Interview with Steffen Thum, team captain of the mountain bike racing team

Hello Steffen, please introduce yourself in a few words!

Steffen: I'm 37 years old, I live in Aalen in the Ostalb region, and I have a six-year-old daughter with my wife Kerstin.

Of course, I do a lot of cycling as a professional, but with all the fuss about knobby tires, I try to squeeze in a few normal, bike-free moments during the day. Even if that doesn't happen every day :-)

You're the "old hand" on the team who can certainly help the "youngsters" with some tips. But you'll certainly also benefit from the fresh perspective that the two girls bring to the team, right?

Steffen: With over 12 years of professional experience from various teams, I'm naturally the more "experienced" part of the team. However, what's important in our mutual learning strategy is that we don't want one teacher on the team, but rather many equal partners who provide input.

Everyone on our team is unique and can contribute certain skills that the others don't. It's not about age, but rather about the athletes being unique personalities with outstanding unique selling points.

So don't worry, I also get tips from the young athletes and learn from them. Whether it's about riding technique, modern training approaches, or the Apple playlist.

At 17, I was already on the state and national teams, and after graduating from high school, I got my first professional contracts. So, you don't always have to start from the beginning to end up at the world level. I think it's more about being able to develop yourself and discover where your passion lies. If you then commit to it and keep at it, then you'll eventually achieve something.

In which category do you compete, and what has been your greatest success so far?

Steffen: I'm a fighter, and I'm lucky that that helps me in every discipline. So, I compete in World Cups in Olympic cross-country, sprint, marathon, and also the major stage races.

My greatest successes, however, are in the long-distance races. I've already won the overall World Cup twice, making me the most successful marathon rider in the world.

What's your highlight at the breakfast buffet at the Explorer Hotel?

Steffen: I'm a fan of a glass of milk and a pretzel or pretzel. The Explorer Hotels rely on local products, and I'm super happy that in the Alps, a pretzel is a natural part of that.

How do you deal with defeats? And which moments give you new strength?

Steffen: I'm certainly not a choleric person. The more difficult the situation, the calmer and more focused I usually become. This might give the impression that I'm not aware of defeats, but I try to discuss such things neutrally and objectively and see what I need to change.