What happened in 2023 so far?

What has happened? My Year Project: Magazine Story – Vienna Dirt Story.  Dust to Dawn Whip off – 2nd place Slovenia Spring Trip + a DH Race 1st place Pedro’s How To Do videos Miesenbach Speed and Style and Whip off 1st. place and 3rd place Kosutka Slovakia DH Race – 2nd place Sporting Woman Bike Camp at the Reschenpass Downhill / Pumptrack/ Dual Slalom at Crankworx Innsbruck IXS Downhill Cup Semmering – 10th place Chatel French Cup DH race – 8th place DH European champs Les Menuires –  1st place or maybe not ?  „VIENNA DIRT – European Magazine Story „ The perfect MTB week in Vienna „This project is a heart project of mine.  A MAGAZINE AND WEB STORY ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS AROUND VIENNA. WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED IN DIFFERENT MAGAZINES IN EUROPE. PRODUCED BY So with this project, we were quite busy. But it turned out great.  This is one of the publishing platforms and more will come. It’s still running and will be published in the next few months.    https://43ride.com/en/story/2023/vienna-dirt-the-perfect-mtb-week/     1) From DUST TILL DAWN – WHIP OFF  “ Whips don’t lie“ That was the first event this year and I didn’t want to miss to see all my MTB friends. I had never been there before and the whip-off kicker was just perfect to get into the season. I had so much fun with the ladies and found myself in second place behind Nadja.  2) Trip to Slovenia  “ Our unplanned trip turned out to be one of the best. „ All we knew was that there were some Races in Slovenia and my partner wanted to give it a go in some E-BIKE races so we packed our Van and we were off. I also raced in a Downhill race from the Slovenian Cup and won it. Additionally, we produced some content.  We really enjoyed the time in Slovenia and especially around Ljubljana.  3) „More Pedro´s Bike Care Workshop Tutorials“ „I show you how I do it. „ Also this year I am still working for Pedro’s Europe Tools. Here you see our newest videos. We also took over their Instagram account. So if you are interested check it out.  @pedroseurope 4) „Miesenbach Whip Off & Speed and Style“ This was my most spontaneous race ever. I registered in the middle of the night, got up early but still managed to take forever to leave, and arrived just a few minutes before the number pick-up closed. Then I did a half run and a „train“ run down the track before the race started. So my plan was to give it all pedal crazy and stay low on the jumps because I didn’t know them well.  Between my first and the second run, I walked the track a bit and found a line I could gap, which I did and so I won the Speed style event with just speed.  In the whip-off event, I had actually time to do some training laps on the whip-off kicker. It was so much fun because there were lots of women. We pushed each other and the hype was great. In the whip-off, I got third.  What a nice event. Thanks Trailand Miesenbach.     5) „Kosutka Slovakia DH Cup“ “ It does get better…“ What a race and what a track. One of the most challenging tracks I have been racing this season. And that it rained on race day didn’t make it easier. The other girls all knew the track and they said to me it does get better …. and it did in fact on race day I felt great on the track even with the slippy conditions. In the end, I came 2nd behind Vanesa Petrovska.  6) „Sporting Women Bike Camp“ “ Women MTB Camp Deluxe“ Another year and another camp at the Reschensee with an amazing group of women and men. Mainly women of course because it was a women’s MTB Camp organized by Monika Fiedler and her crew. My friend Martina, this year on Conway, was also there. This whole event was so nice and so professional I was again blown away by how much these girls got offered. Our group was so much fun and it was a pleasure to coach them. The hotels were amazing, the food and the catering were excellent, and the expo area was massive. So many brands were there to show their products and you could test all the bike-related products.  If you are interested in a funny recap from the YouTuber Mike Rides MTB then check this out.  MIKE RIDES MTB YOUTUBE Channel:  7) „CRANKWORX Innsbruck „ “ I just love CRANKWORX in Innsbruck „ One of my favourite events of the year I would say. Crankworx is so much fun and so much is going on. Seeing good friends from all over the world and also meeting some of my sponsors. I took part in Pumptrack, Downhill, and Dual Slalom. The tracks haven’t changed much compared to the years before. So I knew what to expect and had some great training laps. My race runs also went well. In Pumptrack I came 11th, In dual 18th, and in DH 17th.  https://www.instagram.com/p/CuFW6GwAEU3/ 8) IXS European Cup Semmering (AUT)  “ This rocky hill „ Semmering is like my home race so I know the track very well. But still doesn’t get easier the rocky terrain gets deeper and deeper because the rain washed the dirt away over the years.  I had some good runs in practice but in my race run, I made too many mistakes and couldn’t race at the same pace. I placed 11th. 9) Châtel French DH Cup “ France is the DH Nation no doubt „ What a race. Really. Racing in France is just different. So many riders on such a high level. The track is very nice. It has everything. Fast top turns, jumps, roots, tricky hard-packed sections then loamy.  I really enjoyed it. We had over 300 riders and already over 40 Women.  I came at the end 8th in Elite. I was happy about that.  10) „European DH Champs in Les Menuires „ “ I would have been European Champ but…“ I have too many UCI points so I couldn’t race in the Masters class. I got told in Chatel that I could race in Masters and was looking forward to it because I was curious to battle against riders my age. But I had to race in the elite class.  This UCI rule doesn’t make sense for us women. Because we are not so many starters compared to the men every time I start somewhere I get points easily. In Austria we don’t have a master class and the IXS European races also not… So to sum it up the next two years I can’t race masters because my UCI points are valid for one year and even at this race I got points again. The track was very hard because it was so dusty and exposed. The wind got you easy on the jumps and the helicopter had to fly multiple times because of heavy crashes. Luckily not for me I had good runs no crashes. I wasn’t really pushing myself in practice because I knew I couldn’t race in my age class so for what risking everything on the jumps? But on the final day, I thought I could still compare myself even if I couldn’t win and I jumped the big jumps at the top. I was very proud of myself, to be honest.  In the end, I was 32 seconds faster than the Master’s winner, and in the Elite I was 15th.  So theoretically I would have been European champ. But just theoretical.

