7 theses, 7 statements: Reusser clears prejudices in women’s cycling

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The opposite is the case. Many who have seen women’s races can attest to that. The men who run away are often allowed to drive away and are kept on a long leash. It’s not until you’ve caught up with them that the race really starts. It is less for women. However, I have to admit that my SD Worx team has recently reached such dominance that it unfortunately became a bit boring – not for me, but probably for the spectators. We’ve won 33 races this year, the second best team 11 – it’s very hard to beat us. But times will change again.

That’s a fact. In endurance sports there is a ten percent performance difference – on average we are a few kilometers per hour slower. But if you want to conclude that the women’s races are therefore more boring, then that is a mistake. Because it is always group related whether a match is exciting or not. Men used to drive faster than they do now, because many used doping – that’s why it hadn’t become more exciting. On the other hand, men in 1960 drove slower than men now – so their races weren’t boring. It’s not about the pace, it’s about the dynamics in the race.

I’m a career changer, that’s for sure. And I was often confronted with this accusation. But there are also many career changers among the men: Primoz Roglic just won the Giro, he comes from ski jumping. No one needs to tell me that ski jumping is similar to a mountain finish in cycling – the muscles and loads are completely different.

As for the age charge, Geraint Thomas was last runner-up in the Giro behind Roglic – he is 37. Alejandro Valverde was riding great results at 39 or 40 years old. In endurance sports, experience counts very much, because the best performance can also be achieved between 30 and 40 (except in the sprint).

Agreed. It is slightly lower than for men. You should know that this sport – in 1970 there were no women in competition – is relatively young. Structures and teams emerge slowly, it will take some time for this to become established. For over 100 years, sport was only for men.

It does not depend on gender. It’s about how you were technically encouraged in your childhood. One of our technical trainers collects video clips of major blunders in cycling – a lot will happen by the end of the year and the men are very well represented (laughs). There are many who are not very good at cycling – in both sexes.

I have to laugh. You could pick many from our platoon and they would have exciting things to say about themselves, just like the men. But you have to do it.

Men often smile at me. But when they start riding with me, that is, when they have the direct experience, they change their mind very quickly. We may not look as muscular as the men, but that doesn’t mean anything. Another example: the Dutch Lorena Wiebes weighs only 60 kilos and achieves a maximum power of 1500 watts in a sprint. I’d like to see how many men can do that.

Source : Blick