German MTB Championship in Wombach – Dowe Simplon

Strong performances by the Dowe Simplon Team of RSG Zollern-Alb in extreme conditions

At the German Mountain Bike Short Track and Cross Country Championships in Wombach, Franconia, the Dowe Simplon Team of RSG Zollern-Alb delivered strong performances even under difficult external conditions. Temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, high humidity, and an extremely dusty track posed enormous challenges for riders throughout the entire weekend.

Short Track: Tobias Steinhart in 8th place

Tobias Steinhart kicked off the event on Friday evening in the Elite Short Track race. After a poor start – often race-deciding in this fast and short discipline – it was difficult to compete at the very front. Nevertheless, Steinhart showed a solid race and ultimately achieved a respectable 8th place.

Junior Bundesliga within the DM – strong performances from the youth

On Saturday, the Junior Bundesliga was held as part of the German Championships. In the U15 class, Marlene Bilger started for the team. She finished 16th but was not entirely satisfied. The heat and breathing problems affected her performance.

In the U17 class, RSG was represented by three riders: Maximilian Wagenstetter, David Schempp, and Hendrik Krüger. Maximilian Wagenstetter's race was particularly noteworthy, as he consistently maintained positions two to four in an exciting three-way battle with two riders from the Bulls Junior Team. The eventual winner Julius Klose (Riese & Müller MTB Racing Team) pulled away early, but the fight for the podium places remained thrilling until the end. On the last climb, Wagenstetter had to let Leopold Sigl (Bulls Junior Team) pull ahead in the sprint and finished in an excellent third place. David Schempp showed a strong comeback: after a bad start, he impressively fought his way up to 14th place. Hendrik Krüger finished 32nd in the strong field of starters.

Elite Cross Country on Sunday: Three riders in the top 15

On Sunday, the Elite races were finally on the program. Tobias Steinhart, Niklas Scherer, and Gabriel Sindlinger started for Team Dowe Simplon. Tobias Steinhart, winner of the Albstadt Bike Marathon, had aimed for at least a top-ten finish. However, an unfortunate collision at the start with Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV), the eventual winner, initially set him back. On the technically demanding course, he nevertheless showed fighting spirit and continuously worked his way forward. In the end, he once again secured 8th place – a strong performance under the given circumstances. Niklas Scherer presented himself as stable and consistent. With a solid performance, he placed 14th and was satisfied with his performance in the extreme weather conditions. Gabriel Sindlinger struggled with the race at the beginning and couldn't find a rhythm in the first two laps. Lying outside the top 20, he nevertheless used his technical skills to fight his way forward position by position. In the end, he almost caught up with Scherer and finished 15th – a strong finish after a cautious start.

Despite extreme heat, a dusty track, and tough competition, the Dowe Simplon team of RSG Zollern-Alb once again presented itself as a cohesive and combative unit at the 2025 German Championships. Maximilian Wagenstetter's podium finish in the U17 and the top-15 results in the Elite category particularly underline the good form and strong teamwork.