After four exciting and fun years, I decided to leave Haibike. You want to know why then watch this.

 

What has happened? 2022 Downhill National Champs at Semmering Pedro’s Work shop Tutorials Sporting Woman Bike Camp at the Reschenpass Downhill / Pumptrack at Crankworx Innsbruck Haibike Family Series Episode Nr.1 Yannick Granieri Glemmride Niva! no Diva downhill race camp Haibike Family Series Episode Nr.2 Andrea Garibbo Downhill National Champs in Hungary New Tik Tok account / „NIVARIDE“ CZE Downhill National Champs  Scotland’s story release in the Bike Magazines LINES , BIKE UK, Velo tout terrain Haibike Family Series Episodes 3 and 4 release Working on more of Pedro’s content

1) Downhill National Champs + IXS CUP

“ All or nothing“

That was a packed weekend I have to say. Friday practice, Thursday practice, and National champs race run, and Sunday final run for the IXS European cup. I really enjoyed it to be back between the tape but at the same time, I wished I could have done an easy race to get back into DH racing instead of jumping straight into the most important Austrian race for me the National champs, as the first race in the season. Original the national champs should have been a few weeks later at the Crankworx DH race. Anyway, I couldn’t change it and so I tried to adapt my best. My practice runs went well I was standing well on my bike but my race runs, I have to be honest were not clean so. So for the national champs, I ended up in 5th place and in the IXS ranking, I was 9th.

photos by Sebastian Sternemann

2) „More Pedro´s Bike care Workshop Tutorials

“ I show you how I do it. „

I absolutely love bike tools or tools overall. And I am doing Video Tutorials for the tool and bike care brand Pedro’s. In the first go, we did 6  Videos and more will follow.
We also took over their Instagram account. So if you are interested check it out. @pedroseurope

 3) „Sporting Women Bike Camp“

“ Women MTB Camp Deluxe“

This year I took the first time partly in a Sporting women’s camp organized by Monika Fiedler. I was there with my lovely teammate Martina to represent Haibike and to guide and teach other motivated biker girls. This whole event was so nice and so professional I was blown away by how much these girls got offered. All the guys were super good riders, the hotels were amazing, the food and the catering were excellent, and the expo area was massive. So many brands were there to show their products and you could test all the bike-related products. I hope I can be part of this next year again.

If you are interested in a funny recap from this camp then check this out.

MIKE RIDES MTB YOUTUBE Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CREEH_pafqI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nFYS41ANS0

4) „CRANKWORX Innsbruck „

“ Rerun wanted? No please“

One of my favorite events of the year I would say. Crankworx is so much fun and so much is going on. This year I took part in Pumptrack and Downhill. Both tracks haven’t changed compared to the years before. So I knew what to expect and had some great training laps. Unfortunately in my race run the girl in front of me crashed and I got the red flag. I was on a good run and gave my all. So in my rerun, I was tired. I kept pushing and pedaled and worked hard but giving all just before didn’t leave much in the tank. I ended up in 20th place. 

5) „Haibike Family Series First Eps. „

“ Yannick Granieri – L’homme au grand coeur „

Finally, I can represent the first masterpiece out of four of the Haibike Family Series with Yannick Granieri and about his life.
In spring I visited my teammate Yannick in Aix en Provence and we had some incredibly nice filming days in even more incredible landscapes. Thanks to Haibike and Crinkvisuals, Alex Chapignac, and many more.

