iXS Downhill Cup and Specialized Rookies Cup 2019 Calendars Revealed

PRESS RELEASE: Racement

Since 2003, the iXS Downhill Cup has lured thousands of athletes and visitors to its different race series every season and, of course, it will continue to do so in 2019! As of right now, the schedule is finally complete! 2019 awaits you with 22 races.

It is finally November again, so it is about time to release the race dates for the 2019 Downhill season! Next year, there are 22 races coming up, including some new venues. While the iXS European Cup adds Pila (Italy) to the mix, the Specialized Rookies Cup will rely on the same venues like last season. The iXS Downhill Cup, however, adds two completely new venues to its agenda, even if they might be situated slightly outside Central Europe.

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Review 2018

But before we start talking about 2019, let’s have a quick look back on the 2018 statistics! 6.054 participants in the different iXS races in total make an average of 303 riders per race. All in all, 2.507 different athletes from 44 nations took part in the various cups. If you take a closer look on the Specialized Rookies Cup, 887 rookies competed, including 268 boys and girls in the U13 and U15 categories who wouldn’t have been able to participate in any other races due to age restrictions. While lots of other races and race series keep fighting constantly decreasing numbers, it is safe to say that all of the iXS Cups managed to keep up their numbers, as well as their high standards over the years.

But now enough with all the numbers and here we go: we proudly present the 2019 iXS race agenda!

iXS European Downhill Cup

Meanwhile, our premium series enters its 12th season! For the upcoming season 6 races are scheduled, including a beloved but long-lost member of the iXS family with Pila! The opening race once again takes us all to Maribor (Slovenia). This time, however, there might be a hint of world elite in the air, since the first World Cup race will also take place Maribor only one week later. After that we will make our way to Kranjska Gora, before we return to another high-class race on a perfect track in Abetone!

Just one week before the Italian World Cup in Val di Sole, the EDC returns to Pila (Italy) which belonged to the favorite venues in Europe for a long time and we’re looking forward to finally being back this season! In mid-August the series goes “back to the roots” with Spicak as its oldest venue, before the season finals take us to Brandnertal, sincerely hoping for better weather this season!



iXS Downhill Cup

The iXS Downhill Cup 2019 will include 10 races, with two of them clearly sticking out geographically. To open the season, all riders are invited to Willingen’s BIKE Festival, before the second race takes you to yet another festival with the iXS Dirt Masters in Winterberg only 2 weeks later. The third race will take place in Kayseri (Turkey), which might be a little far off for some of the iXS regulars. After that the schedule takes us to Eastern Europe with Klinovec, before we introduce you to yet another venue with Pamporovo (Bulgaria). This is, of course, the most Eastern venue of all times in an iXS Cup, but a look on the European Cup in 2018 revealed that there is a lot of potential hidden among the riders in this area, giving us every reason to include them in the series. The 6th and 7th races take us back to the heart of Germany with Ilmenau and Bad Tabarz, before we all make our way to Innsbruck. After that we will already have reached the end of the season, celebrating the German finals in Thale and the finals of the international ranking in Bellwald.





Specialized Rookies Cup

In the Specialized Rookies Cup presented by iXS 2019 there won’t be any changes for the time being. After all, 2018 officially was the most successful season so far, so there really seems to be no reason for change at all. 6 races spread over Germany, Austria and Italy are scheduled. The highlight of the season will probably once again be the iXS International Rookies Championships in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis on the first weekend of August.


As you can see, the iXS Cup once again awaits you all with loads of action in 2019. After 17 years in business, the different series belong to the world’s most successful of their kind, making them a stepping stone within the Downhill discipline. Many of the world’s elite started their careers in one or several of these series, and in recent years even more promising athletes seem to emerge all around the world.

Last but not least a shout out to all of you who are no active athletes: support the races anyway! If not as an athlete, come join the family as a member of staff or be a part of one of the cheering crowds!

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With thanks to: Maxxis, Muc Off, Spank, iXS, Leatt, BMO, Ohlins

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MENTIONS: @iXSsports / @Racement

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