Interview Nina Kessler
Nina Kessler is a women of all terrains. Asphalt, sand or a wooden track, she rides over everything that is more or less possible. The now 33 years old rider is already a familiar face in the peloton for quite some time now and saw the sport growing from the front row. After many years as leader herself, she started to share her experience with a new generation who would like to follow in her footsteps. Nina Kessler tells about herself and about how she saw the sport developing, with eyes on the future as well.
You're having a great Spring campaign with a national title in Beach racing and an 8th place in Drenthe as highlights. How do you look back yourself on the first months of the year?
I look back on a good Spring campaign. It always takes some time to get used to a new team and you have to get know each other in the races. My main role was to support my team mates. I've noticed that I still take steps every year and also this year I notice that I can handle the climbs better.
Drenthe has always been a beautiful race to me and I also know the 'VAM-berg' quite well now. I was happy to still be present in the final and that I managed to earn a top 10 spot here.
During the Winter I like to keep myself busy. Unfortunatly there weren't many track or beach races due to corona. Right before corona I became European champion beach racing but unfortunalty, I haven't been able to ride in my jersey for a long time. Well nice that I could ride the longest beach race 'Hoek van Holland-Den Helder' in my European jersey and that I also won it.
Unfortunatly, I had to miss the Euros this year due to obligations with the team. But I was glad to take the Dutch title in an extreme stormy edition. My title on the track nationals together with Marjolein van 't Geloof also gave me a lot of confidence.
This Winter, you made the move to Team BikeExchange-Jayco. What are your ambitions in your new team?
By my experience in all races, I want to support the team and help them in the finals of the big races. Off course, I can also go for my own chances where it's possible and I will take them with both hands for sure. I know that I have a good sprint but I have to admit honestly that the hectics of a mass sprint suit me less & less. Because of that I also enjoy to help my team mates here and that I can launch them well before the sprint.
It's been a while that you took part in a grand tour. Do you take part this year in the Giro or the Tour de France or you will focus on the one day races?
At first the focus was on the Spring classics and after that we're going to look on what the rest of the program will be. If everything turns out well, then I will ride the Giro this year. I took part in this race a few times before and it always has been quite tough to me. I thought every time that I wans't going to do this anymore but if you reached the finish and you became so much stronger after a weeks, then I took part in it again the year after.
I'm curious about how I will do this year in the Giro because I made steps forward in terms of climbing so I'm really looking forward to these race.
What are your favourite weather conditions during the races?
I like windy races. I enjoy it when it's quite warm because I don't suffer from it at all. But there may always be a good amount of wind for me. The cold is not a big problem for me too but the rain may stay away.
You're doing beach races for a few years now. How do you see the discipline developing?
Hard to say. I mostly enjoy it a lot to stay active during the winter break and feel the competition now and then. The opponents became stronger. I notice when they let the ladies start after the men, that less women take part. The cause of it, is that many women get alone quickly and some beach races are a really long journey. Off course, it's good that women & men have seperate races but I would rather see that we start at the same time in a seperate section so that more women will take part.You saw the Spring calendar expanding through the years, are you statisfied by the new organisations or do you still have some advice for them?
I'm statisfied for sure about how the women's calendar has expanded. I only have to say that it's sometimes hard for teams to be present with a full roster on every race. The calendar is full but just to small for a double program for a team. From the point that we could really ride a double program, the teams should be prepared with double as much riders, staff, equipment. At this point, I think that women's cycling is still a bit in between that.
You're part of the peloton already for 12 years. How did you see the sport changing?
In recent years, big steps have been taken in women's cycling. It became more professional and it's a whole different peloton then 10 years ago. Years ago there were only a handful riders who could live from cycling and now is the majority of the peloton doing that. By that, the women can focus completely on cycling. It's also good that many of our teams are connected to a men's team, like my time. We can use their experience and facililties. Women's cycling became a lot more popular too. Off course because most races receive live broadcasting now. People recognize riders and know now that there are more riders the only Marianne Vos.
Would you like to stay in the sport after your carreer?
I'm already in the sport for so long that I can't imagine yet how it is to be no cyclist anymore I love the sport and I would love to stay in the cycling world.
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