Marion Fromberger claims home victory at the German UCI Mountain Bike World Cup

Germany's top mountain bike pros delivered at the home World Cup in Aalen. Marion Fromberger took the win on home soil, while Simon Gegenheimer narrowly missed out on first place by just 0.1 seconds, still delivering an outstanding performance.

It’s the highlight of the year for German mountain biking. The World Cup in Aalen, southern Germany, attracts thousands of spectators every year. Thanks to two local heroes, the event offered not only top-level sport but also an incredibly emotional atmosphere for more than 10,000 fans. The new course ran straight through Aalen’s historic old town - this time even across a concert stage - and featured an exceptionally long finishing straight with two jump lines. “Change doesn’t mean the past was bad. But just like an athlete, you always have to keep moving and pushing yourself to reach world-class level. The course, with its three spectator hotspots, more than proved itself,” said chief organizer Steffen Thum (LTE sports events), describing the goosebump-inducing atmosphere in Aalen.

But let’s start at the beginning. In the time trial, Marion Fromberger defeated reigning world champion Mariia Sukhopalova from Ukraine but initially landed in second position behind Adéla Pernická (CZE). In the final runs, however, the German champion showed true determination. Leading from the front, she confidently took control of the race. “Better to die brave than live in fear. And in the end, the 10,000 fans along the course simply carried me home,” said Fromberger about her race strategy. After a strong start, she pulled away from the pack within the first 800 meters, creating a gap that her competitors couldn’t close. Fromberger was able to raise her arms in triumph even before crossing the finish line. “It’s a dream come true - the most emotional victory of my career so far, pure goosebumps,” said the winner, who is now also the current leader in the world rankings.

Her teammate Simon Gegenheimer knows the feeling of winning the German World Cup - he did so in 2022 on the very last meters of the finishing straight. In 2025, however, it was the Slovenian Jakob Klemenčič who overtook him on exactly the same place. Second place for Gegenheimer - but with a big smile on his face: “It was an emotional rollercoaster - on the final 1,000 meters there were six overtakes. That says everything about our sport, this brilliant course here in Aalen, and there’s no better way to come second,” said Gegenheimer, who delivered a courageous and thrilling finale. He fought through every corner and gave the audience a breathtaking show.

World-class sport in Aalen, rounded off with an after-show party featuring chart-topping star Michael Schulte. “This is how a World Cup should be,” commented the UCI after the event, raising hopes that the UCI license rights will continue to stay long-term in the Ostalb region.