Six German championship titles in a row, several podium places at the European Cross-Country Championships and a fifth place at the Olympic Games in Sydney. Lado Fumic was regarded as the driving force of the German cross-country scene.
But it wasn't just in sporting terms that Lado stood out from the crowd. With the Fumic Brothers International Team (FBI), he showed himself to be a master of self-dramatisation, he preferred the Porsche to the team bus and he was never at a loss for cracking jokes - with these attitudes, Fumic polarised not only the media, but also his colleagues and sponsors. After noticeable fluctuations in performance in the 2009 season, Lado Fumic retired completely from professional sport in 2010 and left the competition stage to his younger brother Manuel. Health problems such as Pfeiffer's glandular fever and a burnout forced the then 34-year-old to take this step. Lado Fumic currently manages three different companies and sees himself as a full-service provider for business solutions.
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What were the reasons for your retirement from professional sport?
I pulled the ripcord when it was at its best. I also had bad health. I was suffering from mononucleosis, travelling a lot and running three companies in addition to training, which put me in a burnout situation. I even went to the heart clinic and only had a pulse of 20 beats. So I had to let go of a few things in my life. I didn't want to end up as a daft cycle tourist in Mallorca, like many of my colleagues, or travelling around on an e-bike. That's why I channelled all my energy into business.
What did you miss most after you left the company?
I don't miss anything in that sense. I was very polarising back then and really enjoyed that time. But now it's just as nice not to be in the public eye as a person. I'm actually having more fun now. I have three dogs, my companies, I've become a dad, I have my employees, lots of customers and I still enjoy driving fast cars.
How often do you still sit on the bike?
I'm still a fair-weather rider and regularly get out on my bike at the weekend. During the week, I usually pick another day.
