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Published on:

22nd Nov 2024

Antonia Niedermaier: The Ski Mountaineer breaking through on the World Tour

Antonia Niedermaier's sporting career began on the ski slopes of Germany. She won the U20 ski mountaineering world cup before transitioning to cycling full time in 2021. Just three years into her pro career she has a palmares that many would envy - two U23 titles in the time trial as well as medals in the U23 road race in Zurich this year - and to top that she won the queen stage of the 2023 Giro Donne.

She joins Bobby and Jens to discuss all this, her future in the sport and more!

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Transcript
Speaker:

The team gave me the opportunity

to do something on this queen stage and,

2

:

they really trusted me and,

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:

protected me and, but I never thought

that I could win a stage,

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:

I just, wanted to to try something

and to to be brave.

5

:

Hello, everyone, and welcome back

to another episode of The Odd Tandem.

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:

Today our guests started off in the sport

of ski mountaineering

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:

and made a very quick transition

into the cycling world.

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Winning the Queen stage of the 2023 Giro

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:

d'Italia Donne Antonia

Niedermaier joins us today.

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Andy, what a chat that was.

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Absolutely.

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And she's only 21 years old and already

twice world champion time trialing.

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So I guess she must like time

trialling a lot.

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Well, she's made a very rapid progression

in the sport.

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We talked to her a lot about that,

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and she has some great ideas for the next

generation of female cyclists.

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So please sit back,

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relax and listen to our great conversation

with Antonia Niedermaier.

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Antonia Niedermaier.

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Welcome to the odd Tandem. Hi, everyone.

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So, Antonia, here we are in mid-November.

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Where are you coming to us from today?

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I'm at my mother's place in Bavaria.

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But I'm coming today from.

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From bicep, from Tyrol.

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But, we couldn't record there

because the internet, was broken.

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So, now I'm here at my mother's place.

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Before we get further

into where you coming from?

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Into the sport.

What are your goals for next year?

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We have a set of a few quickfire

questions.

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Quick question, quick answer.

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Just to warm up a little bit.

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Okay.

You ready? Antonia? I'm ready already.

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So what is better?

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Floating down a mountain

on fresh powder, on skis

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or descending on a bike?

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Oh. Hard one.

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Powder snow.

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What's the future for you after the sport?

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If farm animals or city penthouse

in Munich or Berlin?

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Definitely a farm.

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Which

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of the three medals

at the world's in Turin you like the best?

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You won a gold, silver and bronze,

which meant the most to you.

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The gold medal under 23.

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And what's better?

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Elite TT title at the worlds.

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Or a win in the women's tour?

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Women's tour.

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All right.

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Cool.

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Well,

I have to start because, you know, both

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Jens and I have daughters

who are more or less your age.

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That never really showed much interest,

to say

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the least, in

in what we did in the sport of cycling.

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How were you exposed to the sport

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of cycling and and who got you into it?

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So actually, I'm not from cycling.

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I'm from, mountain sports, from mountain

running and ski mountaineering

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and, you know, it's like, funny story,

because I never did cycling.

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Yes. As main sport, just as training.

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And then, then during the Covid times,

there were no, mountain runs

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because it's not such a big sport,

but there were some bike races.

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And then my father told me,

yeah, come on, to have some competitions.

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During the summer,

you could do some bike races

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just for fun, just,

to to have some races and.

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Yeah.

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Then, a team later, the junior team,

saw me at some races and they.

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Yeah, immediately

saw the talent and, took me into a team.

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So I believe you were

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a junior world

champion in mountain skiing.

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Correct. Yeah.

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So you had a huge successful

start in the other sport.

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Why did you change then, actually.

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I still love ski mountaineering.

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But, to be honest,

it's, like, not super big sport,

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and you cannot really make a big career

because there's not a lot of money.

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So I also wanted to try something.

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Yeah, but I cannot do as a job

because in ski mountaineering,

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it's always just like a not the main job.

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You can maybe go to the police or

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to the military and, to the sport sideway.

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But, you can never do it, like,

as a full time job.

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And, when I, got the opportunity

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to go into a professional cycling,

I told myself that I want to try it.

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And if it doesn't suit me, I will leave.

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But, Yeah.

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And so now I can say I really like it.

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And, I want to say

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it just a little explanation for

for all of us.

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Bobby.

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Just give me, like, a few seconds

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when Antonia said, go to the police

or to the army,

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to police forces

and to army forces are a big, big,

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big supporter of German amateur sports,

especially units

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where athletes can become

a police officer or a soldier.

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And then you do probably

at least three weeks per month.

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You have time to train, and one week

is actually police or military service.

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Oh, and amateur sport

would not exist in Germany

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without the support of the army

and the police forces.

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With this special sports group.

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I was part of that

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in my younger amateur years,

and now I think that's what Antonia meant.

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When she said,

you can join the police or the army.

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Just an explanation.

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Yeah, it's a really, really amazing thing

they do for the sport.

