Photo Report Graz Bike Festival Stattegg

Last highlight in the always tightly packed event schedule of the active Bikeclub Stattegg: With the finale of the Cycling Austria Youngsters Cup, the largest and most significant youth racing series of Austrian mountain biking visited the municipality on the northern outskirts of Graz to conclude the season.
At the same time, the second anniversary of the grandiose pump track facility right next to the Höllbach Arena was celebrated, naturally in a fitting manner. To ensure the little ones wouldn’t get bored, the village square was additionally transformed into an MTB course. And last but not least, the Bikeclub deservedly celebrated itself – reportedly well into the night and into the subsequent village festival the next day …
... but of course still with moderation and purpose, as preparations for 2026 have already begun in parallel – especially for the Mountainbike Junior World Festival from July 7 to 11, an innovative new project at the intersection of sports and tourism, combining the athletic necessities in the development of junior athletes with the desirable tourism opportunities in the Graz region.

The season finale for the U13, U15, and U17 categories included a double event consisting of a race on the Stattegg Pumptrack and a Short Track Race in the Höllbach Arena. Austria's best young mountain bikers competed for their final standings in the overall ranking.
As expected, the youngsters from Styria dominated the event. Eight out of twelve possible category wins went to athletes from this federal state, with siblings Lola and Ruben Friedl even winning both races.
And in the annual standings, the young Styrian athletes claimed three out of six possible gold medals. Youth European Championship medalist Ruben Friedl extended an incredible streak: In his six-year AYC career from U13 to U17, he always won the overall ranking, even when competing in the younger age group against older competitors.

It comes as no surprise that the Bikeclub Stattegg leads the way in all this, given the club's years of systematic dedication to youth development. We still want to highlight it here, of course, as the club competition of the AYC went for the ninth consecutive time to the now 1,200-member (!) strong organization.

• WU13: Katharina Stanzer (GIANT Stattegg)
• MU13: Moritz Schauerham (Racing Team Haiming)
• WU15: Lola Friedl (GIANT Stattegg)
• MU15: Felix Kraus (URC Bikerei/VLOW Racing T.)
• WU17: Johanna Piringer (RV DJ’s Bikeshop Simplon)
• MU17: Ruben Friedl (GIANT Statteggg)

For the younger ones, a tailored menu of mountain bike courses, popcorn, and cotton candy was served at the Stattegg village square.
But it wasn’t just kids from the U5 – U11 age groups who were called upon to showcase their skills. Afterwards, the everywomen and -men, recruited from the numerous parents, grandparents, trainers, and spectators present, also competed – because a bit of fun is always necessary, especially at the season finale!
That’s why Stattegg mastermind Jürgen Pail kicked off the fun competition on an extra-reinforced Hello Kitty kids’ bike and allowed a ten-second time credit for each glass of wine consumed along the way. The final record holder almost ended up with a negative lap time because of this – but what wouldn’t one do for a victory in Stattegg!

A little wistfulness seems not less appropriate when a year comes to an end. Especially when the well-deserved off-season after a long season with 13 events marks the end of an entire chapter of life for some.
Alexander Forstmayr, ÖRV race director and UCI commissaire since forever, officiated his last race together with his wife Margarete during the Graz Bike Festival Stattegg. Besides skillfully fostering the image of race officials, maintaining a consistently respectful and friendly relationship with all organizers and racers, and genuinely celebrating their successes, the reform of the Austria Youngsters Cup counts among the greatest achievements of this long-serving official. From now on, however, his whistle will remain in the drawer, and his calendar will be emptier.

"He was an enabler, not a preventer. He translated the ideas and concepts of the organizers into new, functioning regulations," says club chairman Jürgen Pail, offering praise at his farewell.
With a special tribute, BC Stattegg honored the longstanding contributions of the ÖRV race official and bid farewell to the couple with flowers and a year's supply of Prosecco – one for every now free weekend – into race director retirement.

Of course, all the winners of the Austria Youngster Cup were honored as well. And then it was party, party, party! Because after all the successfully organized events, the outstanding race results of its members, and its incredible fruitful commitment – just think of Paracycling Time Trial World Champion Franz-Josef Lässer, Eliminator Vice World Champion Theo Hauser, or Junior Double European Champion Anatol Friedl – it was only logical that the Bikeclub Stattegg was in the mood for a proper celebration.

DJane Yam fired up her audience in the large festival tent at the village square with free admission, and the culinary offerings were not lacking either, with prosciutto, Montasio cheese, Prosecco, beer, and burgers.
To top it all off, a mountain bike worth 3,000 euros was even raffled off, which went to a deserving winner, Martina Weinzettel, co-founder of Velochicks from Graz … that’s how you do a season closing!