The Contest Formerly Known as Nine Knights Announces New Format, New Location

PRESS RELEASE: Audi Nines

An exciting new contest format, more confirmed riders and the spectacular new location rapidly transforming into a world-class mountain bike venue; yes, preparations are running at full speed for the Audi Nines MTB 2018. From 8-13 September 2018, in partnership with Bikepark Idarkopf, the 8th edition of the prestigious mountain bike event will make its debut within a stone quarry in the Rheinland-Pfalz Region of Germany.


This new contest format leads the list of new developments for the Audi Nines MTB 2018, formerly known as Nine Knights MTB. Instead of the one-day contests of past events, the 2018 edition of Audi Nines MTB gives riders a full week to land their best tricks and runs in front of running cameras. The resulting video footage will be judged in the categories of Best Slope Bike Line, Best Freeride Bike Line, Best Slope Bike Trick, Best Freeride Bike Trick, and Ruler of the Week, with all categories judged by the riders themselves. This exciting video-based format provides riders with new opportunities to capture their very best performances throughout the week on film, while generating a surplus of stellar action footage that will captivate fans worldwide.


With less than two weeks to go until the event, a team of riders and builders has been hard at work transforming the moonlike landscape of the stone quarry near Birkenfeld, Bikeregion Hunsrück-Hochwald, into a mountain bike venue of epic proportions. Two distinct lines, a freeride line and a slopestyle line, wind their way through the quarry’s rugged terrain, incorporating a variety of dirt and wooden take-offs, as well as special features like a huge multi-option Satellite Dish and a scary custom Skydrop. Meanwhile, a separate Big Air ramp will provide riders with a venue to take their aerial tricks to new heights.

“This location is perfect!” says Lead Course Builder Andi Brewi. “We have been shaping and moving dirt for over 2 weeks, so it has easily been the biggest course build we have ever had. But it is worth it, we are super hyped about the course. The whole thing is going to be so huge."

“The freeride line starts with a 6-meter pure freeride drop, which is going to be mental,” says course builder and rider Clemens Kaudela. “Then the rest of the freeride line will be a hell of a ride.”

An exclusive group of riders ranging from international top stars to local legends have already confirmed their attendance at Audi Nines MTB 2018. Event veterans like Nicholi Rogatkin (USA), Emil Johansson (SWE), Szymon Godziek (POL) and Adolf Silva (ESP) will be joined by new faces, including Szymon’s brother David Godziek and freeride mountain bike legend Brendan Fairclough (GBR). “The crew of riders this year couldn’t be better” says local mountain bike pro Patrick Schweika (GER), “combine that with the best course in the best venue ever, and I reckon we might have the best event ever this year!”

Last but not least, the wildcard entries. The ‘FOCUS Become a Nine’ video contest was more competitive than ever before, with twenty very talented riders submitting their videos. Reed Boggs (USA) and Iven Ebener (GER) took the win with their super progressive riding, and they will be looking to prove themselves on the highest stage. Riding alongside them will Lukas Schäfer (GER), winner of the Bike & Style 2018 Mountainbike Freestyle Contest presented by Audi, which went down last week at Munich Airport.

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Racing and Events Press Releases Audi Nines