CRANKWORX INNSBRUCK TO BRING LIVE MTB ACTION TO RED BULL TV IN OCTOBER

Made-for-TV festival (no spectators) to launch from Austria, September 30 through October 4

German-language release can be downloaded HERE.

WHISTLER, BC, August 31, 2020 — Following on the heels of the successful CLIF Crankworx Summer Series, Crankworx is taking racing in 2020 to the next level. One month from now, Crankworx Innsbruck will bring together some of the world’s best athletes to compete across multiple disciplines from September 30 through October 4.

Over the five days of the festival, five events will be broadcast live to Red Bull TV: 

The Official European Whip-Off Championships presented by Spank will also take place during the festival, with highlights available after.

The made-for-T.V. events will be staged from the festival’s home base of Bikepark Innsbruck. Fans can look forward to 10 hours of live race coverage on Red Bull TV, plus event recaps, highlight videos and exclusive behind-the-scenes content from their favourite riders.

“It’s been an empty season and I am so pumped to get back on the contest circuit again,” said Emil Johansson, who has confirmed he’ll be participating in the Crankworx Innsbruck Slopestyle, live on Red Bull TV. He said despite the lack of competition, he’s feeling ready to jump back into it. “Not being able to travel outside of Sweden these past few months has allowed me to focus more on my riding… basically just an extended off-season with better weather and lots more bikes. I hope the event will be a good end to this crazy year.”

Slopestyle, Pump Track and Speed & Style will all be invitational events.

Meantime, registration is now open for Dual Slalom and the DH. Details: https://www.crankworx.com/athletes/ 

“We are so thrilled to be able to continue the momentum of live racing we started with Summer Series, this time in Europe and on Red Bull TV,” says Crankworx World Tour Managing Director Darren Kinnaird. “With so many of the world’s best athletes flocking to Europe for the fall, we’ll have the opportunity to bring together a stacked field of riders from different disciplines to see some great racing. We’re confident that, working with our team in Innsbruck, we’ll be able to put together a safe event and an amazing show for our fans around the world.”

“With an eye on the global situation and in a close collaboration with the local authorities, we are happy to announce that we’ll be able to make Crankworx Innsbruck happen in 2020!” says Georg Spazier, head of the Crankworx Innsbruck organizing committee. “With strict health and safety guidelines we have found a way to offer our international and local athletes the chance to participate in the Crankworx season finale here in Innsbruck. As we know, the athletes are on fire to get back between the tape, so we’ve been working hard on a solution all summer long. It was a requirement to reduce the participants on-site to a minimum, so our full focus will be on sport and getting the action live to our fans around the globe. We sincerely want to thank all our partners for their continued support and hope to return to the festival as we know it for our next edition!”

Crankworx Innsbruck’s #1 priority is to bring live mountain bike racing to the world, with rider, staff and community safety top of mind. But with eased travel restrictions, the risk of resurgence is real. That’s why organizers are taking every precaution with procedures to protect all involved.

With this in mind, Crankworx Innsbruck will be following these five steps to safe competition:

  1. Closed Events
    1. Crankworx Innsbruck events are made-for-TV, with spectators encouraged to tune in from home: Get stoked. Be safe. Watch #CrankworxFromHome.
  2. Limited Numbers
    1. Access to the venue will be limited to approved and accredited athletes and individuals, along with minimizing the number of staff, suppliers and volunteers on-site.
  3. Strict Health Rules and Regulations
    1. “Above and beyond” approach to rules in place by local health authorities.
    2. Instruction of all participants on current COVID-19 regulations and Crankworx Innsbruck’s COVID-19 guidelines.
    3. Accreditation and access to event site contingent on completion of a health and wellness screening and temperature check.
    4. Self-symptom checking daily throughout the event.
  4. Minimized Interactions 
    1. All participants will be divided into pre-arranged groups (“bubbles”), with key health and safety protocols in place when these groups intermingle.
  5. Distancing, Disinfecting and Masks
    1. Strict protocols in place to protect all individuals on site.

Full schedule and details for all live events to come during Crankworx Innsbruck 2020: crankworx.com  

Get stoked. Be safe. Watch #CrankworxFromHome.

Photos for media use: Dropbox

Launch video: YouTube

About the Crankworx World Tour
Crankworx is the ultimate experience in mountain biking. Born in Whistler, B.C. in 2004, Crankworx has evolved into a multi-stop international festival series. The Crankworx World Tour brings together the best mountain bike athletes to compete in elite-level competitions in a variety of disciplines. Crankworx World Tour festivals also host races for amateurs, CWNEXT categories for next gen athletes, Kidsworx contests for young riders, participatory events and celebrations of mountain bike culture, all while showcasing amazing destinations. For additional information, visit Crankworx.com