MTB
The young Austrian cross-country mountain bike athlete tasted success as a first-year elite in 2020's UCI World Cup. Find out how she felt about her performances and goals for the future.
Austrian athlete Laura Stigger made quite and impression in her first elite races at the Mercedes-Benz UCI Cross-Country Mountain Bike World Cup race back in October. At Nové Město, the 20-year-old podiumed with two fifth places in the two main races there, as well as a third place in the second short track competition at the Czech venue. Quite the debut.
Success has so far come easily for the youngster from Innsbruck in Austria. As a junior she won two cross-country World Championship titles, four European Championship titles, and an impressive gold medal on the road at the 2018 World Championships in Innsbruck.
Fresh from her successes at Nové Město, we spoke to Stigger about those performances in the Czech Republic, the details on the bike she likes to use and what she likes to do when not riding her bike.
In your first World Cup appearance in the elites, you podiumed against much older and experienced athletes. How did that feel?
Indescribable. With the pandemic it was a difficult time for everyone, nobody knew who would be fast. The fact that I got onto the podium at the main cross-country races in Nové Město is incredible.
What was it like to stand next to your role models at the award ceremonies?
Madness. I watch the replay on Red Bull TV every now and then. The emotions from those day are really intense.
You decided to ride the elite races in Nové Město rather than compete in the U23 races. What was behind this decision?
It was a complete voluntarily decision on my part. I decided to compete in the elite races because I want to develop further. I believe that riding with the senior women is the place where I can learn the most and improve.
Tell us a little bit about the bike you used in Nové Město?
I was one of the few who started with a hardtail in Nové Město. Many asked why. I just felt good on it and trusted my feelings. Nové Město is one of the most demanding courses on the circuit. It was really just my feeling riding on the course there. I can't say whether I would have been faster with my Specialized S-Works Epic full suspension bike. For me it was definitely the right decision this time. It was a completely emotional matter. It may well be that I choose to ride the full suspension bike next time I ride there.
How do you set up your bike for different courses?
The setup on the bike depends on the course and the weather. There are many factors that play a role. I have good trust in my mechanic. Together we can get a feel for the course and make sure the setup is finely tuned for me.
What makes your bike recognisable as yours?
My bike is instantly recognisable. I ride a rather small frame. I am 1.67m tall and am always between small and medium frame sizes when taking measurements. I decided on the small frame because I just feel more comfortable on it. I always have my logo, 'Olm Volle', directly on the top tube of my bike, which means 'always at full speed', as well.
Check out the component specs on Stigger's Specialized S-Works Epic MTB below:
You use a bike computer to track your runs when racing. How important is that?
During the race I almost never try to look at it. If I saw a heart rate of 200 then I would probably fall off my bike! But the computer is important for evaluation so that you can see how your performance was and where improvements can be made. My trainer and I work well together after every race to analyse performance. We can identify things that can be done better or things that were really good. I use it to analyse every training session and every race.
What are your favorite conditions to ride?
I prefer wet conditions and when it is really technically difficult. So Leogang would be perfectly right for me. On long trips, I also like it when the sky is bright and blue.
What do you do in the off-season?
In winter I ski a lot, whether it's cross-country skiing or ski touring. I have the best opportunities to do so in Austria, of course. That's a good balance. The cycling season is long enough, from February to October, so I always look forward to winter so that I can get back on my skis.
What are your goals for 2021?
To go to the Games! This is a dream and a huge goal. And of course I hope that everything will be normal with the World Cup next year. I would like to be racing in that and return to Nové Město as well.
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