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So I think, a lot of athletes

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actually could not,

do the sports without them.

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Okay.

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Well, we've had a few guests

that have mentioned ski mountaineering

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in the past, Quinn Simmons,

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Sepp Kuss, even our buddy Dirk Friel.

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But to our viewers and our listeners

that don't really know,

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can you explain

what ski mountaineering is?

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Yeah.

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For sure.

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Like, it's, going up with the ski,

the mountain in the snow

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and you have, like, skins, under your ski

that you have to grip.

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And then, on the top of the mountain.

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So you just put off the skins

and ski down.

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So I also like the, the binding

where you are in, when you're skiing

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down, it's, like, flexible,

so you can close it and have it open

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for, for walking up the mountain.

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You have to open it

that you can walk, that your heel is free.

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And if you want to ski down,

you just close it

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and then you're like, in your ski.

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And then you can ski down.

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So that's like, the main thing.

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And you cannot take off these keys.

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You cannot carry

the skis uphill in your backpack.

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That's not allowed.

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And you have certain fixed points

you have to like check

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that there's like whatever,

like a, a referee that goes, oh, yep.

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Antonia, pass my point.

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You pass this point at this time

or how is that whole timing done?

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Yeah, actually in competitions

is a little bit different.

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So you have like three different

disciplines.

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You have the vertical race.

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It's just about the uphill.

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So you're just running up. So it

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to start this

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down the mountain

and then you're just running up the top.

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And who is first is first.

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So, yeah, that's the,

the easiest competition.

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Then you have, the individual race day,

you have like, up and down all the time.

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So you walk up the mountain and ski down,

and there you also allow

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to put your ski on the back.

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You actually also have to

it's parts of the race.

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So you have to put the ski on your back

and then climb up,

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with a ski in the back

and then ski down again.

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And it's like about one and a half

to two hours race

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and, and about 3000, 3,500

vertical metres.

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And then you have the sprint.

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It's like a little bit

like a mountain biking.

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That's like a parkour. You have to to run.

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So the first time you do it alone

it's like about five minutes.

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And then you come, yeah, to the heats.

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So it's always five people

against each other.

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And the first three people,

coming to the next round

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and then the finals are coming.

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So that's the,

the most, popular discipline.

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And it's also becoming Olympic in 26.

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Geez.

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So I'm just thinking of, like, looking

at a heart rate file from something.

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Like what? You just explained.

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So it's basically threshold and above

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all, the way to the top of the mountain.

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And then you said you also ski down

after that in some of the events.

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Exactly. And sprint.

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And in the individual race

you also have to ski down.

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So yeah,

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it's really also technical

because you have to put the skins off

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very fast

and put your ski in the back really fast.

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And so it's, also a lot of,

technical training.

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And you mentioned it.

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I mean, I also did some research

and Google.

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It's becoming an Olympic sport.

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Do you ever did it

ever cross your mind to go double,

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to try to win

a Winter Olympics medal in that sport

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and try to win a medal

on a Summer Olympics?

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Is that a dream of

you know that it's too much.

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It's a dream to to go there and,

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just have the experience

also with the winter sport.

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But unfortunately, sprint becomes Olympic

and I'm not really a sprinter,

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not in cycling

and also not in ski mountaineering.

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So, well I think,

everything is still open and,

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for sure

I will try to, to get there some somehow.

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Okay.

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So you start with ski mountaineering.

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You start due to your father

participating in some bike races.

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You mentioned that a junior team

noticed you.

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But then tell us how you got hooked up

with the Canyon

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Sram generation team

because, you're only 21 now.

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And this was, what, just a few years ago,

it seems like it was a pretty

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a major fast

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track going from ski mountaineering

to, to cycling.

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Explain a little bit about that pathway

and how it works there

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in Germany for, for for the women.

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It actually was really fast because I,

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came straight to the national team

as a junior and, did

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my first, European stand

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and became second place in the treaty.

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And then,

after the European Championships,

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a lady came to me

and asked me to join the generation team.

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And because you had, like,

this idea of, development

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team for his Canyon Sram WorldTour team.

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And so we came in contact and,

and we were talking,

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and I was not really sure because,

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it was never my plan

to become a professional athlete.

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So I was a little bit confused.

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And it all happened really, really fast.

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And,

sometimes I'm still a little bit, confused

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with all this situation

because, as I said, it was never like

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my plan to become an athlete

and professional athlete, and,

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Yeah, but then I came to the generation

team,

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2022 and, had a great season.

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And,

I learned a lot because I think it was

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I had, like 5 or 6 bike races

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before and, came to this continental team.

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Yeah, I'm really, really happy and,

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really thankful that I got this

opportunity from, Ronny [Lauke].

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And. Yeah, then, the journey started.

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So now we describe it,

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coming from ski mountaineering,

a bit of junior racing.

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Five races

before you joined the bigger team.

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How do you feel?

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I mean, obviously with, winning twice,

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the world championships under 23 and time

trial.

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Right.

