MTB Raw video and favourite trails interview

Release time:2020/09/15 Views:374 Classification:blog

MTB Uncooked video and favorite trails interview

Vali Höll has been using wonderful trails since she was very younger. Rising up in Saalbach, close to Salzburg, Austria, Höll’s father constructed the mountain bike path to finish all mountain bike trails round their mountainside guesthouse.

Inspired by her dad and mom to get entangled (and trip downhill as quick as she may), Höll shortly established her personal title within the sport, beating boys within the iXS Rookies Cup as a toddler earlier than successful the Crankworx Whistler junior race in 2014.

There’s just one means Valentina Höll’s profession goes, and that’s up!

With that status behind her, the Austrian shortly settled into World Cup racing at junior stage, successful the little matter of not one however two junior World Cup overalls. She’s additionally been the junior World Champion twice. In 2020, she steps as much as racing the senior ladies’s World Cup, when the season begins in Maribor.

With an thrilling future assured as she joins the Elite ranks – and her very personal MTB Uncooked video out there so that you can watch right here – we spoke to Höll concerning the trails which have helped her hone her expertise.

1. Leogang, Austria

The place the place I actually discovered the ropes rising up wasn’t a lot a path, however Bikepark Leogang. It’s the largest park near my hometown and it’s the place all of the World Cups are held. My dad and mom would decide me up after faculty and take me there.

At the moment I used to be too younger to trip, so I’d hang around on the backside of the paths there ready whereas my dad and mom had been using. For me it was tremendous boring. As I bought older I may lastly trip with them and not wait on the backside! In the future, once I was possibly 9 or 10 I used to be sooner than my mum, and some years later I used to be sooner than my dad.

Valentina Höll is seen riding in Bikepark Leogang in Austria. — Shredding in Leogang
© Yvonne Hörl

2. Höllentrail, Saalbach, Austria

This interprets as ‘The Hell Path’. It’s the path my dad constructed. It’s principally the place I began to be taught to trip bikes. Earlier than constructing this, my dad and mom principally solely rode uphill, however they flew to Canada in 2005 and after that journey determined to construct their very own monitor down close to our chalet [Höll’s parents run the Spielberghaus guesthouse]. My dad constructed it in 2005/6, so I’d have been round six years outdated once I rode it for the primary time.

Valentina Höll as seen riding in the Saalbach region of Austria. — Vali Höll out and about in Saalbach
© Moritz Ablinger, saalbach.com

Quite a lot of huge mountain bikers got here and helped him construct it, folks like trials rider Hans Rey. I began on the best traces, using down then pushing up once more. I discovered by way of watching others using it, and at our chalet we’d have a number of mountain bike execs staying, so I discovered lots from watching them and absorbing the spirit of mountain biking.

Quite a lot of racers discuss riding in Saalbach as a result of it has among the greatest tracks in Europe. Simply listening to your heroes speaking about it, then using the very same path they did, is fairly wonderful.

Valentina Höll as seen in the Saalbach region of Austria. — There’s many a path to be ridden in Saalbach and Höll has rode all of them
© Moritz Ablinger, saalbach.com

3. Winterberg, Germany

My first downhill race is a enjoyable story. I used to be and I nonetheless am a very aggressive child relating to downhill racing. My dad knew if I don’t get on a podium I’d be sad for the entire weekend, and even your complete subsequent week! My dad came upon concerning the iXS Rookies Cup the place you possibly can begin racing aged 11. As a lady you needed to race with the boys, there’s no separate gender class. My dad ready me to not get unhappy if I didn’t win. I did win and beat all of the boys. I’ve been again once more, and gained once more. That path in Winterberg holds good reminiscences.

4. Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Canada

Whistler was wonderful. I went for the primary time once I was 13. The journey was a gift from my godmother [former pro downhill rider Angie Hohenwarter]. In the event you come from a small city in Austria and go abroad for the primary time, simply seeing the huge bike park with so many tracks is wonderful. The entire vibe in Canada is fairly sick. The park has some big jumps. I’ve by no means seen greater jumps. It was a fairly good time.

Valentina Höll as seen racing at the Canadian Open DH race in Whistler Bike Park in Canada in August 2019. — From enjoyable trails to racing, Höll at all times enjoys the Whistler expertise
© James Stokoe/Crankworx World Tour

5. Lenzerheide, Switzerland

I gained my first junior gold at the 2018 UCI World Championships here. I felt actually comfy using right here as a result of it’s a German-speaking space. It’s fairly much like what I used to be used to using at residence. It begins actually bike park-esque however then you will have actually troublesome bits in there. It’s a cool combine and I used to be tremendous stoked and assured to trip there.

Valentina Höll performs at the UCI DH World Championships in Lenzerheide on September 9, 2018. — Lenzerheide and its downhill course holds particular reminiscences
© Bartek Wolinski/Pink Bull Content material Pool

And her dream path can be…

If I may design my very own dream using path it might be tremendous loamy. In Whistler there’s one path known as Ride Don’t Slide. The path is tremendous outdated however it’s bought tremendous recent dust, it’s tremendous fluffy and it doesn’t harm when you crash. So I’d like that however with huge jumps and corners. It must be tremendous pure. And never too many roots as a result of I don’t actually like roots!

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