He had prepared well in the past weeks for the first highlight of the 2023 track season: the European Championships in the Grenchen velodrome / Switzerland. Roy Eefting had travelled as far as Australia and Tasmania in December and January to be able to train in the winter season and to get the decisive race hardness on the track that is needed to be able to ride among the world’s best. At the end of January, he competed with Tam colleague Filippo Fortin at the Six Day in the Berlin Velodrome – admittedly a new and different track experience for him. Not everything went according to plan at the Six Day three-night format, but it certainly contributed to him finishing at the top of his special discipline, the scratch race, at the European Track Championships. After winning the bronze medal in Munich in August 2022, he can now call himself European vice champion. And it was a tough battle that Roy was ultimately able to win so well with his sprinting ability. Only the Briton Oliver Woods – world champion in the team pursuit in 2022 as well as second in the Madison at the 2022 World Championships – was faster than Roy Eefting in the end.

“One of the toughest races in my career”

“After a good training block, I was in good shape physically. In days before the actual race, I felt completely fresh and in top shape.

After my usual rituals of making coffee, going to the track, warming up, etc., it was time to get set. The right amount of nerves to be sharp and ready for a 60 lap fight.

And a 60-round fight it truly was! When defending champion Iúri Leitão attacked from the start, it meant the race was full of action. Attack after attack followed. The result was one of the toughest scratch races I have ever ridden. With ten laps to go, and only eight riders still fighting for the win, I was almost dropped. I tried to catch my breath before the sprint. In the end, I had suffered too much during the race to be able to lap Briton Ollie Wood. So the race ended with a solid silver medal for me.

In the aftermath, I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t win the jersey. Nevertheless, I’m happy to have won another medal, which proves that I’m one of the best scratch racers there is.”

Photos | Jasmin Honold / Simon Sturzaker Photography