Defending champions leave nothing to be desired at GCC season opener in Venusberg
The season opener of the German Cross Country Championship (GCC) in Venusberg, Saxony, could hardly have been more varied. While there was bright sunshine and the best conditions on Saturday, Sunday was initially wintry: Light snowfall with frosty temperatures just above freezing demanded everything from the participants. However, as the day progressed, the weather improved significantly, allowing the races to continue in increasingly pleasant conditions. Crucially, the ground remained grippy throughout the weekend and thus offered fair and exciting racing conditions.
The MC Mittleres Erzgebirge presented itself as a sovereign organizer and had the event under control at all times. With a strong field of participants, the enormous importance of the series in off-road racing was once again underlined.
Peter Thiele (MC Mittleres Erzgebirge): „We look back on an all-round successful race weekend. The conditions were varied, but that“s exactly what makes off-road so appealing. We are particularly pleased that we were able to welcome such a strong field of participants with almost 700 starters and that the races were held at such a high level. A big thank you goes to our entire team and all the helpers who made this event possible with their commitment.“
Defending champions set first scent marks
In the XC Woman class, defending champion Steffi Laier set a clear signal. The experienced KTM rider dominated the race and secured victory with a driving time of 02:11:27.826 hours and 11 laps. She was followed by Carmen Allinger (Husqvarna) in second place with ten laps ahead of Rosa Strobel (Yamaha), who also completed ten laps. Magdalena Höfer (Fantic) and Kerstin Schmidt (Beta) completed the top 5.
Steffi Laier: „I really liked the track. In the first lap it was still a bit tricky due to all the traffic, but after that it went better and better. All in all, it was a cool race. The track was very enduro-heavy, but it was perfect to ride. My tyres worked great. I have firmly planned the entire GCC season again.“
In the XC Quad Pro class, defending champion Ole Klotz also left no doubt about his ambitions. The Yamaha rider won the race after 17 laps in 01:31:51.239 hours. Teammate Marius Kernchen (Kawasaki) followed closely behind in second place, while Jan Vehar (Yamaha) finished third. Lennard Scheibner (Yamaha) and Kevin Müller (Yamaha) completed the top 5.
Ole Klotz: „That was a great course today. We certainly had a small advantage because we were already on the bike in the team class the day before and already knew the difficult climbs. This allowed us to adapt well to it. In the end, however, everything worked out really well. For Triptis, the goal is clear: to further expand the championship.“
Dramatic finale in XC Pro
The highlight of the weekend was the premier class XC Pro. A thrilling duel developed between defending champion Chris Gundermann and Yanik Spachmüller. Over the entire race distance, both fought an intense duel at eye level. In the end, Gundermann (KTM) prevailed by a razor-thin margin and won with a time of 02:04:20.774 hours and 13 laps – just a few seconds ahead of Spachmüller (Triumph), who crossed the finish line in 02:04:24.106 hours.
Leonard Koch (Husqvarna) secured third place ahead of Mike Stender (Beta) and Lukas Riedißer (Husqvarna). The close finish line underlines the high sporting level at the start of the season and gives hope for an exciting season.
Chris Gundermann: „According to the weather forecasts a week ago, the conditions were really great today and the track was easy to ride for everyone. After lap one directly in first position was of course ideal for me, so I was able to control the race from the beginning. Yanik put a lot of pressure from behind, which kept it exciting until the end. In the end, however, everything went well. In any case, it can continue like this. In Triptis, of course, I“m going full throttle again.“
Successful start despite changeable conditions
Despite the changing weather conditions, the track in Venusberg was in excellent condition throughout the weekend. The grippy ground conditions enabled fair competitions and ensured spectacular racing action in all classes. The MC Mittleres Erzgebirge received a lot of positive feedback for the organization. With a lot of experience and commitment, the team ensured that both participants and spectators could experience an all-round successful event.
Strong start to the new season
With high-class motorsport and exciting races, the GCC kick-off has once again been a success. The defending champions were able to prove their strength directly, while at the same time numerous challengers announced their ambitions. The season has officially opened – and it is already becoming apparent that the upcoming races will be hard to beat in terms of excitement.
Bastian Schöner (GCC promoter BABOONS): „That was an all-round successful start to the season here in Venusberg. Exciting races, strong performances in all classes and an organizer who did a really good job – that“s how the season can start. A big thank you goes to the MC Mittleres Erzgebirge for the organization, to all participants for the fair and high-class sport as well as to our sponsors for their support. We are already looking forward to Triptis.“
Source / Pictures: GCC