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The the physical ability is there,

the talent is there,

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the strength is there.

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How do you feel on

the bike in the peloton?

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Is that still something

you a little nervous about? You got now?

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It's. It's all good for me.

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In the beginning, I was.

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I was definitely really afraid,

of the peloton and all the other girls.

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And I always thought, oh, there's so much

experienced, more experienced in me.

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And, also like the,

the girls that during the race, sometimes

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not really nice.

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And I'm like a really sensitive girl

and so at some points

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I was a little bit,

yeah, overwhelmed by the whole situation.

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But I think I learned to deal with it

and, yeah, I have to say,

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like the last, three seasons I had with

Canyon were pretty, pretty good.

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And I every race

I got, more self-confident.

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And I also know what I can and I also know

that the attackers know me.

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And,

so I think it's just about confidence.

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And I also know that I can always,

Yeah, be with my team-mates.

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And they will keep me safe.

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And I think that's a really big point

to tell me that I know when I'm

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with my team, I'm safe.

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Yeah, that that helps.

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But I'm still trying to get my head

wrapped around the

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how how quickly you were able to adjust,

because I read that

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you graduated from high school in 2022.

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On your 16th day of racing,

you won two stages

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in the overall of the tour

de l’ardèche feminine.

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Winning a stage race

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without much experience to me

sounds almost impossible.

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You know, maybe going and winning a stage

or one of the classement jerseys,

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like the Queen in the mountain

or the points jersey.

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Something like that.

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Maybe.

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Maybe one stage, but two stages

and the overall.

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Tell us a little bit about that race

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and how you were able to navigate,

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I guess some uncharted waters

doing an eight day stage race.

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Yeah.

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It was, a really big thing for me because

it was my first ever long stage race.

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And, I knew also that it was really hard

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won with a lot of climbing

and descending and technical.

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But from the beginning on,

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we had a good team and,

I think the mood was really good.

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And,

and this is the first stage that I won.

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Yeah.

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I wasn't really thinking about winning,

honestly.

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It was just like I had good legs.

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And then, I, I was riding on the front,

and then my team-mate was like,

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why are you doing this?

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If you feel strong, just go.

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And then, yeah, I tried

and I think I was to the other girls,

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they were like,

yeah, come on, let's let her go.

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It was like,

I think 80km to the finish line.

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And, yeah.

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Then I did, really long,

so I am, I rode all these

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80km alone and, had really good legs

and yeah,

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I also was super overwhelmed and,

happy to.

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Yeah, to come there and win a stage

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and, I really wasn't expecting that.

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I'm winning another stage, too,

and winning this whole GC, so it was like,

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really it happened was so fast

I couldn't really realise it.

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So. So you surprised yourself.

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You did not see that coming at all

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before in training

or in the races before where you.

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I feel good.

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I might be able to win the stage.

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You were completely surprised

by by your own success?

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Definitely.

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I think we all were like it was

we came to this race and we were like,

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okay, we we're doing our best,

but we're not here for the win.

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We were like, okay, it's, for experience

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and we just want to have

some some great days of racing.

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But, I think nobody really expected that

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we could win this race.

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Well, you talk about unexpected

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wins in 2023.

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You won the Queen stage of the Giro

d'Italia

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Donne on another solo move

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and winning ahead of of Annemiek van

Vleuten.

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Tell us about winning your first

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Grand Tour stage, and especially at being

the queen stage of that year's race.

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Yeah, it was also really special

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because I had a really, really hard year.

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I had a surgery in February on my knee,

and then my grandma died in March,

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so I was like, really at a really stupid

start to the year.

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And, you know,

I was also really frustrated

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that I could not start my season.

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Right. And, with training and so on.

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So I came to this Giro

and it was also my first Grand Tour ever.

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So I was like,

I was really nervous anyways.

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And, yeah.

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Then also the team gave me the opportunity

to, to do something on this queen stage

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and, they really trusted me

and, protected me, and.

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But I never thought

that I could win a stage.

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Just, wanted to to try something

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and to to be brave and, Yeah.

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And the end was

I was dropped in the beginning

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and then came back, and then I was like,

okay, what should I do now?

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And and nobody was moving at all.

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And then I was like, okay, if,

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if I want to do something, I, I did it,

I try it now.

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And also from the car

they gave me the advice to attack

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and yeah, I could not really realise

what I am doing.

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I was in my head,

I was like, what are you doing?

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I was so

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confused with this whole situation and,

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being in the front alone.

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And I knew that Annemiek

was chasing after a while.

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And then I knew that the last kilometre

were like,

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just flat, and it was just like,

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so my head, I was switching

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to, to program and I knew, okay,

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it's going to hurt the last 20 minutes,

but it's worth it.

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And, yeah, in the end, at the finish

line, I couldn't believe that.

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I just won a Giro stage.

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So it was,

I think, it took me really long to

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to realise what I just done.

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Well.

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And you beat Annemiek van Vleuten,

and she is,

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you know,

one of the superstars of women's cycling.

