World Championship Gold on an Aluminum Frame

Carbon frames dominate professional mountain bike racing. Aluminum, on the other hand, hardly plays a role among top athletes anymore. Raphaela Richter has now proven otherwise: Riding an aluminum Crossworx Dash MK2, she won the 2026 Enduro World Championship title in Finale Ligure.

After six stages and just under 42 minutes of racing, Richter finished a mere 1.575 seconds ahead of France’s Isabeau Courdurier. Italy’s Nadine Ellecosta followed in third place, 3.897 seconds behind. Richter laid the groundwork with her victory in the first stage and took the lead starting with the fourth stage.

“I’m incredibly proud of myself for having won the biggest title possible in MTB after many ups and downs along my own path. I still can’t quite believe it,” Richter explains.

High performance doesn’t necessarily require carbon

The world champion’s bike is based on the Dash MK2 from Crossworx Cycles. The aluminum frame is hand-welded in Rudolstadt, Thuringia. The fact that it can be used to win races at the highest level underscores the potential of this material, which has increasingly been displaced by carbon in elite sports.

Richter has been riding and working for Crossworx since 2025. Under the motto “Choose Local,” she relies on components that are manufactured in Europe whenever possible. She custom-built her bike using products from her sponsors.

World Championship Title Earns a Discount

For Crossworx, the title marks its greatest sporting success to date. The small manufacturer has been producing aluminum frames for six years and now offers seven bike models.

To celebrate the world championship title, Crossworx is offering a 10 percent discount on Dash MK2 frame kits and complete bikes through the end of December 2026. The coupon code is “worldchampion.” The models can be customized and are currently available from stock.

crossworx-cycles.com