Interview Lisa Brennauer

Time trial worldchampion, German champion, winner of la Vuelta and podium spots in cobble classics. It seems like an unusual combination  but Lisa Brennauer did it all in only a few years. The 32 years old German rider is one of the best time trial riders of her generation and her sprint and stamina are more then decent as well. This will be her 3th season for the Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team, where she will be one of the leaders again. The Bavarian rider shares her experiences and tells about her feelings during those big moments. Let's relive them once again together with her.

 

This season you managed top 10 spots in every classic or championship and you finished twice on the podium of a big cobble classic. Did you ever feel better during your classic campaign?

Well it’s hard to say. Usually all those races are in a completely different time of the year, but what I know is that when they took place in 2020 I definitely felt ready.

This season was short but intense, was it hard to adjust or did it make it easier for you to keep a strong form for a longer period of time?

It has been different, especially mentally, because every race was directly a World Tour race or a Championships race, plus you had to time racing and recovering very well to be at the best possible shape on the highlights.

You've won La Vuelta for the second year in a row. Do you believe that this race could grow to a second grand tour and do you think that it would be good for women's cycling?

I think it’s a race with great potential to grow to a grand tour. At the moment it’s still pretty short with 3 stages, but it’s going to be exciting to see how this race will develop.

This year you became the German national champion. How does it feel to wear the German colours every race?

It’s very special to be national Champion. It’s of course the races, but it’s also every single day that you open the wardrobe and put on this beautiful jersey for your training ride. It’s a great motivation every day, reminds me about achieved goals, future goals and has helped me a lot in the lockdown times as well.

In 2014, you became almost worldchampion in the road race. How many times did you think about that sprint afterwards?

I thought about it many times. What if…, but then I also realised that I still became second when I thought I wouldn’t make it anymore. Then I look back to this whole week where I’ve been the most successful athlete of those World Championships and that things turned out the way they had to. I had become World Champion in those Championships twice and it made me happy, that’s what counts. It’s not about another title or another jersey, it’s about being happy. 

You became worldchampion in the time trial in the same year. Can you tell me how you experienced that ride and the year in the rainbowjersey?

It’s been a great ride. I knew the circuit so well, I knew every corner, every little bump and I had a clear strategy how to approach the race. It’s just been a question about whether this day would become my day. I knew I had the power and mind to be able to go for a medal. I remember the minutes waiting for the last rider Ellen van Dijk to cross the line to have this last confirmation that I had really won this race and I still get goosebumps thinking back to those moments. I enjoyed every ride in my rainbow colours, every training, every race. It’s been the best award for all the hard work to achieve this.

 

Which races did you enjoy the most so far in your carreer?

I love the spring classics, the roads, their brutal character, the enthusiasm of spectators.

You've been in the sport for over 10 years now. Do you feel that things changed since then? How do you see the future?

Women’s cycling has developed a lot from when I entered the professional side of the sport until now. The infrastructure of teams, the strength in depth to mention first, but also races are getting more visible on tv and online. There’s progress in all means but it’s also still lots of potential for future development.

What are your goals for 2021?

Of course, it’s the Olympic Games that are in the focus of my 2021 season, but there are many beautiful steps along the way. The spring classics are my first big goal, National Championships and World Championships are always highlights. I’m looking forward to it.

Thanks for the interview, Lisa!