For the first time, the VPACE Kids Cup returned to the home town of the organising company Racement. The occasion was the German Championship as part of the fifth round of the iXS Downhill Cup in Ilmenau. A sold-out starting field, a new race track and many spectators were the ingredients.

Ilmenau in the Thuringian Forest is well known to almost everyone who has anything to do with mountain biking. Races were held in the university town 30 years ago, initially in the cross-country discipline, but from 1996 also in the downhill discipline. This year saw the 26th edition of the legendary race with the characteristic name ‘Absolute Downhill’. At the same time as the international iXS Downhill Cup, the German Championship was also held, which meant that everyone who was anyone in this country was present.

The organisers of the ILRC are very interested in promoting young talent at various levels and do this through various competitions in addition to regular training sessions. Until now, however, there has been no race for youngsters in the downhill discipline. But even this blank spot is now covered and Ilmenau has shown why downhill is part of the city's DNA.

Over the past few weeks, Sabine from the MTB Agency, together with some friends and representatives of the ILRC, had painstakingly prepared an adequate track in the lower part of the Lindenberg. This course was very well received, as it was finally possible to make use of the full range of terrain. There were root passages, berms, small jumps and a wide variety of bends. The topography was somewhat steeper than usual and the extremely dry weather made the surface very slippery.

The kids took it in their stride, although interest was extremely high. Even during training, some of them were watching, often unable to believe what they were being offered by the participants in the single-digit age range. But that's the VPACE Kids Cup for you. The standard has risen considerably and the community continues to grow. Over 100 kids took part, some even travelling from other countries to take part. But as always, in the end the focus was on having fun and even though Nina Hoffmann gave a few tips as a great role model, it was more about cycling together and not against each other. In the end, everyone won again, although some of them took a place on the podium.

Ilmenau has definitely shown with this event that the series absolutely must return to this venue. Everyone involved was satisfied at the end and is now looking forward to the finale in Leogang.