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And if I remember right,

you were second in the overall

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after that stage for that day.

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Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

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Well, as we know in this sport, one day

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you're on the top of the heap and one day

you're on the crap pile, right?

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There was an unfortunate incident

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that happened the next day

which forced you to abandon,

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can you explain to us

and our listeners and viewers like what?

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What happened there?

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Because this sport is so brutal.

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Sometimes you you go from one extreme

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to the other, but just curious about that.

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That next day's event.

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Yeah.

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And the next day was like,

also a hard stage, but not too hard.

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So everything stayed,

more or less together

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and, I think, I don't know, I,

we had not that much kilometre to go

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and it wasn't a feeding

and I was a little bit behind

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because I wanted to grab a bottle

and then, Yeah,

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just a girl crashed into me

from the side, and I just fell over her,

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and I wasn't expecting it,

and I was unprepared for a crash,

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so I really fell on my face.

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And, yeah, I unfortunately,

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I lost two of my, teeth and, Yeah,

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I had really bad bruises on my face

and on my knee and, everywhere.

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And. Yeah, first day I wasn't.

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It had such a shock

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that I was just standing up

and wanted to grab my bike and move on.

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But then the ambulance came and they were,

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they took me out immediately

and, told me I cannot.

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I cannot move on.

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And then I just realised that

I don't have my teeth anymore.

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So I was, so shocked and.

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Yeah, then I had to to go to the hospital

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with the helicopter, and,

they were really worried that I broke

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maybe my neck or something, but,

luckily I had.

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I was really lucky that there was nothing

broken.

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Just, like, in my hand, a little bone.

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But it was all right.

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And just the teeth, but nothing else.

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So I was really lucky I to stay.

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Well, I believe then you

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needed some replacement for 40

some more operations and surgery.

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How long did it take to recover?

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Like physically?

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How much time

until you were back on the bike

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and I believe in your young career,

that was your first bigger

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or heavier crash.

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How long did you had

needed to get over that?

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And I'm ready to go back.

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Yeah.

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Physically I was really fast

back on the bike.

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It was just like I needed more for my

head to take a week completely off.

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But then I went back on the bike

and it was okay, just, my hand,

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I could just go on my bike because it was,

Yeah, a little bit hurting.

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:

But the teeth actually

took really long to recover, so it's,

406

:

really long thing

that the heals and, in later.

407

:

Yeah. That I accepted it from the body?

408

:

It's really, really long journey.

409

:

So I, I think I finished my

treatment in March this year.

410

:

Yeah.

411

:

Mentally

was such I was really hard to come back

412

:

because it was my first big crash,

and I was so disappointed

413

:

because I was second in the GC and,

just the day

414

:

before I won the stage and was so happy.

415

:

So it was at this moment

I realised how cruel sport can be.

416

:

And, it took me long to.

417

:

Yeah, to recover from that mentally.

418

:

But yeah, I think now I'm fine.

419

:

I, I work with, psychologists

and Yeah, I'm, I'm

420

:

not too afraid anymore on the bike,

but I'm more,

421

:

careful, I have to say.

422

:

Earlier in the interview,

you mentioned your team

423

:

and, you know, the support of the team,

the way that they look out for you.

424

:

I mean, it's.

425

:

No, it's no shock that your team

is one of the biggest in the world,

426

:

and you have Kasia Niewiadoma,

who is the defending

427

:

tour de France Femmes champion,

Chloe Dygart that won an Olympic medal.

428

:

I mean, you know, Tiffany Cromwell,

the the list goes on and on and on.

429

:

Tell us a little bit about how you ladies

work together and support each other.

430

:

Even maybe when you're not

at the same races together.

431

:

Yeah.

432

:

I think, over the last years

we just grew together.

433

:

We have like, one family

and always caring about each other.

434

:

And if someone is not feeling good, yeah.

435

:

Just really, really supports them.

436

:

And, Yeah, it's it's really nice to see

how how we grew together as a team.

437

:

And we are really like a team.

438

:

Not everybody is fighting for it

for itself.

439

:

So I it's it's like, like a big family.

440

:

So it's really nice

and also after, after the crash, I had,

441

:

I experienced a day a recurring and,

442

:

especially with young riders stay.

443

:

They really want you to give the knowledge

they have to the young, young girls

444

:

and support them and help them to

445

:

to absolutely

get the best results they can.

446

:

And when is the next time you see them?

447

:

You have, to next a training camp

or come together camp

448

:

talking about the next season

when you see your team again.

449

:

Yeah.

450

:

In the beginning of December,

we have, team camp

451

:

and, yeah, really looking forward

to see all the girls again.

452

:

And also the new ones.

453

:

I think we have a couple of new riders.

454

:

I'm really curious to see.

455

:

And, Yeah, I'm.

456

:

I'm really happy that,

I will meet the girls in.

457

:

So. So this year

you had a pretty busy schedule.

458

:

You did the the Vuelta Feminine.

