Sophia Ibert 
After almost 6 months without competitions, I took part in my first race of the new season a few weeks ago. As it is still a bit too cold for triathlon competitions in Germany, I initially only took part in one discipline: cycling. There was a criterium just a few hundred meters from my front door in Nuremberg.
Around 12 girls took part in the Auto Neuser criterium in Nuremberg. Unfortunately, only a few women take part in such races, so we rode together with the U17 boys.
Of course, you’re always particularly excited before the first race and the fact that we had to start together with the boys didn’t make me any less nervous. I warmed up for about 20 minutes before the start and did a few sprints. At the end, I rode the lap with its four 90 degree bends a few more times and tried to memorize the ideal line as well as possible. It’s also advisable to keep an eye out for potholes, streetcar tracks and manhole covers so that you don’t get caught out during the race.
For all those who do not know what a criterion is and how it works, here is a brief explanation:
A criterium is a cycling race that is held on a circuit and in which points are awarded through regular scoring sprints. A lap is usually between one and two kilometers long. The winner is therefore not necessarily the first person to cross the finish line, but the one who has scored the most points. However, the finish sprint is scored twice and therefore has a higher weighting.
Shortly before the starting signal, all the riders gather at the starting line. I’ve learned from previous races that it’s important to position yourself as far forward as possible, because things usually get really busy in the first few hundred meters. So I put myself in the front row, even if it costs me a lot of effort. We girls usually prefer to start at the back, but restraint is out of place in bike races.
The starting shot is fired and, as expected, it starts right away. I click into my pedals as quickly as possible and set off on my first sprint. Then I slow down briefly, turn 90 degrees, get out of the saddle and sprint. After five laps comes the first scoring lap, which means that at the end of the fifth lap there is a sprint for points and it’s really tough not to fall out of the group. Unfortunately, the women are ranked together with the boys in terms of points. My aim is therefore to stay in the leading group for as long as possible and then give it my all in the final sprint. The first scoring lap is done and I’m still in the leading group – great! The field has now split up and I look around to see how many girls are riding next to me in the leading group. There are still five of us. The remaining riders are now in the chasing group and try to catch up again – in vain.
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Time flies by and the scoreboard showing the remaining laps counts down. I’m feeling good and enjoying the speed. Shortly before the bends, there are always small scuffles and I catch my handlebars in another rider’s, luckily nothing happens and I’m wide awake again thanks to the adrenaline rush.
The time has come, the bell rings for the last of 30 laps, and things really heat up again. A few guys try to break away at the front, but we manage to catch them again. Now it’s time for full concentration. The last left-hand bend – I’m on the right edge of the field and can enter the bend at really high speed, I get out of the saddle and sprint across the finish line as fast as I can. Second place – amazing. I was only beaten by Svenja Betz, a professional cyclist who rides for a Belgian Continental team. Two riders from the Bundesliga came third and fourth. I’m proud of myself and completely euphoric.
At the end 25 km with an average speed of 41.5 km/h on the bike computer. A maximum heart rate of 190 and a maximum power of 700 watts.
Riding a bike race hurts. But it’s also a lot of fun and something different from a triathlon competition. Hopefully we can get more girls to the starting line of such events in the future.
