Same question every year for each rider: Where will I stand this year? Ilmenau is a very good option to define a rider's condition. The race track has a lot of difficulties to offer and is, therefore, a straining and power-sucking matter to manage. The weather and the surface, too, were contributing to the high-straining conditions.

Christiane Rumpf has definitly shown that she doesn't belong to the old, even if she is starting as one of the oldest in the licenced female class. She again proved to be the best German female rider with her second place, riding ahead with Netherland's World-cup rider Anneke Beerten.

Riding in the licenced male class Michael Schnell (6.) and Christian Müller (11.) of Team Zonenschein were in the fast lane. This should be a nice look-out onto the season...

In the licenced Masterclass Rohloff Product Manager Carsten Geck has shown that apart of his age he is still able to perform well in the toughest of downhill races. Being a Rohloff SPEEDHUB rider, he managed a 7th score and has, therefore, made a good start of this year's season.