Around six weeks after her World Championship title in the individual time trial, Antonia Niedermaier won silver in the U23 class at the European Road Cycling Championships on Wednesday (September 20, 2023).
The 20-year-old only had to admit defeat to the British Zoe Backstedt after 20.6 kilometers in the title fights in Drenthe, Netherlands. After battling against the clock, Niedermaier was 58 seconds behind at the finish in Emmen.
However, there was no medal for the German starters in the women’s individual time trial. Katharina Fox and Lisa Klein took eleventh and twelfth place. The Swiss Marlen Reusser secured the title over the 29.5 kilometer distance ahead of the British Anna Henderson and Christina Schweinberger from Austria.
Bronze for Hannah Kunz among the juniors
In addition to Niedermaier, Hannah Kunz secured another German medal with bronze among the juniors. Kunz finished the 19.80 kilometers from Emmen to Emmen 32.99 seconds behind Federica Venturelli from Italy and 23.36 seconds behind Stina Kagevi from Sweden.
Judith Friederike Rottmann (Arnsberg) came in 22nd, Anna Maria Borger from Cologne came in 26th.
“Mentally it’s a big one Challenge”
“The route actually didn’t suit me at all, I prefer it hillier. It was a big challenge mentally, you just had to push the pace”said lightweight Niedermaier, who had big problems with the wind.
But it is also such an outstanding season for the Rosenheim native. In addition to her successes in the national jersey, she also won the queen stage of the Giro d’Italia in July.