Uci launches 2012 European Series In Cooperation With IXS
Monday, October 17, 2011 at 10:14PM
The iXS Downhill Cup organisation has been working very closely with the UCI for several years now. This cooperation has now been strengthened even further with the iXS European Downhill Cup recognised as the official UCI European Series.
A number of UCI decisions have received a lot of coverage from a wide range of media recently and there has been much discussion about the sport’s future. Even if the reasons behind developments are not 100 percent clear to laymen, it should be emphasised that the International Cycling Union has done a lot for the Downhill discipline in recent years. There has been a World Cup series for two decades now and its value is priceless, despite some ups and downs. Without a doubt, not everything is perfect but the success story can only be continued through a constructive partnership.
And that’s exactly what the iXS Downhill Series organisation is trying to capitalize on by continuously expanding the cooperation. It is, furthermore, taking advantage of the opportunity to provide the UCI with important grass-roots input – in other words from competitors, teams and, of course, the individual venues – based on the experience gained from putting on up to 20 races a year in order to reach a general consensus.
In this context an important step for the future was gaining official UCI European Series status for the iXS European Downhill Cup. In the final analysis the UCI is gaining a partner who has been actively involved in the sport for 10 years and has generated unbroken success for the Downhill discipline not only at national level in Switzerland and Germany but also at continental level.
Peter van den Abeele, Off-Road Disciplines Manager, says in this regard: “We are pleased to have such a reliable partner who has been working for many years to continuously improve race events in accordance with UCI wishes and is further developing mass audience awareness of the sport through targeted PR work.”
Andreas Stöckli, event manager at iXS Sports Division, is also very positive about the close partnership: “Recognition of our Cup as the official UCI Europe Series confirms the significance we’ve developed together with our race organisers over the last four years. The goal was to create a prestigious series located between the World Cup and the national race series to thus provide athletes with an easier but nevertheless professional means of entering the world elite.”
Next year the iXS European Downhill Cup will be held in seven different countries, taking place at top level venues offering the relevant country’s most challenging courses. 2011 saw a high media profile being achieved, for example the five half-hour reports broadcast by Red Bull’s in-house TV channel Servus TV.
Last season saw 2 570 competitors from 41 countries at the starting lines of the various iXS Downhill Series. In this context the European Cup is focusing more strongly on top world professionals, as confirmed by the participation of major teams. Among others, many names from UCI elite teams appeared on the start lists, including world rank Top 20 riders such as Troy Brosnan (AUS), Brook MacDonald (NZL), Cameron Cole (NZL), Markus Pekoll (AUT), Brendan Fairclough (GBR) and Florent Payet (FRA). In order to further increase attractiveness for top class international riders there are plans to raise the media profile even more and to adjust the rules to reflect top athletes’ needs more. All additional information is available at ixsdownhillcup.com
iXS 2012 European Downhill Cup dates:
- #1 28.-29.04.2012 Rivera - Monte Tamaro (SUI)
- #2 26.-27.05.2012 Leogang (AUT)
- #3 16.-17.06.2012 Innerleithen (GBR)
- #4 04.-05.08.2012 Pila (ITA)
- #5 11.-12.08.2012 Špičák (CZE)
- #6 08.-09.09.2012 Châtel (FRA)
- #7 22.-23.09.2012 Todtnau (GER)
Freecaster.tv Rebrands As Extreme.com
Monday, October 17, 2011 at 5:54AM
Freecaster.tv rebrands as extreme.com
For the last 3 years, Freecaster.tv and extreme.com have been working as partners to provide actions sports fans with the finest news and video content as well as live streaming from the top events out there.
As of today the current Freecaster web site will be rebranded - extreme.com.
Beyond the name change, everything will be the same and Freecaster is still providing the technical solutions and all LIVE content under the brand extreme.com. The new site will continue to be the place for you to get your fix of all things MTB, BMX, skate, snow, surf and everything else in between.
Freecaster will relaunch as a site focusing on LIVE streaming later in the year. The action sports LIVE webcasts will be streamed on extreme.com.
In the mean time, make sure you join us on our new facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/extremecom -
where we’ll be posting daily updates and videos for you to enjoy. Twitter will be updated soon too.
To summarise, it’s exactly the same as before, but it’s all under one name -www.extreme.com
Bookmark it, spread the word and enjoy.
Thanks!
Bicycle, DH1, Downhill Mountain Bike, UCI, Videos |
Tracey Hannah Is Back
Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 12:06PM I said I’d be back!
It has been 4 years since I raced overseas. The time flew by like a rocket launcher…... not!
I didn’t have anything to do with racing; it was either on, or off! If I thought about it, I’d be obsessed, but that hasn’t been a possibility… Till Now!!
What about me? My name is Tracey Hannah. I used to race downhill mountain bikes. I stopped riding because it was too expensive to keep going overseas, and I guess a break was good. My best results were Junior World Champion, 1st at a World Cup Round, 3rd overall World Cup Series and 3rd Elite World Championships. I love riding.
