Whether the terms downhill and enduro mean anything to you or not, one thing is certain. The sight of cyclists careering down steep and winding forest paths at great speeds is bound to impress everyone. These are the gladiators of today, only now they are decked in colourful costumes and ride on two wheels. This they do with great passion, courage and skills sharing the adrenaline and emotions of their struggles with all who watch and marvel at them.
There was no shortage of these kind of emotions in the Beskid mountains between 17 and 19 May. The WHOOP UCI MTB World Series World Cup competition was held in our region, the first time an international gravity-based mountain biking event of this ranking has taken place in Poland. The best male and female riders from all over the world came to Bielsko-Biała and Szczyrk, where one of the competitions was held. Their battles were broadcast across most of the globe. Hundreds of fans were thrilled to watch them live at various locations including Błonia Common in Bielsko-Biała.
It is no accident that an event of this importance was held in our own backyard. Bielsko-Biała was the first city to invest in downhill mountain cycle trails on such a scale. Szczyrk followed suit. As a result the Beskid region is the largest hub today of this type of activity in Poland. Mountain riding enthusiasts from all over Europe have been visiting us over the last few years, and they have now been joined by the professionals.
World Cup competitions in these spectacular and exciting disciplines, for which Bielsko-Biała fans have been clamouring for a number of years, are organised at some of the best cycling locations in the world. These include Fort William in Scotland, Finale Ligure in Italy, Lake Placid in the USA and Les Gets in France. Thanks to this extraordinary event fans of this sport, of whom there is a growing number in many countries, will remember Bielsko-Biała forever. Our colourful city has now joined the world leaders in this arena.
