Platt is a winner. Someone who subordinates his whole life to success. One who pays the price if he has to; one who treats second place as a defeat. He won the Lake Garda Marathon a few weeks ago. But he still thinks it's a shame that his biggest rival had to give up due to a broken chain. "I would have liked to have won properly," he says. He emphasises the "right" in a combative manner. "As a professional," he says, "you have to be able to really punch yourself in the face."
For ten years, Platt drilled his body into a fighting machine with an iron will: 1.80 metres tall, 70 kilos light, 7.5 per cent body fat, 480 watts maximum power. You might suspect hydraulic pistons in his sinewy legs. He has done without. Wild parties, alcohol, A-levels - even vocational training. Hardly any other rider trains as hard as he does. 200 kilometre long sessions, mountain training, intervals. Every day in all weathers. A dream job for Platt. "As a professional," he says, "you have to be able to really kick yourself in the teeth."
You could also call this "Russian hardship". After all, Karl lived in Novosibirsk, Siberia, until he was ten years old. The Soviets had deported his grandparents there during the Second World War. In order to survive the cold and long winters, a whole barn full of coal was stockpiled each time. Karl remembers his childhood fondly. When Gorbachev relaxed the travel ban, the Platts emigrated to Osthofen near Worms. The extended family has retained its Baptist faith to this day. Karl had sex for the first time on their wedding night. "That was something very special.
Two hearts, one soul: Eugenie, like Karl, comes from Siberia. Her Baptist faith forbids sex before marriage. The two have been happily married for two years.
Father Platt was less than enthusiastic when his eldest son started spending his free time on his bike. For the hard-working man, it was a waste of time. Anyway, Karl ordered a mountain bike from the Quelle catalogue in the spring of 1991. A heavy steel monster without a suspension fork and actually far too big. "I spent weeks delivering newspapers to earn the 600 marks for it," says Karl over coffee in his three-bedroom flat. His wife Eugenie (23) joins in, amused. "You had your brothers deliver the newspapers and collected the money yourself," she giggles. Eugenie is glad that her husband is home for longer than just a few days. Togetherness has become rare since Karl pedalled his way to becoming the figurehead of the German marathon scene. In spring, he spent two and a half of the three months travelling: a week training in Mallorca, then two weeks in Gran Canaria, three weeks in Cyprus and another two weeks in Mallorca. Then four weeks in America. Every "hello" in between was also a farewell.
The Quelle bike changed Karl's life. Shortly after buying it, the cycling fanatic signed up to the "LLG Wonnegau" cycling club. Back then, the club's training sessions were mainly held in the local gravel pits. "It wasn't about power or scrubbing kilometres. Building ramps, jumping off somewhere - fun, nothing else. My fork broke once, then the frame. But that didn't matter, you could have it welded." More by chance, Karl took part in his first cross-country race that same year. "There were seven riders at the start in the hobby class. They all rode off at full throttle. Everyone wanted to be first. I came third and got a trophy. That was the point at which I knew: "I want to be a racing driver". The successes came quickly: junior squad, German downhill champion, then the switch to the cross-country scene, victory in the Transalp Challenge. Platt knocked everyone flat. But it wasn't until the Lake Garda Marathon in 2001 that he really hit his stride. This victory gave the name Platt a ring to it that sponsors have since fallen for. "In America, the marketing manager from Oakley came to me, tapped me on the shoulder and asked if there was anything he could do for me. It was an amazing feeling to be part of this league," says Platt, who now always has a pile of autograph posters with him.
Training at home: wine is his constant companion on Karl's training laps.
There is not much else in Karl Platt's life apart from cycling. The sport simply takes up too much time. No corners, no edges, no hobbies. If he had to name one, he says it would be cooking. The three-room flat in his parents-in-law's home is furnished like a hundred thousand other flats. Oak-coloured laminate flooring, art prints from the DIY store, a bowl of fruit on a catalogue table, wedding pictures everywhere. If he could do whatever he wanted for a day, he would go to a cosy café and visit his parents. Karl is a family man. He only admits to one tiny little quirk: cars. When Karl talks about them, his voice cracks. He soaks up every issue of "Auto, Motor und Sport". Sometimes he goes to the Nürburgring with his mates. Then they go full throttle for a few hours on unleaded petrol instead of isodrinks. He has just paid off the loan for a new Audi A4 costing 40,000 euros. Isn't that unreasonable in this insecure job? "I drive all year round across Europe to races. You can afford a good car," he says. The marathon star can live well from his sponsors and the prize money at the moment. Even if that is of course nothing compared to the road pros. His victory in the Lake Garda Marathon, for example, brought him just 750 euros in prize money.
At the age of 25, Platt has achieved a lot. Both in sport and on a personal level. He is not yet thinking about what he will do professionally in the future. At least he has now taken out occupational disability insurance. You never know. Platt still has many goals. A few children, maybe even a house of his own. A few more mountain bike titles. German champion, European champion, preferably world champion, of course. After all, his professional career has only just begun. But what he wants most of all is to compete in the Olympic Games and win a medal. "It doesn't necessarily have to be gold. A second place isn't bad either." And for once, he means that seriously.
Karl Platt profile
Place of residence: Osthofen/Rhineland-Palatinate
Age: 25 years (as of 2003)
Size: 180 cm
Weight: 70 kg
Profession: Professional cyclist
Mountain biking since: 1991
Team: Rocky Mountain-Xenofit
Successes: German Junior Downhill Champion 1996,
Winner Transalp Challenge 2002 (with C. Bresser),
Winner of the Lake Garda Marathon 2001 and 2003, winner of the CC Bundesliga race in Münsingen 2002
Hobbies: Cooking, snowboarding, cars
Favourite food: Pizza
Favourite holiday destination: Maldives
Favourite film: Matrix
Favourite book: The Biebel
Favourite music: Everything except folk music
Favourite magazines: BIKE, Auto, Motor u. Sport, FHM
Contact:
karlplatt1@aol.com