Who am I? A sand miner….. Still Tracey Hannah, still love riding, still need a full time job for $, still want to be the Pro Women’s Downhill Champion of the World more than once. I still know how to ride a bike.
Where is Australia? We need to win a Pro World Title for the Women Downhill Mountain bike riders of this Country, it has to be done. I am willing J
Why? There is born in some of us a will to win, a drive that forces action, we don’t eat, we don’t sleep, we don’t smile, we don’t breath until the win is won.
When? Now, I need to be selected to represent my country in the coming World Championships. I will race whatever races it takes to guarantee my selection into the team. I will be in Leo gang!
Determination and a will to win is my driving force, I want to race, I love riding and….. I just happen to like training.
There is only so far I can go on my own. I would like to race the Australian National Championships, and hopefully some events overseas that offer UCI points in preparation for the 2012 World Titles.
I am currently being supported by Nsdynamics, and Gt Bicycles have given me a bike to race.
If you want your brand represented by a girl at the World Champs I am the person to call.
Thank you for all your support, it is so encouraging to know that you are all out there, helping me get back up and on the scene again.
Keep updated with my racing progress on my website;
www.traceyhannahracing.com
Check out photos and random happenings, sponsorship updates and more on my Facebook page;
Tracey Hannah Racing
Follow me on Twitter;
TraceyHannah
Join A World Cup Team For 2012
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 5:06AM
Selected riders will have the exclusive opportunity to join a team setup with a world-class support structure that will be comparable to a top world cup team. Receiving this complete race season package for less than the price of a bike.
This has been made possible thanks to the support of UK distribution company Hotlines Europe Ltd, meaning we can offer young riders a custom built, World Cup standard, Lapierre DH920 race bike, plus full race support package for just £4’950.00
2012 UCI World Cup, Bicycle, Downhill Racing, UCI |
UCI's Response To 4X Being Cut
Monday, October 10, 2011 at 8:25AM Next year the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup calendar will undergo a facelift: the disappearance of four-cross and the official introduction of the cross-country eliminator (XCE) aim to keep the mountain bike discipline abreast of current trends.
However, the UCI’s Manager of Off-Road Disciplines, Peter Van den Abeele, stresses that the withdrawal of four-cross from the World Cup in no way rings the death toll of this spectacular format.
“Four-cross has been an important part of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series for many years,” says Peter Van den Abeele. “Since its introduction, it has been highly appreciated both by riders and spectators. The UCI supports four-cross and sincerely hopes that organisers will continue to register their four-cross events on the UCI international calendar.”
He confirmed that the withdrawal of four-cross related only to the World Cup. The format will remain for the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Leogang, and registrations for four-cross races are still being accepted for the UCI international calendar. Peter Van den Abeele adds that the UCI is open to working with any organiser looking to host a UCI registered four-cross event during a World Cup weekend.
“With enough advance notice, we can work together to ensure that, where possible, timetables and services complement each other for the benefit of the sport.”
So why will we no longer see four-cross at the World Cup?
“Four-cross has proved more successful in some regions than others. This fact, coupled with the high financial costs and the environmental issues associated with the building of four-cross courses has led the UCI to make this decision. Four-cross competitions remain viable in a few World Cup venues but the lack of interest in others does not warrant continuing with this format in the World Cup series.”
He added that the gravity events were an important part of the mountain bike discipline and would still be strongly represented in the World Cup by the ever-popular downhill competitions. One of the aims of the decision to withdraw four-cross was to nurture and develop the format in regions where it has a large following, without forcing it on regions where it generates little interest.
“Although there is low participation in four-cross events in the World Cup, the UCI is convinced that the development of more regional, national and other international events will benefit this exciting format,” said Peter Van den Abeele.
Cross-country eliminator
Meanwhile the increasing popularity of the cross-country eliminator format has led the UCI to officially integrate it into the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
Introduced in Europe two years ago, this format, suited to Olympic cross-country (XCO) specialists, sees four competitors race each other over a lap of around 1km. World Cup test events held in Dalby Forest (GBR) and Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE) last season were very successful, and in 2012 the format will be part of the World Cup events in Houffalize (BEL) Nove Mesto na Morave and La Bresse (FRA).
2012 will also see the crowning of the first XCE World Champion: this new format is being introduced to the UCI World Championships, and will be raced the day after the XCO event.
Development of gravity endurance events
Another flourishing mountain bike format is that of gravity endurance, which UCI Gravity Endurance Coordinator Chris Ball is looking to develop within the UCI by working with existing “enduro” events and riders.
His aim is to develop a discipline that will attract an increasing number of mountain bikers as it combines the physical endurance of cross-country riding with the technical difficulty and excitement of downhill racing.
The UCI invites organisers of current gravity enduro events to contact the UCI with a view to establishing a UCI Enduro Calendar from 2013. Enduro events can be in the form of multi-stage races, day races or mass start races.
UCI Communication Services
2012 UCI World Cup, 4X, Bicycle, Four Cross, Mountain Bike, UCI |
