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Silence. Nothing but silence. A mechanic sits on the tarmac in front of the Bahrain-Victorious team bus and stares at the ground. Two team leaders hug each other, one team leader cries. It is just before noon in an industrial area in Chur. Words are not needed at this point, nor any press release. I notice it immediately: the worst has happened, Gino Mäder has passed away.
I have been responsible for road cycling at Blick for seven years now. I have never had such a difficult task as now. “Please create an obituary for Gino Mäder,” it reads. How do I do that? “Write down what’s on your mind,” they say. That’s exactly what I’m trying to do.
You always heard from Gino Mäder: «A lot!»
Gino and I weren’t friends. That would have been strange too, our relationship was professional. He, the cycling pro. And me, the journalist. Of course there are barriers. So I wonder why I still have a lump in my throat as I write these lines. The answer is simple: I liked Gino. I don’t know if he liked me too – it doesn’t really matter.
Usually I only spoke to Gino briefly. Always between two and three minutes, before and after the races. How do you feel? how were your legs what are you doing? What happened? Such things. I was not the only one, fellow journalists always wanted to know something about him. Because he was one of the best Swiss cycling pros, of course. But also because Gino always had something to say. He was always honest, direct and friendly. At one point I noticed that Gino often said the same thing after being thanked for the conversation: “I’d like to!” Now this can be dismissed as banal. In Gino’s case it wasn’t – he meant it. When you talked to him, you never got the feeling that he didn’t care about the other person. He respected everyone – in the sport and beyond. I don’t know anyone who has ever said a bad word about him.
Talking about God and the world was easy for him
I especially remember a longer meeting with Gino. It took place in May 2022. The photographer and I met him in a parking lot in Triesenberg, Liechtenstein. 12 degrees, drizzle. We agreed to accompany him on the inspection of the ascent to Malbun. Once at the top, photos followed with a golden eagle on his arm. The headline for the Tour de Suisse later read: “He is the Swiss cycling high flyer. Will Gino Mäder take the overall victory?”
Gino was impressed by the eagle and wanted to know everything about the animal from the falconer. At one point he said to the photographer: «I can’t take it anymore, the eagle is rather heavy. It’s like a workout for me, after all I have skinny cycling arms. Will it take long?”
In the adjoining restaurant we discussed all things natural. That was easy with Gino, he thought a lot about the bigger picture of cycling. He loved Goethe and figures, raised money for conservation and told me he preferred going to the dentist to the hairdresser. Why did Gino speak so openly? He wouldn’t have understood the question – Gino just said what he thought.
Gino is now with the eagle
A few days ago I asked him how he coped with missing the Giro d’Italia due to his corona disease. And how he deals with the fact that he will hardly win the final classification of the Tour de Suisse this time either. “Obviously it’s disappointing. Others are better. But I’m happy to be here and enjoy the races at home. And as far as I know there’s another Giro and a Tour de Suisse next year. Then I’ll just try another time,” he said with a smile. The certainty that Gino can no longer do exactly this hurts a lot.
And then I suddenly have another thought that gives me some comfort: that Gino is now where the Malbun eagle feels most at home – in the sky. Bye Gino!
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
