Champion talk: Give it five! Interview with E-Enduro champion Erik Emmrich

Erik Emmrich is the second E-Enduro champion. As part of the BIKE Festivals in Willingen he prevailed against the top dog Torben Drach. In this interview, Erik reveals why he doesn't dream of a double and why he stopped being interested in cross-country at some point. He also gives his top 5 in keywords.

Interview Erik: "It's all about biking for me now"

Hi Erik, you beat the favourites to become German E-Enduro Champion. Have you already received an interview request from Playboy?

(laughs) No, actually not yet. Reactions from the press have been limited so far, but my sponsors have been in touch and were all very happy about the win.

Are you now dreaming of a double - i.e. winning the German Enduro Championship (without E)?

No, I won't be competing there at all. The German Enduro Championship takes place as part of the Chilli Enduro Series, and I'll be competing in the E category there because I want to be in the overall standings.

Would you have the potential to finish at the top of the podium in the Enduro Championship?

Difficult. I currently ride almost exclusively E-Enduro - I simply don't have the specific training. The power density among enduro riders without a motor is enormous, significantly higher than among e-enduro racers. I want to be that honest. I'm now fully focussing on e-enduro riding.

Do you consider yourself a full professional? So, can you make a living from racing?

Almost. I also work as an MTB coach at the Senders Academy. Together with the sponsorship money, I can make a living from it - call it what you will: semi-pro or full pro, haha.

What is your plan B?

I studied industrial engineering. After my studies, however, I concentrated fully on mountain biking. For me, everything now revolves around biking.

Where are your sporting roots?

It all started in cross-country - like many others. But I often only came fourth and eventually lost interest. I was also put off by the over-ambitious parents who gave their children aspirin before the race, even in the junior class. It was too hard for my father - and me too. Then I started with fourcross and was successful at first. But when it became clear that the category had no future, I switched to enduro with Propain.

And now you've ended up in the E category. Is that better than classic enduro racing?

In terms of prestige, conventional enduro is certainly ahead of e-racing. But I simply enjoy E-Enduro races more - they are more versatile. Battery management, technical uphills and finally the furious descents, which are in no way inferior to classic enduro races.

You are also a co-initiator of the city e-races called Escend. What's that all about?

The idea came from the Beyond agency. Also involved are Johannes Fischbach and Tom Öhler. We are planning a city tour with exciting courses - similar to the well-known Cerro Abajobut also with challenging uphill sections. Cities such as Passau, Heidelberg and Salzburg are being discussed. This requires many authorisations - which takes time and energy. Nothing is likely to happen before 2026.

What are your goals for 2025?

My highlight was definitely the German Championship. Now I want to keep going: start in some fourcross races, take part in the Bosch E-Bike Challenge and, of course, get involved in the Chilli Enduro Series.

Last question: You mention several times in the GIMME 5 (see below) Tomas Slavik. Why are you such a Slavik fan?

I got to know Tomas early on at races. He's a great person - he looks after the youngsters, shares his experiences, always has an eye on others, even though he could just concentrate on himself. This attitude impresses me. And in sporting terms, he's already achieved incredible things - that's simply impressive.

Gimme 5 with Erik

Music:

1. Machine Gun Kelly
2. U2
3. Colter Wall
4. Avaio
5. Natasha Bedingfield

Sports:

1. Cycling
2. Skiing
3. Bouldering
4. Volleyball
5. Squash

Cinema films:

1. Hangover
2. Top Gun
3. Carry-On
4. Bright
5. Lift

Pro Rider:

1. Tomas Slavik
2. Kade Edwards
3. Kaos Seagrave
4. Richi Rude
5. Martin Maes

A waste of time:

1. Traffic jam
2. Discussions on social media
3. Doing taxes
4. Shopping
5. Advertising on TV

Riding Spots:

1. Morzine / Chatel
2. Finale Ligure
3. Canazei
4. Schladming
5. La Thuile

Good Times:

1. Park Laps
2. Vanlife
3. Long summer evenings
4. Beer
5. Road trip with friends

Influences:

1. Dad
2. Tomas Slavik
3. Semenuk Bike Videos
4. Social Media
5. Older age groups in races

Cars:

1. Mercedes Sprinter 4x4
2. Fiat Panda 4x4
3. Audi RS6
4. Porsche GT3 RS
5. Dodge Ram

Fun Tools:

1. E-bike
2. Pit Bike
3. Loamer
4. Ski
5. Supercross on PS5

Heroes:

1. Tomas Slavik
2. Ken Roczen (Motocross)
3. Steve Peat
4. Cam Zinc
5. Sam Hill

No Goes:

1. City trips
2. Jägermeister
3. Braking shafts
4. Loud bike
5. No helmet on

Temptations:

1. 1 Sweets
2. The last descent
3. Afterride beer
4. Start without a warm-up
5. Lift with e-bike

Must Do's

1. Live life
2. Good food
3. Dig and Ride
4. Racing
5. Other supports

Dreams:

1. Canada
2. New Zealand
3. Own racing team
4. Health
5. Be a role model

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