Danny MacAskill and Continental athletes go for driver safety training at Contidrom

How to ride downhill in a safe and fast way or to take big jumps, balance on fences or to defeat the Himalaya via bike Richie Schley, Danny MacAskill, Martin Soderstrom, Rachel and Dan Atherton, Marc Beaumont, Kenny Belaey and Thomas Litscher already know. But how to handle dangerous situations on four wheels and lots of horse power under the hood was quite a new experience for the Continental athletes. On the testing track of the German tire manufacturer, they had the chance to participate in a driver safety training which was obviously a fun time.

Following an invitation from Continental to come to Germany, the Conti athletes did not only take a visit to the production site in Korbach, but had the chance to participate in a driver safety training on the Contidrom, the huge Continental-owned testing track near Hannover. “We wanted to invite our athletes all together to show them, how their tires are manufactured. It was clear, that eight young pro athletes also need some action, otherwise they would be bored. We had two great days and lots of fun on the Contidrom. Moreover, a driver safety training is an important and useful experience for all young people”, explains Joerg Malcherek, (Head of International Sales and Marketing of Continental’s cycling division) the idea for the Germany visit.

Normally being used by big automobile brands to test their latest products, it was up to Danny MacAskill, Martin Soderstrom, Rachel Atherton and co. to put their foot down on the gas, supervised by the strict coaching of three former racing pros.

One of the highlights was a ride in the banked corners of the Contidrom: Taking them at over 140mph (230km/h) produces gravitation forces that remind more of an astronaut’s training rather than a driver safety training. “That was a crazy feeling, like nothing that I ever felt before”, commented Martin Soderstrom his “borderline” experience.

Be it on the wet course, the high-speed track, the breaking course or the 4-person-fun-car, the Continental’s athletes didn’t miss a chance to compete with each other, probably mountain bike pros are not able to be any different!

conti-tyres.co.uk