Last weekend, Oberhof in Thuringia hosted the second round of the Rookies Cup. More than 300 young athletes from 16 countries traveled to the event and once again experienced an action-packed and challenging race.

The Rookies Cup has been returning to Oberhof every year since 2021. This marked the sixth time the bike park on the Fallbachhang has hosted this junior downhill race. Although Oberhof is primarily known for hosting World Cup events in various winter sports, this town in the Thuringian Forest has also made a name for itself in the world of mountain biking. The bike park near the Rennsteig offers a wide range of activities for families. In addition to a convenient chairlift, there are numerous trails of varying difficulty levels. Furthermore, the area around the valley station, featuring a service building, dining options, and seating, invites visitors to linger. As a result, the Rookies Cup finds perfect conditions here, which is reflected every year in a sold-out race with high international participation.

The course was similar to previous years. At 1,100 meters long with only a 120-meter elevation gain, it isn’t the longest or steepest, but it’s particularly challenging in the middle section due to the root-covered sections. On top of that, it rained heavily on Friday, which left the course very soft. The weather did improve toward the weekend, but the course took some time to dry out. As a result, the first practice runs in particular were a challenge for the young riders.

By the time the seeding run rolled around, however, track conditions had improved considerably, making it the perfect setting for the weekend’s first test of the field. The track was packed with spectators, especially in the forest section, creating a genuinely exciting atmosphere. As expected, the Young Guns put on a solid race, and it was already clear who had come with ambitions to win.

Sunday was the day of the finals, which meant that after one last morning practice, things got serious. All eyes are currently on the junior classes, as this is where some of tomorrow’s big stars are already emerging. Especially with the results from Vali Höll, Lina Frener, and Henri Kiefer this weekend at the World Cup in Leogang, some of the Oberhof competitors are likely dreaming of a professional career, as all three got their start in this very race series.

Pro U17 rider Mika Droste (GER – Raceteam Bikepark Samerberg) set the day’s fastest time of 1:35.834 minutes, winning the class by a margin of 2 seconds. The fastest times in the Boys U13 and U15 classes were also particularly impressive. Lian Preu (GER) won the Boys U13 class with a time of 1:42.437, and Mika Schnaars (GER – iXS Gravity Alliance) won the Boys U15 class with a time of 1:45.160 minutes. In the Girls U13/U15 class, Adele Luise Kerst (GER – SV Adler Arnstadt) secured the victory with a time of 1:57.945 minutes.

Oberhof has thus continued its successful history as a venue for junior competitions and has created many wonderful memories for the participants. The series continues in four weeks in Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria.