Big In Bavaria

Still four weeks to go until the BIKE EXPO and the BIG IN BAVARIA dirt jump competition in Munich on July 23rd to 26th. The building of the dirt jumps is already in full progress. The first doubles are shaped and the starting tower is finished. It’s not only the dirt line that is worth a look. The list of confirmed mountain bike and BMX riders also gives a preview of the first class action you can expect. About 1,200 tons of dirt have been used to form the super sized jumps of the BIG in Bavaria so far. And 800 tons are still to come. The pictures of the now existing dirt jump course already promise a lot of airtime. The speed you need is guaranteed by a eight meters (about 25 feet) high starting tower including a steep bank followed by a smooth step down and the first double that has an 11 meters (about 35 feet) gap! But these will only be the first hits of the overall 180 (about 200 yards) meters long course with a whole bunch of jumps, including a section with parallel lines. The transfers will be as much fun for the spectators as for the riders, that’s for sure. The big names can’t wait for it and are already confirmed, so watch out for: Mountain bike Name (Nation/Team) Darren Pokoj (AUS/Felt) Darren Berrecloth (CAN/Specialized) Mischa Breitenstein (CH/KONA) Andreu Lacondeguy (ESP/Kona) Lluis Lacondeguy (ESP/Kona) Pierre Edouard Ferry (FRA/Specialized) Grant Fielder (GBR/Kona) Sam Pilgrim (GBR/Diamondback) Amir Kabbani (GER/Cannondale) Andi Wittmann (GER/Giant) Benny Korthaus (GER/Specialized) Marius Hoppensack (GER/Scott) Trond Hansen (NOR/Specialized) Martin Söderström (SWE/NS Bikes) Andrew Taylor (USA/Marin) Cameron Zink (USA/Felt) Greg Watts (USA/Gary Fisher) Jamie Goldman (USA/Santa Cruz) Paul Basagoitia (USA/Kona) BMX Name (Nation/Team) Cameron White (AUS/Mongoose) Corey Bohan (AUS/Giant) Dave Dillewaard (AUS/GT) Josh Stead (AUS) Luke Parslow (AUS/Forgotten Bikes) Ryan Guettler (AUS/MirraCo) Alejandro Caro (COL/wethepeople) Cristian Porras (COL) Alex Dropsi (FRA/Twenty) Nicolas Bertier (FRA/Dragonfly) Patrick Guimez (FRA/Koxx) Romuald Noirot (FRA/MacNeil) Ben Hennon (GBR/Seventies) Kye Forte (GBR/United Bikes) Markus Hampl GER/Twenty) Simon Moratz (GER/Felt) Anthony Napolitan (USA/Hoffman Bikes) Chris Doyle (USA/Kink Bikes) Heath Pinter (USA/Giant) James Foster (USA/KHE) Mike Clark (USA/Redline) Ricardo Laguna (USA) TJ Ellis (USA/Bulldog Bikes) You have to keep in mind that an overall prize fund of 20,000 Euros for each category, mountain bike and BMX, will secure only hardcore bike action. You could say that mental fitness has to meet mindless sickness to throw down the hardest tricks on that huge dirt line. It shouldn’t be a problem for the best pros from all over the globe to go big in Bavaria! For all the details of the BIG IN BAVARIA as well as riders' profiles, please take a look on: www.myspace.com/biginbavaria.