The fourth round of the 20chocolate Downhill, the Cup Slovenian National Series race at the Kranjska Gora Bike Park also served as the 35th Slovenian National Championship in the gravity discipline. The most prestigious titles were won by Eva Zala Stergar (DGK Pohorje – Spank Team) in the women’s category, Matej Osolin (Golovec Trails) in the men’s elite category and Ažbe Kalinšek (MTB Trbovlje) in the men’s junior category, who clocked the fastest time in the final.
The classic 1.7 km Veetranz DH track with a vertical drop of 280 m, which has hosted races since the 2004 championship, underwent a few changes for this year’s highlight of the domestic downhill racing season. On race day, the clouds threatened a downpour and, towards the end of the final run, the threat materialised. This was enough to mean that the riders, particularly those at the back of the field, had to compete in more challenging conditions – the grassy turns were particularly slippery, and visibility in the forest deteriorated significantly.
2007 and 2008 Age Groups at the Top*
Junior rider Ažbe Kalinšek, who has already stood on the podium in the World Cup this year, showed as early as the seeding run that, just like last year in Maribor, he is aiming not only for the title in his category but also for the fastest time overall. He was one of the few who managed to improve on his time in the final, as conditions were already deteriorating.
Kalinšek’s time of 2 minutes, 32 seconds and 97 hundredths remained the fastest even after the elite riders had competed. He was followed most closely by Svit Kunaver Smolkovič (Bikehanic Lumar), last year’s U17 champion, who finished 2.59 seconds behind and won the silver medal in the junior category. In this category, the bronze went to Tine Gračner (Golovec trail), who was already 7.5 seconds behind.
Among the elite riders, Matej Osolin took the lead towards the end of the final run with an excellent ride. The junior champion from two years’ ago in Kranjska Gora – this time the seventh-fastest in the seeding run – managed a good run in difficult conditions and, despite trailing the fastest junior by a good 5 seconds, could look forward with optimism at his first elite national championship to to see how the remaining six would fare. Among them were two foreign guests, both of whom were therefore outside the national championship competition.
Maks Struna (KK Završnica), the winner of the Soriška Planina race two weeks ago, finished 2.72 seconds behind and ultimately celebrated third place. The Austrian Stefan Mauser and the Croatian Matija Crnković both crashed. The comeback duo Miran Vauh and Jure Žabjek, both four-time national champions, who had already surprised everyone by securing elite licences and coming out of retirement, and then again by posting the first (Jure) and fourth (Miri) fastest times in the seeding run, came up short in the final and also finished down the field. Marko Niemiz (Bikehanic Lumar), winner of the first two races of the season and defending elite title holder, started as last with number 1 plate and rode superbly through the darkness and across the slippery sections – but finished second, 1.38 seconds behind Osolin.
Also a Close Contest in Women’s Race
It was to be expected that the riders, who do not often face each other in the 20chocolate Downhill Cup series, would be neck and neck. In the end, it was the junior rider Eva Zala Stergar – another rider born in 2008, just like Kalinšek – who came out on top. The Maribor native, who has not raced in Slovenia at all this year due to her participation in the World and European Cups and an injury, was the second-fastest in the seeding run, ten seconds behind her peer Nežka Libnik (KK Ravne na Koroškem), the junior enduro world champion, who was only making her second attempt at downhill racing. Her first was last year at home in Poseka, and this was her first race on a downhill bike.
Hot on the heels of Eva and Nežka were the Austrian U17 rider Hannah-Magdalena Höfinger and Maša Komel from Nova Gorica (KK Črn trn), last year’s cup winner and national championship runner-up behind Monika Hrastnik, who was among the spectators this time round following her retirement from racing last year.
In the final, Libnik, having lost her chain, failed to repeat her dominant performance from the qualifying run. Stergar improved her time by a good two seconds and was the fastest Slovenian. Höfinger pipped her by a second to claim a fine victory in the race’s open category. Libnik took third place and won the silver medal in the national championship, followed by Komel in bronze, just five seconds behind the Austrian. Unfortunately, the other Maribor rider, Eva Podvornik, was already ruled out of contention following a fall in training; she would in any case have won the title in the separate U17 women’s category.
