The new season of the iXS European Downhill Cup kicked off in Santiago de Besteiros, an otherwise picturesque town in the heart of Portugal. Between muddy conditions, challenging weather changes and thrilling races, it was clear right from the start: 2025 will be an intense year for the Cup.

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Muddy start

The first race weekend of the season began with a real challenge. The sky over Santiago de Besteiros was already cloudy in the morning, while the track walk was accompanied by light rain. Strong winds were a particular problem for the riders at the start. As the day progressed, the rain increased and the track increasingly turned into a muddy track.

Improved weather and seeding run

Saturday started with light rain, but the weather improved early on. As the sun broke through, not only did the temperatures rise, but so did the mood in the paddock. The track slowly dried out, providing the drivers with better conditions for practice. The shuttles were in constant operation to bring the almost 400 drivers safely to the start - a real mammoth task, but one that the team mastered with ease.

During the seeding run, everything went like clockwork and the new timing technology worked perfectly. Things got serious on the track: Nathan Pontvianne (FRA - Goodman Santacruz) set the fastest time in the Elite Men's class, while Valentina Höll (AUT - YT MOB) impressively confirmed her role as favourite in the Elite Women's class. The field was close together - perfect conditions for an exciting final on Sunday.

Exciting finale

On the final day, Santiago de Besteiros initially showed its sunny side, but the changeable weather remained a faithful companion. While it started to get cloudy again in the afternoon, the elite men were surprised by renewed rain during the race - the tension was palpable.

Young talent in the spotlight

The youngsters also put in impressive performances in Portugal. Rosa Marie Jensen from Denmark came out on top in the Pro U19 Female class. The GEN-S Team rider dominated the race and outpaced her competitors by a whole three seconds - a considerable lead over Rosa Zierl from Austria from the Cube Next Generation Team. With such strong young female riders, we can already look forward to exciting races in the coming years.

A breathtaking weekend

Santiago de Besteiros provided an impressive backdrop for the season opener of the iXS European Downhill Cup with its stunning landscape of vineyards and ridges. Even though the weather made the season opener a real challenge, the riders and fans impressed with great sporting spirit and spectacular runs.

The kick-off in Portugal whets the appetite for more - the 2025 season is open, and if this weekend has shown one thing, it's that:

The battle for the top will be tougher than ever!