Once again, the KTM youngsters were able to impress at the national young talent competition. One victory and three podium places were celebrated.
All five KTM Youngsters were at the start in Gedern, Hesse, after Nico Wollenberg (U17) was able to start again after his injury. He was joined by his teammates Niclas Look (U15), Paulina Weigelt, Timo Brandl and Simon Potstada (all U17). On Saturday, all five were challenged in a time trial competition on the XCO course. Niclas was the first to take up the fight with the clock, only to end it again quickly, as a flat tire ruined everything. So on Sunday he had to take up the XCO race from starting position 56. Paulina coped well with the course this time and finished a very close second despite a short wobble. Nico did well in his first race after his injury and was rewarded with a rank among the top ten in ninth place. Timo even made it onto the podium with second place. Simon was not entirely satisfied, but was able to start the next day’s race from the second row of the grid in twelfth place.
On Sunday, the weather gods were kind to all the riders, as the races were not affected by rain. First up was Niclas, who had to show his catch-up qualities with a starting position of 56th. He succeeded brilliantly: he was already in the top 30 on the opening lap. In the two laps still to be run, Niclas pushed further and further ahead despite overtaking difficulties and happily finished in seventh place.
After Niclas had been unlucky with a flat tyre on Saturday, the same fate befell Paulina this time. Leading by a large margin, her rear tyre lost air and was flat. Unfortunately, the mounting of the spare wheel was delayed, so that it took almost an eternity until the KTM rider could get back on the track. As a result, she fell back to 13th place. But Paulina bit her way back to the front and finished the race in third place, which she was very happy about.
In the U17 race, it was the turn of the other three KTM youngsters. Timo was the best: after a slow start, he moved up from eighth place until the 15-year-old reached the top. On the last lap, Timo attacked the leader and passed him. Overjoyed, he crossed the finish line in first place.
