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SYMPATEX BIKE Festival in Willingen announces Wheels of Speed World Downhill Challenge

For many years the SYMPATEX BIKE Festival Willingen has been an important highlight of the European mountain bike season. With 200 exhibitors, it is the place to be for all mountain bike enthusiasts. The World Cup may not be coming back to the Festival in Willingen in 2007, but Downhill pros like Minnaar, Gracia, Peaty and company will still be there!

The Festival is coming back to Willingen for the 10th time on June 1-3, 2007. This time, it will feature a huge downhill world challenge, dubbed Wheels of Speed.

The Wheels of Speed will feature two classes, a pro class as well as an amateur class. The world’s elite of downhill racing will be invited to the race, but also ambitious amateurs will get a chance to compete at the Wheels of Speed. In each class, 40 riders will get the chance to qualify for the final. Furthermore, the top 8 of the amateur class get the chance to compete in the pro-class on Sunday. Finally, 30,000 euros will be on the line for the winners of the pro class. The racers can be expected to do just about anything to be the first to cross the finish line!

In the past, there has been some incredible racing action during the festival, and the 10th year will be no exception. Big name riders have turned in some incredible times on the Willingen Mountaincross and Downhill courses and the 2007 festival will be another chance for them to race on the world championship-level track.

Famous riders who are expected to perform at the Wheels of Speed are e.g. Cedric Gracia, Greg Minnaar, Steve Peat and Nathan Rennie. They definitely won’t miss the chance to participate in this race, as the prize money tops any other race on the downhill circuit so far.

In 2006, Steve Peat decimated the field of pro men on the Willingen downhill course by nearly two seconds and Jared Graves took the MTX win in front of over 15,000 spectators. Greg Minnaar, the 2005 Willingen downhill champion, placed second in 2006. It will be exciting to see them all back in 2007 for another shot at the top of the podium.

Top 16 invited riders will be:

Sam Hill (AUS)
Steve Peat (GBR)
Nathan Rennie (AUS)
Greg Minnaar (RSA)
Marc Beaumont (GBR)
Gee Atherton (UK)
Michael Hannah (AUS)
Pascal Mickael (FRA)
Chris Kovarik (AUS)
Matti Lehikoinen (FIN)
Cedric Gracia (FRA)
David Vazquez (ESP)
Filip Polc (SVK)
Fabien Barel (FRA)
Julien Camellini (FRA)
Oscar Saiz (ESP)

Join the world cup athletes in Willingen on June 1-3, 2007 as they battle down the world’s most challenging race course for the glory and honour of standing on the podium plus a good chunk of the 30,000 euro prize money! The application procedure for all ambitious bikers in the amateur and pro class will be announced shortly on www.wheelsofspeed.de