After breaking his collarbone, missing out on qualifying in Valparaíso and in the middle of his preparations for the race in Stuttgart, urban downhill pro Johannes Fischbach talks about the reality of training, the power density in the field - and why he still knows surprisingly little about the course in Stuttgart.
"Two tenths - that really annoys me"
JOHANNES FISCHBACH: I only got back on my bike a week before Valparaíso. But it actually went quite well. I wanted to qualify for sure - in the end I was two tenths short. But if I had known that it was only a matter of two tenths, I could have sprinted out of there. I thought in the final third: that's enough for qualifying. It wasn't enough.
That is bitter.
Yes, when you fly halfway round the world and then you're out because of two tenths, that really annoys me. I didn't go there for the podium. After a two-month break, that would have been unrealistic. But I wanted to score points for the overall standings. Fifth to tenth place would have been possible.
How long does something like that keep you busy?
Not for long. This is racing.
"The power density is becoming more extreme"
Do you notice that the standard in urban downhill is continuing to rise?
Total. The power density is increasing every year. The South Americans in particular are extremely specialised. For many, this is the race of the year. They train specifically for it. I was probably the one who travelled the worst prepared. I had seen the last stairs in September.
What does that mean for your goals for the season?
If I get through normally, I can reach the same level as last year. Maybe even more.
"I honestly don't know anything about Stuttgart"
What do you know about the race in Stuttgart?
To be honest: nothing. Really nothing at all. I don't know where the route runs or what it looks like.
It should be 150 metres in altitude over 1.3 kilometres.
Then it definitely won't be South American. I can't imagine these extreme stair sets and winding lines with jumps from rooftops there. It's more likely to be something in between Genoa and the South American races.
So more speed, less chaos?
Yes, they're probably building in drops and technical elements. But I don't see those really sick staircases and super narrow alleyways there.
"I used to just go through the pain"
How are you currently training for Genoa and Stuttgart? A lot of sprint training and stairs?
Not specifically on stairs. If you ride downhill a lot and train sprints specifically, you are already well prepared. The most important thing is that you are physically on point.
You were always seen as a training machine.
Many people still think that. I used to just push through my sprint programmes. That's no longer the case today.
Why?
The body can no longer cope with this. If there are ten sprints in the training plan, it can happen that it's over after five or six because my back or knees shut down. I used to push through the pain. Today I listen to my body. I have to give my body time. But I know what I need to be fit in June.
"I know what I need to ride at the front"
With a chance of winning?
Hopefully. You make a small mistake on the downhill, you're not one hundred per cent determined and confident - then time is lost. But if I can get through normally, I'll be able to repeat what I did last year. Or better.
Which bike are you using? Are there any changes to the setup?
No. The same bike - my 170 mm enduro bike from Raymond. I'm happy with the stuff. I'm working on getting fitter.
In Valpariso, many people used downhill bikes. Would that perhaps have been the better choice to make the qualifying?
(laughs) It certainly wasn't that. Valparaiso was brutal. I break my collarbone at the beginning of December and am completely out for two months. Then you come over there - you're in a state of shock at first. But I got over that. I stayed for a week after the race and little by little you get used to the life-threatening stuff they do over there again.
Risk: "Brutal amok risk this year"
Do you mean the fat jumps on the stairs?
For example. That's just sick. You have to be 100% convinced that it will work. Tolerance for mistakes: zero! It's been a brutal race this year. I've rarely seen so many blatant crashes.
You didn't even notice that in the livestream.
A lot of videos have gone viral on social media about what happened.
Last year there was a horror crash at the Red Bull Cerro Abajo Genoa. Three riders tried to "jump in" for the big double, flew too far and crashed nastily onto the tarmac. Do you know what happened to those guys?
The one South American still can't walk today. I met him in Valparaiso. He's out of the woods. But for a long time it was a question of whether he could keep his leg or whether it would have to be amputated. He had two operations in Italy, then a germ came in and he had another operation. He was hospitalised almost continuously for six months. It was really bad. He can now walk on crutches. He'll never be right again, but hopefully he'll be able to go about his daily life.
And the others?
One of them was physically fine, but his bike was broken. The third, a Czech, smashed his feet. I think he's back on his feet again. But they took a really long time.
The consequences are getting more and more blatant at this speed. Keyword Rampage - Emil Johansen, Adolf Silva, Godziek. They whirl around like crash test dummies.
Yes, that's intense. With Rampage, the consequences are even worse. If you can fall 30 metres, that's something else again.
Are you worried that Juanfer Velez will be there in Genoa and Stuttgart?
No, I hope he's there. You need this guy in these races. That's the number one urban downhiller at the moment. Juanfer shows where the level is.
He missed last season due to a cruciate ligament rupture.
He had a late operation, which takes time. But he's been back in Europe for a few weeks now, training with his team in Andorra. He's back on his downhill bike. He will almost certainly be at the start in Genoa.
Will you be training specifically for stairs before Stuttgart?
No. However, I have a project in Ibiza that is something of a stair training programme. Because there's a really nasty, steep staircase there. Nothing that could be jumped actually fits there. I've looked at the stairs for years and always come to the same conclusion: too steep, the consequences too high. But the last time I was there, I felt good and jumped the first set of stairs. I landed perfectly - but the rim broke. Broken, but not collapsed. I was lucky. Maybe I'll fly down again after the Lake Garda festival to master the whole staircase and make an awesome video.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
