Saalfelden Leogang in the Salzburger Land, Austria, June 6th 2014 – Saalfelden Leogang is ready to go for one of the biggest events – the 2014 edition of the Out of Bounds Festival. Celebrating its 13th year, Bikepark Leogang will host a UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup stop, the Four-cross World Championships as well as the dirt jump event 26TRIX.
The entire region is eagerly waiting to welcome visitors and excited fans for 4 days of extreme mountain bike action! The Out of Bounds Festival 2014 will be the biggest event ever held at Bikepark Leogang. Just a few short meters away from the 26TRIX dirt jump battleground, Four-cross racers will be competing for the UCI Four-cross World Championship title. Then, just a few more meters away, is the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup finishing area, where the world’s fastest downhill athletes will speed across the line and look back at their time in high hopes of claiming victory. Gee Atherton will be there, eager to revenge his near defeat after last year’s battle with Steve Smith on this very track. Downhill stars like Mick Hannah, Loic Bruni, local hero Markus Pekoll, Rachel Atherton and Emmeline Ragot will also suit up for the big showdown on Leogang’s downhill course.
While the Four-crossers will be fighting for inches in their head-to-head four man races on a course designed by Guido Tschugg, the downhill elite will be travelling up to the start of Leogang’s Speedster track. This 3.1 kilometer race track with an altitude difference of 524 meters, is riddled with hidden obstacles that can make or break a race run. Riders will weave their way around rocks and over roots at an average speed of 45 km/h, Greg Minnaar’s 2012 run set the current record at 54,1 km/h. The track has been divided into several sections; here is a short track preview:
“After the roll-in, the steep “Asitz Gambler” line features tight berms that merge into the “Steinberg Rocks”, the first technical rock section. Racers will then enter the “Stöckl Forest” section, which leads onto the fast jumping passage called “Stoana Mää”. Then it’s time to get loose for the “Roots of Asitz” part: an unforgiving, steep, rocky line covered with a rooty carpet. Exiting this section, riders will ease off the brakes for the step down before the last awkward rock garden. From there it’s clear sailing along the “Hollywood Section” which sends the riders over the huge finish jump before crossing the line.”
Here is the official Out of Bounds 2014 time schedule:
THURSDAY, June 12th 2014
- 08:30 – 11:00 am – Downhill Course Inspection by UCI
- 09:00 – 09:30 am – World Cup Riders Confirmation >>>> UCI ELITE MTB Teams
- 09:30 – 11:00 am – World Cup Riders Confirmation >>>> UCI MTB Teams
- 11:00 – 12:00 am – Four-cross Course Inspection by UCI
- 11:00 – 01:00 pm – World Cup Riders Confirmation >>>> All riders
- 11:00 – 01:00 pm – Four-cross World Cup Championships Riders Confirmation (Final Confirmation Four-cross)
- 02:00 – 04:00 pm – On Foot Downhill Course Inspection – Riders / Teams
- 04:15 – 05:45 pm – Official Four-cross Training
- 06:00 pm – Team Managers Meeting Four-cross
- 09:00 pm – Bunny Hop Contest
FRIDAY, June 13th 2014
- 08:30 – 11:00 am – World Cup Riders Confirmation >>>> All Riders (Final Confirmation Downhill)
- 08:30 – 02:30 pm – Official Downhill Training
- 02:45 – 04:15 pm – Downhill Timed Training Session
- 04:15 – 04:45 pm – On Foot Downhill Course Inspection – Riders / Teams
- 04:15 – 05:45 pm – Official Four-cross Training
- 05:00 pm – Team Managers Meeting Downhill
- 06:00 pm – Four-cross World Championships – Qualifying Round
- 09:00 pm – Pumptrack Contest / Mini Bike Race
SATURDAY, June 14th 2014
- 08:30 – 11:45 am – Official Downhill Training
- 12:30 pm – World Cup Downhill – Qualifying Round – Men Juniors
- 01:30 pm – World Cup Downhill – Qualifying Round – Women
- 02:00 pm – World Cup Downhill – Qualifying Round – Men Elite
- 03:45 – 05:00 pm – Official Four-cross Training
- 05:30 pm – Four-cross World Championships – Finals & Awards Ceremony
- 09:00 pm – Oe3 Party with Darius & Finlay @ Eventhall
SUNDAY, June 15th 2014
- 08:30 – 11:45 am – Official Downhill Training >>> Men Juniors, Women and Men Elite
- 12:30 pm – World Cup Downhill – Final – Men Juniors
- 01:15 pm – World Cup Downhill – Final – Women
- 02:00 pm – World Cup Downhill – Final – Men Elite & Awards Ceremony
- 06:00 pm – After Bike Party @ Outback Bar
Want to take a look behind the scenes? Then visit the team- and expo-area. Watch the riders prepare for their races, the mechanics fine-tune the bikes and breath in the race atmosphere. You can experience a weekend of full-on race action and enjoy the numerous side events taking place at Bikepark Leogang. Visiting hours are:
- Friday, June 13th: 12:00 – 08:00 pm
- Saturday, June 14th: 10:00 – 08:00 pm
- Sunday, June 15th: 10:00 – 06:00 pm
In order to keep track of what’s happening at the Out of Bounds Festival, you can download the free Saalfelden Leogang app. Get it on your smart phone to stay up to date about all the events and additional information. You can download the app here: saalfelden-leogang.com/en/service-info/mobile-app/saalfelden-leogang-app/.
All the news about the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup and the UCI Four-Cross World Championships as well as about biking in Saalfelden Leogang can be found on the bike channel: bike.saalfelden-leogang.com/. Further information about Bikepark Leogang: bikepark-leogang.com/en/ or via: facebook.com/Leogang.Bikepark. News and information about the Saalfelden Leogang region can be found on: saalfelden-leogang.com/de/ or on: facebook.com/SaalfeldenLeogang.