459

:

The Tour de Suisse,

the Giro d'Italia Feminine.

460

:

But you did not do

the tour de France Femmes.

461

:

Is that something

that you are looking forward to doing?

462

:

I mean, you're you'd be going in

with the defending champion next year.

463

:

Yeah.

464

:

For sure.

465

:

I think it's, the biggest race and it's

super important for women's cycling.

466

:

So, for sure, I hope that I can

I could do it next season.

467

:

This season we decided not to do it

because I already had a lot of races.

468

:

And I also was a little bit

sick after Olympics.

469

:

But yeah, for sure, the upcoming season,

470

:

I hope we can go there

with a strong team.

471

:

And,

I hope I'm part of it, but, yeah, I'm

472

:

I'm, I think they

they can use me for this race.

473

:

Pretty good.

474

:

And did you had a quick

look at their profile already?

475

:

Did you pick a stage where maybe I can go

476

:

for a solo breakaway idea

or is it too far ahead for you?

477

:

I think it's, far ahead.

478

:

And also, like, I think for the,

479

:

Yeah, for the whole to the force.

480

:

It's like waiting and also seeing

what Kasia is feeling like.

481

:

And, so it's, I think

482

:

for me, it's, not to come there and win

something.

483

:

It's more to support, the team.

484

:

Well, the tour de France Femmes in 2025.

485

:

In case you haven't looked ahead.

486

:

Yens and I have,

it's a total of nine stages this year

487

:

without a rest day

and with without a time trial.

488

:

You mentioned quite a few times

about time trialling.

489

:

It seems like you're very good at time

trialling,

490

:

being the under 23 world champion at it.

491

:

In the future, what would you like to see?

492

:

Would you like to see a time trial

in the tour de France Femmes?

493

:

Because this year

they have two flat stages.

494

:

Three rolling stages.

495

:

They call it two medium mountain days

496

:

and then two big mountain days,

but no time trial.

497

:

Would you like to see a time trial in

the tour de France Femmes in the future?

498

:

Yeah, definitely.

499

:

I think it's a very nice discipline

because it's really honest.

500

:

Like, it's just you against the clock.

501

:

So I think it's.

502

:

It's a nice discipline and it's, pity

that they, they forget about it.

503

:

And a little bit.

504

:

So I yeah, I hope that in the future they,

they will Yeah.

505

:

Do some stages with time trial at least.

506

:

Yeah. Like one day.

507

:

Well, you be, two times world

508

:

champion,

in a time trial with the under 23.

509

:

Is it just a talent or you work

hard on it, you work on your position,

510

:

you do wind tunnel testing,

or you have some experts looking at you,

511

:

telling you about your position.

512

:

You do special efforts,

to become good in time

513

:

trialling or is it just given to you?

514

:

I think the more or less it's

just given to me.

515

:

Honestly, I just did, aero testing

516

:

once last year, but,

I like my position at.

517

:

I think it's fast and also.

518

:

And, and the track where we tested it,

it was a good position

519

:

and,

never really changed big things about it.

520

:

And,

I think, yeah, I, I'm, more like a person

521

:

when something is, going well, like,

it is and I, I will not change it.

522

:

So. Yeah, I think I'm more talented in it.

523

:

So yeah.

524

:

But maybe it's also

525

:

from ski mountaineering because it's more

or less at the same time.

526

:

So it's also 20 minutes about and.

527

:

Yeah,

528

:

I that

529

:

I was going to ask that

it has to come from ski mountaineering.

530

:

I mean, that's by yourself pacing

yourself, knowing your limits, etc., etc.

531

:

but, you know,

being so young to the sport,

532

:

I think you're you're very blessed

to have grown up these

533

:

last couple of years with women's cycling

just going to a totally different level.

534

:

We've seen some huge advancements

in, in women's racing

535

:

compared to back

when Marianne Vos started, when,

536

:

when Kasia started, when Tiffany

Cromwell started, you know, when,

537

:

when all the older generation

of female cyclists started.

538

:

But do you see this progress

539

:

continue in,

and what would you like to see

540

:

get even better than what

you've actually been exposed to so far?

541

:

Yeah, I think it's crazy to see how fast,

542

:

the women's cycling grew in the last,

2 or 3 years.

543

:

And it's amazing to see how, how much,

544

:

publicity we also have and how much fans.

545

:

And yes, it's really nice

and I'm really happy that, now

546

:

just in the cycling world and for sure,

I hope that,

547

:

we keep on growing and,

reaching more people, especially

548

:

young girls, to,

to show them that they have to be brave

549

:

and that they can, can, reach their goals

550

:

and to have, big dreams.

551

:

And then they can reach them. So I think,

552

:

yeah, for sure.

553

:

It's, it's going in a good way.

554

:

And also with, the tour de France

Femmes, it's, it's really good that,

555

:

we have it now and that it's also growing

and getting bigger for sure.

556

:

There's, space for improvement.

