In Stuttgart, mountain bikers have been fighting for decades to be allowed to ride a few trails. And slowly but surely, they’re actually succeeding, as Ride reported. 

It’s a whole different story when Red Bull comes along and says, “Let’s have the pros tear through the city for a whole weekend.” The Swabian metropolis doesn’t approve something like this overnight, but it does so years faster. On September 5 and 6, the finale of the Cerro Abajo series will take place here. There’s even a world championship title up for grabs.

“Red Bull Cerro Abajo puts the Kessel, our parks and neighborhoods, as well as Stuttgart’s characteristic Stäffele, in the spotlight in a sporting way,” says Clemens Maier, Stuttgart’s mayor for safety, public order, and sports. Stäffele are stone staircases, and there are several hundred of them in Stuttgart. They were built when the slopes around the city were still vineyards. When these gave way to houses, the Stäffele remained. Normally, cycling on them is prohibited.

Start at the Teehaus, finish at Wilhelmsplatz

The start is at the Teehaus on Weissenburgplatz, and the finish line is drawn at Wilhelmsplatz. In between, as is customary in Cerro Abajo races, the course winds through stairs, landings, narrow alleys, and numerous artificial obstacles, doubles, road gaps, and banked turns down into the valley. 

The series has produced its own specialists who do not compete in the UCI Downhill World Cup. In Stuttgart, riders like multiple-time winner Tomáš Slavík and German Johannes Fischbach, who has also been the overall series champion, will ride.

Spectating is free and possible along the entire course. The livestream is available on Red Bull TV and YouTube.

More info on Red Bull Cerro Abajo Stuttgart