It was Nove Mesto na Morave-time, the first UCI Mountainbike World Series in Europe this season and for sure one all the riders, including myself, did look forward to a lot. And it didn't disappoint. A brilliant weather forecast, the iconic course with the biathlon stadium and the famous technical climbs and downhills with many rocks and even more exposed roots than last year and a crowd that showed what it means if mountain biking comes to one of its actual homes.

It's finally time to present my 2026 season kit designed and sponsored by fingerscrossed and my special painted Avona Silva race bike! I'm so happy that everything worked out in the final days before my first race in Germany

Since my first win of the season in La Nucia and publishing my team situation the week after there has been a lot of development, but it was nothing but easy.

To start the season with no big team behind me was far from easy. What kept me going over many parts of the preparation was the preparation itself, that was going very well and the perspective to be fit on a starting line. So, I knew I was in good shape and should be able to fight for a good position in the first races. But taking the win in an international race is always something special and something you have to work for really hard through the whole competition. In the e

Starting in the back of the pack, observing and waiting for the right moments to move up was again a decent tactic in Lake Placid on...