557

:

But as it always is and,

I think we also have

558

:

to give the whole thing

the whole cycling time

559

:

to develop itself.

560

:

So, when we talk about the development

of, of women's cycling,

561

:

how fast it went in the last year, now

it's he's

562

:

daring question for you, do you think

do you want, in ten years from now,

563

:

a tour of France, about three weeks

time for a woman like the same as two men.

564

:

Three weeks with tourists and like, really

do the entire lap around France.

565

:

Honestly, I

566

:

don't know if it's possible physically,

because, for sure,

567

:

female body is built different

than the made a body.

568

:

For me, I think,

569

:

nine days is totally enough, but,

for sure, if they maybe would make a rest

570

:

day, then it's also okay to do it

like ten days or 12 or maybe two weeks.

571

:

But I don't know if it's, like,

super smart, to do it

572

:

because as I said, a female body is,

is really built different to a male body.

573

:

Well, you hit that on the head.

574

:

Women are not just smaller men.

575

:

That's that's for sure.

576

:

But you've given us the women's

peloton has given us

577

:

some of the best

racing, of of the year as of late.

578

:

What really gets you

579

:

excited to take the start of

of a race, regardless

580

:

if it's a one day or a a stage race,

what really is that motivation

581

:

when you're out there training to

to make those sacrifice races?

582

:

Yeah, I think for me the main motivation

is to be the best version of myself.

583

:

And, even if it's not to win a race

584

:

to support my team

and see my team-mates winning.

585

:

And for sure, it's

always the greatest moment

586

:

when you do cross the finish line

and your plan works and,

587

:

you or your team-mate, won the race,

and you have just like this

588

:

pure joy and happiness and,

589

:

yeah,

you're just thankful for for every person.

590

:

And also the stuff behind us.

591

:

So, yeah, I think it's this,

this whole social thing

592

:

around cycling

the emotions that makes it so special.

593

:

I guess you have to have a

594

:

good team spirit because you spent

a lot of time on the road, right?

595

:

And team buses

in the team hotels, in training camps.

596

:

So I believe it is really important

to have a good team spirit.

597

:

Is there in women’s cycling

598

:

sometimes, like, like in training camps,

599

:

they do things to increase the team

spirit, like do little adventures together

600

:

or have a, like a mental coach

talking to them about team spirit,

601

:

about teamwork,

or is that something that's

602

:

that doesn't really it's not done in

women's cycling.

603

:

Yeah. We we do this.

604

:

And last year

we did this, training camp in America

605

:

where we did these gravel rides.

606

:

Unfortunately, I was sick and had Covid,

so I was not taking part,

607

:

but, it was more or less a team building

608

:

and, yeah, also, I think some us

609

:

girls, we always going to drink coffee

together in the morning.

610

:

We, we walk together.

611

:

So I think and we do it together

612

:

ourselves, not from the team,

but we also want to do something together.

613

:

It's not like everybody is just going in

their rooms and not talking to each other.

614

:

We are,

I think, are really social, people.

615

:

So we are always doing something together.

616

:

That seems to be

617

:

a little bit different than the

618

:

the male peloton,

because a lot of the guests that we have

619

:

had on say that, you know, at night, guys

just go back up to their room,

620

:

you know, they've got their recovery

boots on or they're watching Netflix,

621

:

they're on their phones

or on their devices.

622

:

They're talking to their families.

623

:

So it's great to hear that,

that that spirit, that camaraderie

624

:

which obviously comes out in, in the bike

racing for, for you ladies.

625

:

I mean, that's,

that's what you want that that creates

626

:

that atmosphere,

that longevity, that, that fun.

627

:

But you know, you

I was actually surprised

628

:

that you are not the youngest girl

on Canyon Sram.

629

:

You even have younger girls.

630

:

So you're 21.

631

:

You have 2 or 3, young ladies,

especially, Zoe Backstedt.

632

:

That's like a year younger than you.

633

:

You know, Tiffany Cromwell,

you know, she's a little bit older.

634

:

The new recruit, Cecile

Uttrip Ludwig is coming.

635

:

She's she's almost 30.

636

:

You know, is 30.

637

:

Is there a

638

:

disconnect between the 20 year olds

639

:

and the 30 year olds

in, in women's cycling?

640

:

Because I never really felt

that age was a determining factor in that.

641

:

But,

you know, I was in the men's peloton.

642

:

I don't think so.

643

:

I think it's,

644

:

Yeah, in some points, like,

we can learn a lot from the older riders,

645

:

but it's, personally, it's like everybody

646

:

is acting the same, and, we, Yeah,

everybody is the same.

647

:

So it's not like,

oh, I'm older, so I, I'm.

648

:

Yeah,

I know more or I have more knowledge.

649

:

It's not like this is like,

they know they can

650

:

they can learn, you know, something

and then they can give you some knowledge,

651

:

but it's not like,

it makes them a better person.

652

:

So that's really nice to see.

653

:

And, I think, yeah, we can,

we can talk about everything.

