From 22 - 23 April the big Bike the Rock event took place in the Heubacher Stellung. In the best weather there were exciting competitions to see for the many spectators. The Cube Next Generation XC Team was at the start with all four riders and fought with ups and downs.
The anticipation for Bike the Rock in Heubach was very high for all participants and you could already tell when entering the site how everyone was looking forward to the upcoming competitions, whether cross-country, marathon or enduro competitions, which all took place this weekend in Heubach. For the Schwäbisch Haller Cube Next Generation XC Team, all four riders were at the start. Already on Saturday the athletes could test the new track below the Rosenstein in the early morning and were very satisfied with the changes. With the best spring weather, the mood was good. "I am curious how we will start into the first smaller highlight of the season. In about 3 weeks the Mountain Bike UCI World Series starts in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic, so the Heubach HC race not far from our front door is of course very convenient. Many top riders from all over the world are entered and it will be exciting to see where our riders will line up," says Sam Weber after the official training on Saturday before the races.
On Sunday, the two U23 riders Fabian Eder and Lars Gräter from Hall started first in the U23 race. At 10:45 a.m. the starting signal was given for the approximately 70 registered riders, who fought their way up the classic Heubach climb towards Rosenstein. Lars Gräter got off to a solid start and was able to work his way up from starting position 17 to 13th place and was in the chasing group at the top. Fabian Eder was able to defend his starting position, was slightly behind his teammate. Due to the rain showers during the night, the track had become very slippery and sometimes difficult to drive on, but this made the race all the more interesting. After two laps, 18-year-old Lars Gräter was confidently in a group of four and drove his laps in 12th place. The riders and their equipment began to feel the strain of the track, and since it was already sunny and dry again at this point, the sticky dirt that the riders collected during the lap collected on the wheels. Again and again one saw how riders had to stop or needed support by water bottles, in order to make for example rear derailleur and bottom bracket again clean. Lars Gräter was hit by bad luck several times that day. In lap four, the young Haller had to give up his top 15 position and run quite a bit towards the feed and tech zone because his chain was no longer running correctly on the chainring. He had to rely on external help from the mechanics, but lost important places as a result. Meanwhile Fabian Eder was catching up and at that moment also overtook his one year younger teammate. About 20 seconds later and with a clean drive, Lars Gräter took up the chase again. In the last two laps he tried to catch up with his colleague again, but didn't quite manage it due to the then dwindling forces and drove the lost time behind across the track. Fabian Eder maintained his position in the top 20 and was able to prevail over some direct competitors in the last lap and finished the race in 19th place. To make matters worse, Lars Gräter then also suffered a rear wheel puncture in the second section of the lap and finished the race on a flat tire. He finally finished 23rd and secured a few UCI points.
In the elite women's race, in which U23 rider Kira Böhm started, the pace was very high right from the start. Kira Böhm, who is in her penultimate year in the U23 class, immediately found her way to the front places. Because the U23 riders have to compete against the elite women in this race and there is no extra classification, it is of course difficult for the young athletes in these races to get to the front. Kira Böhm rode a constant race and could constantly improve her position. "That was a tough race for me today. It's always difficult to keep up against the older ladies, as they already ride at a higher pace than us U23 riders. Nevertheless, I was able to hold my own very well in view of my direct opponents in my class and I am very satisfied," said Kira Böhm at the finish. In the last lap Kira Böhm could keep her 16th place and finished the race in the top 20 of the elite women, which is also the unofficial 3rd place in the U23.
Last but not least, local hero Sven Strähle from Böbingen, just a few minutes away from Heubach, was allowed to take on the approximately 4km long cross-country course. After he unfortunately had to leave the race early in Slovakia last week due to a previous cold, the 27-year-old was hoping for an improvement in physical fitness for his upcoming home race in Heubach. The pace was very high from the start. The track had almost completely dried out again by then, which made the race very fast. Sven Straehle was suffering from the beginning and it was obvious that he is not back to 100% fitness. After six long laps, Sven Strähle then finished 22nd, which was certainly not what he had hoped for.
"I feel good again in training, but somehow the cold is then still not properly cured. It was still nice to start today at my home race. The many friends and acquaintances along the course made it easier for me to finish the race, even though I can't be satisfied with the result, of course," said the Böbinger in the finisher area.