Results
Women
1st Hannah-Magdalena Höfinger (Austria, URC Beikerei) 2:59.55
2nd Eva Zala Stergar (DGK Pohorje – Spank Team) +1.04
3rd Nežka Libnik (KK Ravne na Koroškem) +4.64
4th Maša Komel (KK Črn trn) +5.01
5th Neža Štern (MTB klub Kranj) +15.46
Elite Men
1st Matej Osolin (Golovec trails) 2:38.71
2nd Marko Niemiz (Bikehanic Lumar) +1.38
3rd Maks Struna (KK Završnica) +2.72
4th Jakob Lorber (Golovec trails) +5.50
5th Vid Berlot (KK Završnica) +6.13
Junior Men
1st Ažbe Kalinšek (MTB Trbovlje) 2:32.97
2nd Svit Kunaver Smolkovič (Bikehanic Lumar) +2.59
3rd Tine Gračner (Golovec trails) +7.50
What They Said
“It was pretty crazy because of the weather; at the start, nobody knew what to expect, so the track was a surprise for everyone. Right from the tricky first turn, you had to decide how to ride on. You needed a bit of luck today. Two years ago, I was the junior national champion right here; Kranjska Gora obviously suits me.”
Matej Osolin
“A bit of luck made the difference. At the start, I had to clear my head a bit, put things out of my mind. I’d put a bit of pressure on myself after the international races. I had to ride the way I know how. The track didn’t seem overly difficult to me; it was fun, but I had to get my head straight.«
Eva Zala Stergar
“I expected this result; I don’t underestimate myself, and I’m proud to be national champion for another year. Next year, the challenge will be among the elite riders.”
Ažbe Kalinšek
In Other Categories
Of course, it was another heated contest among the youngsters in the U17 and U15 categories.
In the U17 male category, the title was won by Gaber Novak (Rajd Ljubljana), the winner of this year’s first race at Ravne na Koroškem. With a time that would have earned him a bronze medal among the older juniors (although, as already mentioned, conditions were deteriorating), he finished 2.41 seconds ahead of the Croatian Lukas Crnković (Coast Riders), followed a good five seconds behind by the silver and bronze medallists in the national championship, Nik Brumen (427 Savage Squad) and Maks Fošnarič (DGK Pohorje – Spank Team), both from Maribor.
In the U15 boys’ category, the title was won by Gaber’s younger brother, Gal Novak (Rajd Ljubljana), ahead of Max Sliško (427 Savage Squad) and Jaka Vujasin (Rajd Ljubljana).
In the youngest category, the U13s, Jakob Matija Koren (Goša Gravity) claimed victory for the third time this year (the fourth, if we include the Rookies Cup international series race in Kranjska Gora). In an exciting race in the men’s master category, the title was claimed by Nejc Robin Huth (Golovec trails), an experienced enduro rider. Among the amateurs, Marko Scheriau from Trieste (ASD Jam’s Bike Team Buja) took the win, whilst Tadej Skočir was crowned Slovenian champion.
Find all results here
Standings in 20chocolate Downhill Cup Series
At Vitranc, the battle for the championship titles was more important than earning points for the cup standings. However, with only the final remaining, the standings are now also a key focus. Here’s how things stand after four out of five races…
Niemiz remains at the top of the men’s elite standings with 580 points, closely followed by Struna (520) in second and Lorber (474) in third.
In the women’s category, Komel remains firmly at the top with 840 points, Podvornik is second with 652 points and Štern third with 520 points.
In the U19 juniors’ category, Sven Podvornik (Grabit), fifth this time, leads with 632 points; Kunaver Smolkovič is second with 515 and Žiga Žižek (DGK Pohorje – Spank Team) third with 495 points.
In the U17 category, Brumen (682) has retained the lead; Novak is just 46 points behind, whilst Tai Bizjak (Ravne) is third with 451 points. The race is even tighter in the U15 boys’ category, where Vujasin has 630 points, Gal Palčič (Rajd) is just 10 points behind, and Sliško is in third place, just 30 points behind.
The rankings for all categories are available at prijavim.se
Bottom Line
At the Kranjska Gora Bike Park, the MTB Republic team, in collaboration with the Slovenian Cycling Federation, Kranjska Gora Tourism (and Golovec Trails for track marshalls and more), has demonstrated its ability to organise an excellent race. They proved their mettle even in challenging conditions. The race also attracts quite a few spectators. The Kranjska Gora Downhill is a must-see event on the calendar.
Only Final Remains in 20chocolate Downhill Cup
First time downhill race organisers, ŠKD Pank Kura from Dolenjske Toplice, are preparing a treat above Soteska and the River Krka to round off the season. The race will take place on Saturday, 19 September. The track is already taking shape. A tip: make sure you have good protection for your tyres and rims. Spectators will also be in for a treat along the track and afterwards at the closing party featuring a concert.
Details and registration coming soon at sloveniadownhillcup.si!
*2007 is the youngest age group in the elite category, whilst those born in 2008 are in their second (and final) season among the U19 juniors.