654

:

And also to the older riders, if we have

some questions, we can go to them

655

:

and ask them, have some problems and they

they would never be like,

656

:

oh no, I don't want to help you

because your, your young younger,

657

:

you could maybe take something

from my success or anything.

658

:

It's not like this.

659

:

I think it's, really like

660

:

we are a big family and,

the age doesn't really matters.

661

:

In the male

662

:

peloton, it looks like nutrition is,

the part where the sport has developed

663

:

the most over the last year

to take a lot more food within the race.

664

:

Hydration and literally

665

:

the weight their food

right before they eat.

666

:

They have little like tiny little scales.

667

:

And we the food is that craziness

already arrived and woman

668

:

taking as well or whatever you eat

what looks good

669

:

I think it's different for every bride.

670

:

Some girls like to weight their food

and really specific about.

671

:

And, some are not.

672

:

But, a big thing is that the nutrition

in the race, that it's really important.

673

:

And we also have to, uploaded

and tell them what we ate

674

:

and drank and race and they will,

tell us what to do better if it's good.

675

:

Yeah.

676

:

So that's,

that's a really important thing.

677

:

But I think also that there's, for sure

678

:

some, some space for improvement

still and in women's cycling,

679

:

but yeah, I for me, I have to say

680

:

I'm, I'm not, yeah.

681

:

I'm not really into such things, so I'm.

682

:

Well, yeah.

683

:

I don't not

684

:

I'm too lazy for that.

685

:

Maybe.

686

:

But but since we're in the offseason

and you are very new to the sport,

687

:

let's, let's get a little bit

more specific to, to you.

688

:

Obviously you have an amazing

aerobic engine you can climb.

689

:

You can time trial.

690

:

What do you feel that you personally need

to work on this offseason

691

:

to set you up for the 2025 season?

692

:

I think for sure,

my recovery is a big thing.

693

:

I could do more with that

694

:

because I'm, really active person

and I can never sit still.

695

:

So, I think I can do more in stretching

696

:

and, yeah,

I don't know, strength training and so on.

697

:

And, also recovery itself, nutrition

and so on.

698

:

Yeah.

699

:

But, I'm working

with, on that with my coach and,

700

:

he's also in really close

contact to the team.

701

:

And,

I think it's just going to work out well.

702

:

Well, when you

703

:

look at the season, ahead of you,

you also have to look back

704

:

at other seasons to learn

what went good, what went wrong.

705

:

Right.

706

:

So that Giro d'Italia, after the stage

when you were second overall without the

707

:

crash, just in theory, where do you think

would you have ended up?

708

:

You think you could have hold on

to podium, maybe top ten, or maybe you

709

:

go, look, I was 20, 20 years old back

then, I would have completely exploded.

710

:

Honestly, I think I could have

kept the good position because it was not,

711

:

really hard stages coming up.

712

:

So it was just like it also was together

in the peloton, more or less.

713

:

And,

714

:

I think if I just did not have this crash,

maybe I could have ended up on podium.

715

:

But it's always hard to say because, yeah,

you never know.

716

:

Everything can happen in a race.

717

:

Then you have a puncture or something

and then it's not so different again.

718

:

So, yeah,

but maybe I could have ended up a podium.

719

:

So yeah.

720

:

Makes it even even harder to think about.

721

:

Yeah, I can imagine, I can imagine.

722

:

But, you know,

given that your first training camp with

723

:

the team is just a few weeks away,

this that's normally the time

724

:

where the directors pull you into a room

725

:

and tell you about your race schedule.

726

:

In a dream scenario, what would you see

727

:

your race schedule being next year?

728

:

Let's see, I just hope that I can do

a lot of state races

729

:

and, the, the hard ones,

with a lot of climbing.

730

:

Yeah,

but I don't really have, like, a razor.

731

:

I want to do, it's like,

I just want you to learn in the season

732

:

and to to become better in stage races

and, just improve there.

733

:

So I guess when Bobby asked

about in theory your dream season,

734

:

I got a follow up and asked

what would be your dream result?

735

:

What's that one secret win

736

:

or performance you want to have?

737

:

Maybe a medal at the elite TT?

738

:

Another under 23 title,

part of the tour de France team.

739

:

What's what would be your dream result?

740

:

I think, one of my dream results

741

:

would be to be, on the podium

from the elite, World Championships.

742

:

Because I also think that, next year was

743

:

would also be pretty hard

from what I saw until now.

744

:

So that would be a big dream for sure.

745

:

Yeah.

746

:

I don't care

if it's in the, TT or the road race,

747

:

it would be would be great above.

748

:

I'm quite curious

because you're so new to the sport,

749

:

and you probably didn't know much about it

when you started,

750

:

and you've been kind of thrown

into the deep end of the pool.

751

:

And guess what?

752

:

You were able to swim right away.

753

:

But I'm always curious

when somebody comes into the sport

754

:

who was their idol

or who became their idol.

