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IXS Downhill Cup Leogang - 2
Leogang, Austria, September 21, 2008
2007 Results Results Final standings
Beer wins the iXS European Downhill Cup's final race
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Nick Beer (iXS Sports Division) offered a first taste of his ambitions for the overall victory in Saturday's seeding run. He was the fastest there, putting more than two seconds on his closest competitors Sam Blenkinsop (Yeti Factory) and Marcus Klausmann (Ghost International).
On Sunday, the finals started under constantly chilly, yet dry conditions. All the practice runs were taking their toll on the course which became increasingly demanding: Apart from riding skills, a lot of endurance was needed as well. Nick Beer did not seem to bother about that, getting along fine on the course called "Speedster" and posting a new best time of 4'06 minutes. In second position, Marcus Klausmann was just three hundredth of a second slower, with Marcel Beer (iXS Sports Division) finishing in third. After having won Schladming's world cup final, Blenkinsop could not live up to his role as a favorite - as a crash threw him back to 33rd position.
The junior category's race was once again won by Joseph Smith (Tomac), and his time would have placed him in fourth within the elite category. Boris Tetzlaff (Solid AClass) and Roman Roschi (Suspension Center) were trailing in second and third.
In the women's elite category, Petra Bernhard (Ancilotti) rode to a winning margin of more than ten seconds on Diana Marggraff (CDP-Zenith) and Anita Molcik (Yeti). The masters category was won by Wilfred van de Haterd ( Nox Cycles) in dominating fashion, putting Marcel Waldmann ( DT Swiss/Nicolai) and Timo Beutel ( Zonenschein) in second and third respectively.
Aggregating no less than 400 points, Nick Beer was crowned overall winner of the cup. Just four days after his 21st birthday, the Matten resident riding for Team iXS Sports Division gave himself a fantastic present, Although he missed one of the races due to his participation at Canada's World Cup races, he left the other four venues as winner. Nick's older brother Marcel finished in second in the overall, completing the double for the title sponsor's team. Finishing in third, Marcus Klausmann proved one more time that he is still Germany's number one on an international level.
The women's overall classification was won by Miriam Ruchti (Sport Promotion) ahead of Caroline Sax (Vario) and Harriet Rücknagel (Zonenschein). In the junior category, the overall was won by Great Britain's promising youngster Joseph Smith, while Marcel Waldmann was the overall winner in the master's category.
On the next two weekends, both the iXS German Downhill Cup and the iXS Swiss Downhill Cup will come to a befitting end in Bad Wildbad and in Bellwald, respectively. On top of all that, the End of Season Party is scheduled for October 18 at Bern's Gurten, including the award ceremonies for the Swiss Cup, a choice of DJs and a live concert.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Thomas Dietze
- Nick Beer (iXS Sports Division) won the final race and the series.
Results
Elite men 1 Nick Beer (Swi) iXS Sports Division 4.06 2 Marcus Klausmann (Ger) Ghost International 3 Marcel Beer (Swi) iXS Sports Division Elite women 1 Petra Bernhard (Aut) Ancilotti 2 Diana Marggraff (Ecu) CDP-Zenith 3 Anita Molcik (Aut) Yeti Junior men 1 Joseph Smith (GBr) Tomac 2 Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Solid AClass 3 Roman Roschi (Swi) Suspension Center Masters 1 Wilfred van de Haterd (Ned) Nox Cycles 2 Marcel Waldmann (Swi) DT Swiss/Nicolai 3 Timo Beutel (Ger) Zonenschein Final standings Elite men 1 Nick Beer (Swi) iXS Sports Division 2 Marcel Beer (Swi) iXS Sports Division 3 Marcus Klausmann (Ger) Ghost International Elite women 1 Miriam Ruchti (Swi) Sport Promotion 2 Caroline Sax (Fra) Vario 3 Harriet Rücknagel (Ger) Zonenschein Junior 1 Joseph Smith (GBr) Tomac Masters 1 Marcel Waldmann (Swi) DT Swiss/Nicolai
