Adelheid Morath winning at the Bike the Rock race (Image credit: Marius Maasewerd/EGO-Promotion)
Organizers of the MTB Bundesliga International announced the series' schedule for 2014. New for the German national mountain bike series are title sponsor KMC and an upgrade of the Bad Salzdetfurth round to HC status.
For 2014, the MTB Bundesliga will consist of five cross country rounds and four eliminator rounds. It also includes both the German cross country and German eliminator national championships in Bad Säckingen and Saalhausen, respectively, but neither race will count toward the series standings.
Neustadt/Weinstraße and Schopp will be part of the series for the first time, and both are ranked as UCI category C2 events.
The Spring Classic in Münsingen has withdrawn from the series for 2014. After 27 editions, the club behind it is taking a break, but has not ruled out a return in 2015.
The final round in Bad Salzdetfurth will count for double points, both for the cross country and the eliminator. It has also been upgraded to a UCI categorized HC event. The BiketheRock festival in Heubach is also an HC level race, which makes the Bundesliga the only series worldwide to have two HC events in its calendar. There are only five HC events worldwide.
KMC, a Taiwanese bicycle chain company, was previously involved in the series as a sponsor for Bundesliga events in Bad Säckingen and in Heubach during the past few years.
"We were very happy with the Sabine Spitz Gold Trophy and the BiketheRock," said Michael Stichling, a sales manager at the world's biggest bicycle chain company, who is responsible for the distribution of the brand in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
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KMC already has ties to the teams of Olympic cross country champions Julie Bresset and Sabine Spitz. Stepping up support of the Bundesliga was a natural next step.
"The MTB Bundesliga is one of the series with the highest quality world wide and we are looking forward to be their partner," said Stichling.
Udo Sprenger, vice president of the German Cycling Federation (BDR) said, "We are happy about this partnership and we hope to improve the series with the support from KMC."
KMC MTB Bundesliga International Series 2014 April 5-6: Neustadt/Weinstraße (XCE and XCO) May 11: Saalhausen Eliminator German National Championships (XCE) (no Bundesliga points) May 12: Saalhausen (XCO) May 17-18: Heubach (XCE and XCO) July 12-13: Schopp (XCE and XCO) July 19-20: Bad Säckingen Cross Country German National Championships (no Bundesliga points) September 13-14:Bad Salzdetfurth (XCE and XCO) (double points)