755

:

So I'd like to ask you

756

:

that question of who you really look up

to in in the women's peloton.

757

:

And it's

758

:

it's a really hard question

because I don't really have an idol.

759

:

It's like

I think everybody is pretty impressive

760

:

and everyone who is doing the sport

and such a level is, and ideal for me.

761

:

So, yeah,

I think there's so many impressive girls.

762

:

I can look up to,

but I don't really have a specific one.

763

:

Now,

764

:

we talked so much about your racing

and focusing on the training and so on.

765

:

What do you do in your off time?

766

:

Actually,

I mean, you cannot train 20 hours a day.

767

:

There's a few hours

left for yourself. Right?

768

:

What do you do there?

769

:

Yeah.

770

:

I really love nature.

771

:

And, being outside in the mountains.

772

:

And I also have a dog, and she's

always happy to try me in the mountains.

773

:

So I really love that.

774

:

And, Yeah,

I love to spending time with my

775

:

loved ones and,

so I'm doing this, like, every, every day

776

:

I'm with my boyfriend, with my mother

and the dogs and, Yeah, I think that's,

777

:

the thing that makes me the happiest.

778

:

Well, we're getting towards

the end of the time that we have with you.

779

:

So my my final question would be this,

780

:

how do more young women,

whether it be in Germany,

781

:

US, anywhere in the world,

how do we motivate more young women

782

:

to get into the beautiful sport

of cycling?

783

:

Yeah, I think, we should.

784

:

Yeah.

785

:

Teach the,

especially the girls to to be brave and,

786

:

to dream big and, yeah, to to

787

:

to still be strong enough or brave enough

to to chase after their dreams.

788

:

I think that's,

I think we can, can learn the young girls

789

:

that they should not care

what others were thinking.

790

:

And, Yeah, just should be

791

:

strong enough to, to reach their goals.

792

:

So I think that's an important message

to to tell the girls that you can reach

793

:

everything you want if you just want it

enough, and you are just brave enough.

794

:

And is it still important

to have a network around your family,

795

:

a boyfriend or partner

that supports you and works with you?

796

:

Or how is that situation? For now?

797

:

I think it's different for everyone.

798

:

For me, it is really important

because I'm, really a family person

799

:

and I really, really like to be at home

800

:

and, just have to, to come around

me and my family around me and,

801

:

so for me it's important,

but I think also girls they,

802

:

especially if they are like from

maybe Australia was something like this

803

:

and it's harder for them, but I think

they are also like more independent maybe.

804

:

But yeah, I think it's really, really up

to, to the girls,

805

:

what they like,

and if they need it, yeah, whatever.

806

:

Well, Antonia,

807

:

it's been great

having you on the show today.

808

:

We wish you all the best in the 2025

season.

809

:

Both for you and and your team.

810

:

It's going to be exciting to see

because, man, you know, you just hockey

811

:

stick your progression in this sport

and it'll be really exciting

812

:

to watch because, you know,

you've been touted as one of the, the

813

:

the biggest up and comers

in female cycling.

814

:

And it'll be just fun to watch you.

815

:

So thank you for coming on the tandem

today.

816

:

Yeah. Thank you so much.

817

:

Well, that's everything for this week.

818

:

Now remember to follow us

@OddTandem on TikTok,

819

:

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

and wherever you get your podcasts.

820

:

Thanks to Antonia for joining the podcast,

and please remember, if you want to see

821

:

the video version of this podcast,

it's up on our YouTube channel right now.

822

:

Youtube.com/@oddtandem.

823

:

And if you want the full,

uninterrupted version of this podcast

824

:

and your name in the titles,

just head to our Patreon

825

:

where you can sign up for $5 a month

in order to keep this podcast going.

826

:

That's patreon.com/odd tandem.

827

:

And thank you to our current

Patreon members

828

:

Steven Kimbrough, Marie Teixeira, Jeff

829

:

Kralik, Brian Colon, Chris Merritt,

Tim Farriss, Jim,

830

:

David Swartwout,

Bill Babcock, Randy Corbett,

831

:

Nancy Ness, Michael Terblanche,

832

:

Jim Burns, Swim School Bob,

833

:

Steve, Scott Nabors, Joseph,

834

:

Philip Shama, Mark Payne, Steven Martin,

Jeff Seckendorf,

835

:

Jeff Hartley, Chris Turner who've done

just that.

836

:

And please don't forget

if you want your questions answered by us

837

:

in our next mailbag episode, please make

sure to keep sending us your questions

838

:

to oddtandem@shockedgiraffe.com

839

:

or any of our Odd Tandem

social media channels.

840

:

Please keep sharing the podcast

and keep leaving your reviews

841

:

wherever you are listening.

842

:

It really helps us to build our audience.

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About the Podcast

The Odd Tandem Cycling Podcast with Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt
Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt on all things cycling
Bobby Julich and Jens Voigt are back with a brand new cycling podcast. Speaking to the biggest names in the professional peloton and sharing their wisdom from their own careers.