6) „NIVA- Race Camp at Glemmride „

“ IT’S BACK BABY „

Two years ago I did my last Niva! No diva race camp and I just can say I missed it so much. I love teaching bikers MTB skills but this camp is just my favorite. I can forward all my knowledge of racing and it’s so great to see how much these women improving in just 3 days. It is very emotional and of course not so easy. Things happen that you can’t predict, the bad ones and the good ones. Like ending up on the podium with one of my girls for example.

I had two good runs (qualification and final)  but unfortunately, I caught up with the girls in front of me and I couldn’t pass them so basically I don’t know my time when I would have had a free track.
Of course not ideal but this weekend was anyway just about my racer chicks and I am so proud of them for how they managed all this racing stress, the weather change, and so on.

1st Marlene Neissl
2nd Me
3rd Steff Miskulnig

Big thanks to all the Sponsors who supported the Goody bag.
Iriedaily, SP CONNECT, Dr. Antions Martins coco Drink, Verival, Epic Jewellery, Maxxis, Pedro’s, Propilot, HT, and Ergon.

Also big thanks to Saalbach tourism.

7) „Haibike Family Series Eps. 2 „

„Andrea Garibbo L’artista dell ‚equilibrio „

This rider is one of the most talented MTB riders I have met in my life. His name is Andrea Garibbo he lives in Italy, is the father of a little girl, and is racing E- Bike races.

I visited him in the spring of this year and we had a great time producing this video about him. Big thanks to Crinkvisuals, Alex Chapignac, Haibike, and many more who were involved in this project.

8) „Hungarian DH National Champs „

“ This event was insane. „

I came with no expectations because I have never raced in Hungarian before and I have to say this event blew my mind. The whole race was so professional and the organizers, the UCI commissaire, the riders, and the spectators were so nice. Even speaking no word of Hungarian I was always well informed. The race track was not crazy long and the lift took ages to go up but it was so much fun. Dusty and dry and tricky to ride fast.
I had an okay qualification run and knew what to do to get in the first spot. First of all, believe in me, and second of all pedal my lungs out, and third not touch the brakes. So I managed to take the win home.
The fun fact is I took so many times parts in National champs from other countries and would have been national champ twice but never in my own country.  #stilltrying

9) „New Tik Tok account / NIVA RIDE „

“ A Racer gives Race tips“

I love coaching and love to forward my knowledge about my passion – Riding my bike and racing my bike to others.
So I created this account on Tik Tok, (NIVARIDE) where I talk about my 25th year’s World cup experience and give tips about the big bubble „RACING“. Sometimes I just talk about different topics straight into the camera and sometimes I show stuff on my bike.

I really enjoy doing it and I hope people are interested in it.

https://www.tiktok.com/@nivaride

10) „Another podium for me „

 

11) „Scotland Trip release in the Lines Magazine, MTB UK, Velo Tout Terrain, Pinkbike „

12) „Haibike Episode 3 „

Lea is a very special woman and it was great to get to know her better during the video production.  She won 2021 the E-Bike World Tour overall and this video shows one of the races in 2022.

13) „Haibike Episode 4 „

What a life. It was an experience to see how  Tom, Sam, and Kara are managing their lives a Youtubers.

Social Media:

Check out my social media.

Instagram: @helenefruhwirth
https://www.youtube.com/Helenefruhwirth

You can also find me on Tik Tok, where you find more funny bike-related content.
https://www.tiktok.com/@cranksetters

My day starts normally with a big wet kiss even if Helene is still sleeping. I just can’t stop myself the bed edge is exactly my tongue hight. So it’s pretty much an invitation. When I am lucky Helene gets up straight away and she says „Good morning my golden nugget“ and kisses me on my forehead. This and a bowl of fresh meat is my favourite part in the morning.

But this morning was different, she slept longer and licking didn’t help at all she just didn’t get up so the logical consequence was that I got bored. And because I am „working“ Labrador Retriever not just a „show“ Labrador I needed a project because I am born to work. So I sneaked down in our cellar to check out the massive box which arrived yesterday. I was starring at it for a while and asking myself „What is in there? I smell something new. Should I open it? Nooooo, yes, maybe? I mean Helene does always so much for me so opening her paper box is the minimum I can do for her.“

So an excuse was born and I started to rip the box open. I am telling you guys that was so much fun to rip this massive paper box in lots of tinny tinny tinny little micro pieces. I have to confess I got quickly carried away and lost the focus. And in the next second Helene was standing in the door and I knew from her heartrate, face wrinkles and her voice straight away „Oh no I did something wrong!“ So I went straight into „I am so cute don’t forget you love me more than anything“ mode. And it worked.
So and from here you have to watch the video and tell me at the end if I am concerned about nothing?

