Craftsmanship meets sport: master roofer brings freestyle mountain biking to DACH+HOLZ International 2026

Munich/Cologne, 3 February 2026 – In this interview, Niels Gehrke talks about his career in roofing, his passion for extreme sports and why balance, risk assessment and body awareness are just as important on a roof as they are on a mountain bike

Mr Gehrke, you are a master roofer and also a successful freestyle mountain biker. How did this unusual combination come about?

Niels Gehrke: "I grew up in the trade. My father is a carpenter, we have a family business. It was clear to me early on that I also wanted to pursue a career in the trades. I didn't want to become a carpenter because I had known that since I was a child. So I looked at what was available, did an internship as a roofer and realised: that was the right fit. At the same time, I got into mountain biking. As a teenager, I spent a lot of time in the woods practising small jumps on my bike. Over time, this led to longer distances, bigger jumps and eventually tricks and somersaults. Both crafts and sports have grown together over the years."

You taught yourself freestyle mountain biking. How important are experience and personal responsibility in your sport?

Niels Gehrke: ‘Very important. When I started, there were already training courses available, but not in the form we have today. We worked out a lot of things ourselves – with respect for the risks involved. You learn to assess your body, evaluate dangers and work with great concentration. That's something I'm also familiar with from my trade.’

Where do you personally see the greatest parallels between roofing and freestyle sports?

Niels Gehrke: "Definitely balance, body awareness and risk assessment. Whether I'm on the roof or on my bike, I need to know what I can and cannot do. It's about assessing situations correctly: Is the ground safe? Do I have enough control? Am I fully focused mentally? I also prefer being outdoors to being in the office. Both are physical activities where precision is crucial. And last but not least, my technical know-how flows directly into the sport: We build our own ramps out of wood, with the highest standards of stability and safety."

You and your crew regularly perform at events and trade fairs. What role does your background in craftsmanship play in this?

Niels Gehrke: ‘A very big one. It's important to me that everything is built cleanly: no wobbly structures, no protruding screws. When you're a master roofer and have high quality standards, you automatically bring that with you. Especially with mobile ramps for halls or trade fairs, you have to plan very carefully. It's classic craftsmanship.’

At DACH+HOLZ International 2026, you will be part of the new format ‘Craftsmanship meets Sport’. What can visitors expect?

Niels Gehrke: "We perform our show twice every day of the fair and sign autographs afterwards. You can see spectacular tricks – from forward somersaults and 360-degree spins to double backward somersaults performed by the younger riders in my team. Our aim is to stir emotions and show how much skill, training and craftsmanship goes into it. "

You also bring young drivers with you. Do you specifically promote young talent?

Niels Gehrke: "Yes, absolutely. I have a club with around 50 members and a junior team with very talented young riders. Promoting young talent is important to me – in sport as well as in the trades. I have also set myself the professional goal of hiring an apprentice every year if possible. Sport and the trades complement each other perfectly: anyone who is physically fit, performance-oriented and has team spirit has what it takes to succeed in both areas."

In your opinion, can such a format help to get young people interested in skilled trades?

Niels Gehrke: ‘Definitely. Skilled trades are performance-oriented, physically demanding and incredibly versatile. That's a great fit for young people who are active in sports. If you show that skilled trades can be modern, creative and exciting, you can reach a target group that you might not otherwise appeal to.’

What drives you personally, both in your career and in sport?

Niels Gehrke: ‘During my master craftsman's examination, someone once said to me: “You won't be able to do both in the future.” That spurred me on enormously. I wanted to prove that it is indeed possible to be successful in a trade and achieve top performances in sport at the same time. Since then, my standards in both areas have been particularly high.’

What does exhibiting at DACH+HOLZ International mean to you?

Niels Gehrke: ‘A lot. I've never been to the trade fair before and I'm really looking forward to it. For us as athletes, it's a special opportunity to train and perform indoors for a week. And from a technical point of view, it's exciting to see new products, exchange ideas and be part of an industry that, just like sport, thrives on passion, skill and precision.’

About Niels Gehrke

Niels Gehrke (31) is a master roofer and freestyle mountain biker. He works as a master roofer in Taucha (Saxony) and is the founder of the freestyle department Mimo Trails at TSG 1861 Taucha – one of the largest freestyle mountain bike club departments in eastern Germany. He and his team perform at events, trade fairs and shopping centres throughout Germany. At DACH+HOLZ International 2026, Gehrke will be part of the new ‘Craft meets Sport’ campaign format.

About DACH+HOLZ International

DACH+HOLZ International is the leading trade fair for the roofing and timber industry in the European market. It offers a unique platform for networking, innovation and business opportunities. The change of location between northern and southern Germany underlines the different approaches of the roofing and carpentry trades. The next DACH+HOLZ International will take place from 24 to 27 February 2026 at the Cologne Exhibition Centre.

Further information: https://www.dach-holz.com/