One month to go until mountain bike Worlds

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Cross country racing in Austria(Image credit: Thomas Hörl)

With one week to go until the mountain bike races at the Olympic Games, most of the sport's eyes are on London, but there is also less than one month to go until the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Leogang and Saalfelden, Austria. From August 29 to September 9, the two venues in the Salzburger Land will host gravity and cross country championship events.

The opening ceremony for the world championships will take place in the city center of Saalfelden on August 29. There will be a parade of participating nations, including all participants on the Rathausplatz starting at 7:00 pm. Salzburger Land's official delegate Mag. David Brenner, the mayors of Saalfelden and Leogang, as well as an official delegate of the UCI will begin the ceremony with some welcoming words. Afterwards, the region will present performers offering a full Austrian experience: traditional folk music and jazz, as well as Schuhplattler (well-known from the Oktoberfest) and Goasslschnalzer (a "gaudy" specialty from the German-speaking Alps area) will underline the cultural heritage of the region.

The celebrations are expected to carry on throughout the two weeks with numerous parties and live music. The Ö3-Party will happen on Friday, August 31 with the Funk & Soul Combo "The Jackson Eleven" (located at the Leoganger Bergbahnen event hall. On Saturday, the Leoganger Bergbahnen will be hosting the Override Afterparty the Second featuring DJ Grandheight. The party starts at 9:00 pm, guests must be over the age of 16.