Crankworx - the biggest mountain bike freeride event in the world - is coming to Innsbruck for the first time in 2017. It has already been decided when the freeride athletes will be wearing lederhosen. The slopestyle spectacle will take place from June 21 to 25. The first details of the program have also been announced.

In August 2016, the Tyrolean capital and the tourism association landed a coup: The mega event Crankworx will also be held in Innsbruck in 2017 and 2018, alongside the other venues Whistler, Rotorua and Let Gets.

Organizer with experience

The company innsbruck-tirol sports GmbH has been commissioned with the organization and implementation of the event in Tyrol and the date for 2017 has been fixed. "We are very happy about this exciting task and, together with the tourism association and other partners, we were able to fix the date for the event from June 21 to 25, 2017," says Georg Spazier, managing director of innsbruck-tirol sports GmbH (ITS).

The ITS was founded as a non-profit company of the Innsbruck-Tirol Youth Olympic Games 2012 GmbH in order to ensure the preservation and further development of knowledge that was built up during the organization and implementation of the YOG 2012 and other events. "We have the necessary knowledge and have been able to build up an enormous international network over the last few years, which makes it even easier for us to implement major sporting events such as Crankworx, the 2018 World Cycling Championships or the Winter World Masters Games," continues Georg Spazier.

Downhill, slopestyle, dual speed&style, whipp off and pump track

Preparations for Crankworx Innsbruck are already in full swing, according to the new organizer. The existing infrastructure will be used to the best of its ability and further expanded in order to celebrate the Austrian premiere in June 2017 with five competitions. In addition to the downhill competition, a slopestyle, a dual speed & style competition as well as a whip-off and a pump track contest are planned.

The central venue for the competitions and the supporting program is the Bikepark Innsbruck (Muttereralmpark). For the second edition of Crankworx, the infrastructure will be expanded by a further step.Crankworx offers Innsbruck a unique opportunity to present itself worldwide as a mountain bike hotspot and to further expand this area. The event will clearly be used to implement and accelerate various sustainable measures in the bike sector.

Crankworx as a driver for tourism

Karin Seiler-Lall, Director of the Innsbruck Tourist Board, is excited about this opportunity: "Crankworx offers Innsbruck the opportunity to further develop the topic of biking in a way that the large, growing scene has long wanted. The event can also be seen as a kind of development driver for the construction of infrastructure that is available for local and tourist use in the long term and sustainably."

Also a program for kids

Parallel to the professional competitions, visitors can look forward to a series of side events in June 2017. Georg Spazier doesn't want to reveal too much yet: "With Kidsworx, we are planning a colorful workshop program for children, similar to our Freestyle am Landhausplatz event, which could also be integrated into this series of events. In addition, the trendsetters of the mountain bike scene will have the opportunity to present the latest bikes and gadgets".

www.crankworx.com