I don’t have to tell you that this year is so different than any other years. So are also the races.

This year I just compete so far at the Austrian Gravity race in Königsberg.  It is one of my favourite race tracks in Austria. It is a very special one. Short, challenging, of camber, rooted, and fun to ride when you find your rhythm. In the last years, I manage to win there so I was confident to perform well again.  So no doubts and fears I found is a good start. Practice went well and also my race runs.  In the Austrian gravity cup, you have to race runs and they got added.  In the end, I got third, which I was very happy about because I got just beaten by the mega talent and race queen Valentina Höll and another fast DH World cup chick from Germany (Sandra Rübensam). So I was second fastest Austrian and stoked about it.

On Sunday the actual National Champ race day it was impossible to ride the track. It rained in the night so the forest was slippery like ice. Everyone had struggles to ride down and the risk that many riders get injured was to high so the Event got cancelled. But to be honest I think it was a good desicion because I have ridden this track in the wet when it was fresh and it was so hard but now after few years the ground is hard and packed… and when it rains the first surface doesn’t allow any grip at all. You can’t break and you can’t steer at all.

So my next stop will be the Crankworx Event. Where I will do the DH/ Dual and the Pumptrack.

Can’t wait to be back between the tapes. Racing is just so much fun.

Stay stafe and stay apart.

Helene

 

Had a great time on the bike and managed to have two solid runs, which ended for me at the 3rd spot at the national champs and leading the Austria cup gravity series cup.  SO nice to be on the Podium with my bestie Nadja and Valentina. The Austrian Girls rock. Loving it.

I have to be honest the last month were not the easiest in my life and I got all the time sick and then finally very sick.  But now I am all good and getting back on track and getting back in shape. My body and my mind needed obviously a break. Sometimes it is like that and you can’t change it. Just sit it out and be patient.

How you can see I got my new DH bike and I love it.  My heart has always belonged to downhill so I am super happy to own this bike now.

The Haibike XDURO DWNHLL 9.0

 

• DÄMPFER

  FOX Float X2 Factory, Luft

• BREMSE

  Shimano Zee M640, 203mm / Shimano Zee M640, 203mm

• STEUERSATZ

  A-Head Tapered

• VORBAU

  Haibike Components The Stem +++, Direct Mount

• RAHMEN

  Haibike Aluminium 6061, 27.5″, 200mm

• ZAHNKRANZ (HINTEN)

  Shimano SLX M7000, 11-42 Zähne

• KETTE

  KMC e11S

• REIFEN

  Maxxis

• SCHALTUNG

  Shimano XTR M9000, 11 Gänge, Deore XT M8000, Rapidfire

• GABEL

  FOX 40 Float Factory, Luft, 200mm

• GEWICHT

  25,6

• LAUFRADSATZ

  DT Swiss FR1950

• MOTOR

  Bosch Performance CX, 250W, 25km/h, 75Nm

• SATTELSTÜTZE

  Kind Shock LEV-DX, Teleskop, 31.6 mm

• DISPLAY

  Bosch Purion

• MOTOR-HERSTELLER

  Bosch

My plans for this year are:

• To ride my bike as much as I can.
• To do my NIVA! No DIVA Race – Jump- and Ride coaching weekends
• To do photo projects
• To do a workshop tutorial series
• To race at Crankworx Innsbruck, Kalnica, Windischgarsten and few others  I feel for.
• Building up my VAN . DIY . “ oh my gosh I hope i can do this. „

pics by STEFAN VOITL / HAIBIKE

I am so excited and happy to announce that I am now officially an Haibike Hero.  And this Bike is one of my new beauties.  Some of you might know that I am not a bike uphill pedal fan but with Haibike I found the perfect partner. I will work with my teammates (Andi Wittman / Sam Pilgram/  Maximillian Semsch / Yannick Granieri) on projects I will be at different events as a brand ambassador.  But because my heart belongs to racing I will still take part in races and will do my NIVA! No DIVA race camps.

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This year was the second time the Wexl crew organised this event. Last year I won it and had so much fun.
Because it isn’t just a bike race. It is something special. You have to run/ hike up a steep hill then you have to race with a stand-up paddle 4 times back and forward on a small lake and then finally you ride down with your bike a Bikepark track but without a chain. This time it was also my birthday and I was very determined to win this thing again. I gave all especially at the uphill run and at the end, my effort, in this category, saved me and I won again.