"I’m always nervous"
BIKE: The Red Bull Cerro Abajo Stuttgart is just around the corner. It’s all happening on 5 and 6 September. Then it’s time to head ‘d’Stäffele nonder’, as the Swabians say. Fischi, are you starting to get a bit nervous?
Johannes Fischbach: I’m always nervous.
BIKE: You’ve been to Stuttgart before. How much of the route do you know?
Virtually nothing. We were there twice: for video filming and a press conference. As for the actual course, I’m only familiar with perhaps the first 150 or 200 metres. How the route runs and what comes after that? I’ve no idea.
BIKE: The city isn’t exactly known for its alpine gradients.
It probably won’t be ultra-steep. That’s why the course needs to maintain its pace. If you include too many tight bends, you’ll lose speed. The track will thrive on the man-made obstacles. Apparently, there’s a massive drop from a bridge. That sounds pretty impressive.
BIKE: Who makes something like this?
As far as I know, it’s a German team with experience from the Red Bull District Ride. Each venue has its own course builders. In Genoa, it was an Italian team. But I have every confidence in them. These days, there are plenty of people who know how to build a ramp.
Fit, motivated – and with no excuses
BIKE: How’s your fitness?
Right. No serious injuries, training’s gone well, and motivation is really high. In fact, it’s almost ridiculously high. I’m pushing myself quite hard at the moment, but my body’s keeping up. I’m fit and I want to be right up there at the front – as far up front as possible.
BIKE: You sound confident.
I feel fine. Still, a lot depends on the route. If there’s a section that really doesn’t suit me at all, that could throw a spanner in the works. But I’ll only look for an excuse when I need one.
BIKE: Do you have another technical trick up your sleeve – such as your homemade tyre?
I’ll decide that once I’ve seen the route. This tyre only works on tarmac and cobblestones. As soon as you hit dirt, grass or gravel, you can forget about it. It was perfect in Genoa. However, routes like that are rare.
BIKE: And what about the bike?
I’ve just got a frame that’s been specially painted for Stuttgart – featuring the city’s skyline. I’ve never unpacked anything quite as cool as this. It looks absolutely brilliant.
BIKE: Let’s hope he rides like that too.
That would be helpful.
"The sport needs people like that"
BIKE: Who are the most dangerous opponents?
The field is likely to be extremely strong. Tomáš Slavík is back in action. He has taken two or three months off and is now back in full swing. On top of that, there are riders who have recently been injured or had other priorities. The standard in Stuttgart will probably be higher than it was recently in Genoa.
BIKE: Are people really pleased when winners like Slavík or Juanfer Vélez come back?
Sure. The sport needs lads like that. Riders where you know that, if everything goes their way, they’ll put in a run that leaves everyone gaping in amazement. That’s exactly what you want to see.
BIKE: You might also think: Great, if the strongest rider is missing, my chances improve.
That wouldn’t be particularly sporting or particularly satisfying. You’re not the best just because the others are injured or haven’t been cleared to race. I want to race against the very best – and then see how it goes.
BIKE: Who else is on your list?
Roger Vieira. He’s really on form at the moment. At the World Cup in Les Gets, he was third at one of the split times before he crashed. If he manages a clean run, he’ll be right up there with the leaders.
BIKE: And Bernard Kerr?
He hasn’t been consistent so far. I don’t think he’s ever been in the top five. But he’s capable of pulling off a superb run at any time. With riders like that, it’s just a matter of the track, their form and how they’re feeling on the day all coming together. You mustn’t underestimate any of them.
"What they’re doing is a different sport"
BIKE: You watched the World Cup in Les Gets. Are you still itching to have a go at classic downhill racing yourself?
It’s incredible how they ride those bikes. Maybe one day I’ll get back on my downhill bike and enter a race.
BIKE: Despite these ‘full-throttle downhill types’, all-rounders can still spring a surprise.
That’s exactly what I find so exciting. Martin Maes comes from an enduro background, rides flat pedals and is still right up there with the best. People like that show you don’t have to fit into a single mould. The standard among the women is now incredible too. They ride fast, aggressively and, at the same time, with real style. Take the British rider Harriet Harnden, who won in Les Gets. She comes from a cross-country and cyclo-cross background, then she rode enduro, and now she’s winning a Downhill World Cup. How brilliant is that!
Stuttgart is getting crowded
BIKE: South America is known for its fanatical spectators. Can the Germans keep up with them?
Why not? Germany is a country mad about cycling. There were absolutely massive crowds at the World Cup in Willingen; things really took off at the cross-country event in Offenburg, and the District Ride was a hit as always. If the weather’s on our side – and we’re not looking at 13 degrees and constant rain – Stuttgart’s set to be a cracking event.
So you’re not expecting a pedestrianised area where people politely clap?
Certainly not. It feels as though a hundred people I know are already heading there. The marketing is working; there’s huge interest. On a normal, lovely weekend, the town gets packed.
BIKE: How busy is it?
Stuttgart’s about to burst. Hopefully not until after my run.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor