Simon Gegenheimer takes part in his first mountain bike race in 1999. He later specialised in the XCE sprint discipline. The Eliminator is a short-distance race in a knockout system on mostly technically demanding city courses or in an urban environment. This discipline requires both sprinting strength and technical skills, as the courses are narrow and demanding.
Simon Gegenheimer won the German championship in this discipline in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018. The highlight of his career so far came in 2021, when he won the world title. Because strength and coordination are so important in sprinting, the Baden native trains prophylactically in a rehabilitation centre. Perhaps that's why he was able to avoid major injuries. Here are his medical records and tips for staying healthy.
Got stuck
During a national league race in Heubach in 2010, I got my shoulder caught on a tree. Big impact, little effect. The ligaments were torn. After two weeks I was back
on the bike again.
Guardian angel
During a cross-country race in Portugal (2015), I had the worst crash of my career. I was travelling at over 60 km/h on a washed-out gravel track when a huge stone opened up in front of my front wheel. Bam! I went over the handlebars, skidded, spun and landed in a fence. The crash was so violent that the entire leading group stopped and the race was interrupted. They thought I was dead. But apart from a few grazes, I was fine.
Most annoying fall
In 2023, I was leading the World Championship when my front wheel slipped off in a right-hand bend. The second world title was gone, what remained was a scar on my elbow, which required six stitches at the time.
My equaliser
I enjoy longboarding, jogging, cross-country skiing in winter and roller skiing in summer. It trains my balance
balance and coordination. Anything but extremes. Before I won the 2021 World Championships, I had a pizza and two glasses of wine the night before. I don't want to limit myself, but I'm good at moderation. A secret tip: chilli to cleanse your stomach every now and then. A coach once told me that you have around two kilos of useless leftovers in your stomach that you carry around with you. I get rid of them a few days before a race. Jan Frodeno is supposed to do the same.
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Gym? Yes, but only rarely
In summer I go to the gym once a week, in winter two or three times. That has to be enough. I put together my own training plan. I had Dominik Krieger as my trainer, an experienced, tough guy. Not everyone got on with him, but I did. He gave me the most important things along the way. Mentally and physically.
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Stretching
I'm not a stretch hardliner. I do it, but coordination is more important to me. I think core training (to strengthen the core muscles, editor's note) is crucial. It keeps my upper body calm when sprinting, while my legs concentrate on power transfer. I love training on the Pezziball, but I have to force myself to do any kind of abdominal muscle training.
Supplements
Pepper, turmeric, ginger... This has an anti-inflammatory effect and boosts the immune system. Otherwise
I take amino acids in capsule form.
Sleep
8-9 hours is enough for me. I usually go to bed at 10 pm.
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Laurin Lehner
Editor
