That does not come entirely by chance. His father Tobias Witzack was already one of the fastest mountain bikers in our region and passed his passion for racing on to his son.
New Terrain
When Elijah moved up to the U23 category, he wanted to find out what he could achieve on the road as well. He was given a place in the BIKE AID Development Team, where his explosiveness and bike handling skills from mountain biking quickly proved valuable and showed promising potential.
At the same time, he continued to perform strongly on the mountain bike. At an international Bundesliga race in Gedern, Elijah even finished on the Elite podium, his strongest MTB result to date.
But then came an experience that gave his season a completely new direction.
Three Victories in the Caribbean
The Tour de Martinique was Elijah's first major trip and his first real stage race on the road. And that was where he found his rhythm.
With three stage victories, he became one of the standout riders of the race. Far away from Saarland, but certainly not far away from passionate cycling culture. Races in Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana attract huge local interest. People line the roads, follow the races in the media and celebrate the winners.
It therefore did not take long before Elijah received an offer to race for a Caribbean team in the future, including a salary and an apartment.
But Elijah Is Drawn Back to Saarland
There are good reasons for him to return home. Together with Klara Müller, he forms what is probably the fastest cycling couple in Saarland. And away from cycling, Elijah is also starting a new chapter in his life: he has just begun a vocational apprenticeship in a skilled trade.
At the same time, his results have clearly shown that he has sporting potential that should not be left unexplored.
The Next Opportunity with BIKE AID
That is why Elijah, as another rider coming through the BIKE AID Development Team, will get the opportunity to step into professional cycling as a stagiaire for the remainder of the season.
This is exactly why our Development Team exists. Young riders can develop, explore different paths and earn the opportunity to take the next step through their performances.
Combining a full-time apprenticeship with high-level competitive cycling will certainly be a challenge for Elijah. But first, he now gets the opportunity to find out what he can achieve at this level.
We wish him all the best.
