BIKE Festival Willingen live blog
We will be reporting live from Willingen during the festival days:
Get your free entry ticket for the SHIMANO BIKE Festival Willingen now!
Sure, admission to our BIKE Festival in Willingen is free of charge. All you have to do is register here. In advance to avoid waiting times at the entrances. But if you come to the Sauerland spontaneously, you can of course also register on site. And this is how it works:
- Fill in the online form. (Under 16s can enter the festival without a ticket).
- Receive confirmation email and QR code (Only one QR code is sent per e-mail address.)
- Show the QR code at the entrances to the Expo.
For this purpose, the BIKE Academy numerous workshops and tours with professional guides and coaches - for beginners and advanced mountain bikers. Places at the Academy are limited and registration for the workshops opens on 1 April: Bike Academy | BIKE Festival Willingen.
Collect UCI points at the BIKE Festival Willingen
The sporting highlight of the BIKE Festival Willingen this year: the Scott BIKE Marathon with around 2000 participants on the Saturday of the festival and three attractive routes with technically demanding trails. New: The long route is international (C2) Race of the UCIso that all participants with a UCI ID can collect race points here. The route: a crisp 119 kilometres and 3333 metres in altitude over the Ettelsberg, the Hegekopf and the Langenberg, through the "Neuer Hagen" nature reserve and the Bigge Downhill.
On the medium distance the aim is to cover 88 kilometres and 2463 metres of altitude. The route takes you across the "Kahler Pön" high plateau, through the "Alter Hagen" trail area and over the trails of Titmaringhausen. The marvellous descent from Krutenberg, which ends in a flowing trail parallel to the Grundwasserbach stream, is particularly attractive.
The short distance is 53 kilometres long and has 1,463 metres of elevation gain to offer. Immediately after the start, the route climbs 250 metres up the legendary high Eimberg. The route then heads west over the mountains to the Dommel Tower. The race rolls down a rapid descent to Diemelsee and back to Willingen via a wooded route. There is also a separate route for the junior category, covering 37 kilometres and with around 1000 metres of climbing.
Downhill Cup with German Championship at the BIKE Festival
The iXS Downhill Cup guarantees plenty of adrenaline and action, rapid jumps and spectacular descents. From 26 to 28 May, the former World Cup course will host the German Downhill Championship will take place. As part of the BIKE Festival Willingen, the best German riders will be sought in the following categories:
- Elite Ladies
- Elite men
- U17 Ladies
- U17 Men
- U19 Ladies
- U19 Men
- Masters Men 1
- Masters Men 2
Of course, all international athletes are also admitted to the race; they will be judged in the usual categories of the iXS Downhill Cup. Registration for the race is now open (28 March).
At the Shimano Gravel Ride Friday is less about winning and more about the shared experience. Without timekeeping, the gravel bike will take you over gravel, field and meadow paths through the Hochsauerland. Participants will be given a GPS track to follow when they collect their starting numbers. This sporty tour away from road traffic covers 50 km and 908 metres of altitude, including a snack break with high-quality refreshments.
It will be exciting for e-mountain bikers on Sunday. The Bosch eMTB Challenge supported by Trek draws on elements from enduro, trail and orienteering races. Within the challenge, the riders have to complete several stages, a mix of uphill, downhill and orientation points.
Upland Enduro with new route highlights
On the last day of the festival, the Upland Enduro on the programme, which is a real fixture in the festival calendar. Every year, the flowing enduro route thrills riders with its many scenic highlights, new stages and highlights. All details about the route will be announced at the start number distribution. There are completely new sections on the route plan for 2023 that have never been ridden in the Challenge before. The race is open to both licensed and amateur riders.
The youngest can take part in the BIKE Festival Willingen on Monday at the Lazer Junior Trophy Step on the gas and be cheered on like the big boys. Despite the competitive atmosphere, the focus here is on the fun of mountain biking. Every child is a winner here and receives a finisher's medal at the finish line as a personal memento of an unforgettable experience. All children between the ages of 3 and 14 can take part in the Junior Trophy. The distances to be travelled are adjusted according to the age groups.
Detailed information on the individual races, registration, workshops and exhibitors as well as the complete programme can be found at willingen.bike-festival.de
The sponsors of the BIKE Festival in Willingen
