Historisch gezien is Ilmenau een goede wedstrijd voor Anneke Beerten. Ze won er reeds drie maal (2005, 2003 en 2001) en ook dit jaar bleek zij de beste. De omstandigheden waren zwaar. De natuurelementen gooiden het wedstrijdschema over de kop zodat alle licentierijders op zondag zowel de qualificatie als de wedstrijdrun moesten rijden. Ondanks een lekke voorband versloeg Anneke de Duitse Antje Kramer met een miniem verschil.

IXS downhill cup, Imenau, Germany

This weekend there was the 1st race of the German IXS downhill series. With more then 600 riders attending you can say the German DH scene is well alive. Ilmenau is always good, lots of spectators and well organized. Despite of the rain things still went well, and the locals cheered us all on with a beer in one hand a bratwurst in the other.

My final Downhill run went well. The course had dried out a bit and was reasonably fast. About 20sec before the finish I got a front flat tire. I’d hit a couple of rocks that `I shouldn’t have hit. It was hard going down the last section of the course with a flat tire. But up until I got the flat tire I had a good run. I tried to keep the bike rolling despite of missing some air in the tire. I was a bit surprised when I heard that I still had the fastest time!!

Tomorrow I will be travelling to Fort William, Scotland for the second World Cup of the season.

Greetings,
Anneke Beerten