The first meetings for our MTB and Road riders had taken place in January and February. After the Pushbikers had presented their new cycling kit and this year’s look in mid-February, it was time for the season to really begin!

Anticipation, curiosity, but also a certain tension always characterise the beginning of the year. After 2020, we have planned a lot in the team concept, but also in the cooperation with our athletes. Preparing them optimally for the races, building team skills and finding the right position for everyone was the focus in March, especially for our Continental Road Team.

Rupert Hödlmoser, the sporting director, had clearly defined the goal: “To be in the top ten in every race or as close to the top ten as possible. To test new structures as early as possible to gain experience from them.”

At the Umag Trophy (Cat. 1.2) Tim Wollenberg was able to finish in 15th place. The following day, Mikà Heming finished the Trofeo Poreč (cat. 1.2) in 10th place, and in the 1-km prologue of the Istria Spring Trophy (cat. 2.2) he finished in 11th place. In the first, 168 km stage, Tim Wollenberg finished in 14th place, in the third stage over 143 km, Tim rode to 12th place, closely followed by Mikà Heming in 14th place.

In the overall ranking of the tour this meant a 17th place for Mikà Heming and 9th place in the team ranking as the best German team.
“A solid performance by the team, on and off the bike,” said Hödlmoser, “we can now build on this.” 

Not only the race result, but also the mood in the team was overshadowed by the heavy crash of Yannik Achterberg in the 1st stage of the Istrian Spring Trophy, which was marked by rain and difficult road conditions. Shortly before the finish, there was a mass crash in which Yannik was also involved. He was immediately taken to hospital with both external and internal injuries. “For none of us it was easy to know a teammate in this condition,” reports Mikà Heming, ” at the evening meeting Yannik was always with us.”

For the Maloja Pushbikers MTB, the new racing season already started in mid-February. Shlomi Haimy was able to secure 1st and 2nd place in the C2 races of the Israel Series. With this he collects valuable points for the Olympic qualification.

The women competed in the first races in Turkey in March. Barbara Benko and Karla Stepanova had a total of six races in the C1 and C2 categories on the programme. They achieved a total of four 2nd places and a further five top 10 finishes.

We congratulate our three athletes on the successful start to the season and are now looking forward to the forthcoming races with the entire MTB team!

Umag Trophy (1.2)

15. Tim Wollenberg

29. Mikà Heming

60. Michal Galka

71. Franz Schlachter

105. Daniel Bichlmann

154. Tobias Hormstein

Porec Trophy (1.2)

10. Mikà Heming

32. Yannik Achterberg

56. Paul Taebling

57. Tim Wollenberg

100. Jacques Sauvagnargues

135. Corey Davis

Istrian Spring Trophy (2.2)

Prologue

11. Mikà Heming

29. Tim Wollenberg

Stage 1

14. Tim Wollenberg

22. Mikà Heming

64. Paul Taebling

Stage 2

27. Mikà Heming

39. Corey Davis

59. Paul Taebling

Stage 3

12. Mikà Heming

13. Michal Galka

54. Tim Wollenberg

Overall GC

17. Mikà Heming

55. Michal Galka

84. Tim Wollenberg

9. Team overall

Photos | Mario Stiehl