Strong women in bike sport: Interview with Nina Hoffmann - the fastest downhill rider in Germany
Tim Folchert
· 13.11.2022
Nina Hoffmann wrote with her 1st World Cup victory in Maribor 2020 Mountain bike history: 25 years after Regina Stiefl she is the first German rider to stand at the top of a Downhill World Cup podium, and her victory is the first after Markus Klausmann 1996 - the year Nina Hoffmann was born. So 2022 again Fastest in Scotland - and this after the former javelin thrower only started cycling in 2015.
She has been competing in the licence class in downhill races since 2016 and in the World Cup since 2018. In the same year, the former psychology student won her first German championship title. In 2019, the Thuringian finished the overall World Cup in 4th place. After winning the German Downhill Championship again in 2020 and her first World Cup victory, she is now one of the fastest female mountain bikers in the world. In 2022 she will be behind Valentina Höll Vice world champion in Les Gets.
Nina, congratulations on your amazing victory in Fort William! Honestly, did you think you had a chance of winning?
I knew that a top 5 finish was possible. I was confident because two weeks before the World Cup I won the British Downhill Series race here and had a big lead over Vali Höll. I like the course. I simply felt comfortable at the World Cup final and the bike set-up was perfect. The victory in Fort William was a dream come true.
Local hero Tahnee Seagrave didn't start at all. Could she have been a threat to you?
You can speculate about that now. However, the reference in the World Cup is currently Camille Balanche. She was 3.5 seconds behind.
Those are worlds apart. How do you explain this lead?
Everything has to be right for such a winning run. Every little thing. And that was the case that day. My fitness level was high and the bike set-up worked exactly as I imagined it would. That saved me energy in the stone field at the start of the course and gave me the strength to really push on in the sprint to the finish.
Who do you think has what it takes to win the overall title in 2022?
One in particular comes to mind: Camille Balanche! She is consistently fast in every race. She has the best chances.
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From a small private team to the Santa Cruz factory team with world champion Greg Minnaar. Some say that made you faster. Is that true?
Maybe. The change has been extremely good for me. Instead of booking hotels, cooking or organising the journey, I can now concentrate fully on racing. We have our own chef, a physiotherapist and former world champion Steve Peat, who stands by the track and gives tips on line selection. The dialogue with Greg, Jackson and Laurie also helps me. It put me under a lot of pressure at first. I wanted to give something back to the people who support me so much. Since my victory in Fort William, the pressure is gone. I have delivered! That's a good feeling.
Are there things that you liked better about your own team?
Yes, I miss the close contact with my sponsors. I first have to get to know them in the new team. The weekend planning was also more individualised, with all the advantages and disadvantages. But even in the new team, I can do everything I want to do. At the Crankworx in Innsbruck, for example, I competed in the dual slalom for fun and promptly won. That was awesome.
You are a former competitive javelin thrower. Does that give you an advantage in the downhill?
Definitely. I was used to doing seven to nine training sessions a week for a long time. I also started training my coordination early on. I have fun with any sport.
Does the training differ from World Cup to World Cup? And if so, how did you train for Fort William?
Normally, there is not enough time to prepare specifically for a particular route. The technique, mindset and speed always have to be right. However, I had time for Fort William, so I was able to train longer intervals. That was necessary because the course is long.
There is a fine line between crashing and success. How do you prepare yourself mentally for the races?
I visualise everything that could happen. That way I can prepare for every eventuality and calm myself down a little. Nervousness is at its highest right before the start. Rituals such as the warm-up and backpedalling in the start gate help me to reduce this nervousness and focus fully on myself and the course.
Are these tips from a mental coach?
No, these rituals have developed over time. I've also tried out a few things from my psychology degree. They help me.
So which is faster - the head or the technology?
The combination of both! I had some problems with my cornering technique and steep edges. Training with Fred Abbou in the winter improved my riding technique enormously. I probably wouldn't have won Fort William without him. When you know that your riding technique is right, you also boost your self-confidence.
What are your favourite exercises in the gym and on the bike?
My favourite thing to do in the gym is the deadlift or snatch. This combines deadlifts with core stability and is simply great fun. On the bike, I prefer to train on the pump track.
Do you think you'll be at the top of the podium more often this year?
I'm in top form and giving it my all. My goal is to consistently finish in the top five or even win. I still have a score to settle with the world championship track in Les Gets.
