tour reporter
The second edition of the Tour de France women. It was a very special day for a German rider who was making her Tour debut: Ricarda Bauernfeind.
Actually, Ricarda Bauernfeind seemed very relaxed. But her inner life looked different, as she explained shortly before the start of the first stage. She’s nervous, that’s just part of it. But somehow it’s no wonder, because it’s the first Tour de France Femmes for Bauernfeind, riding for the only German World Tour team Canyon SRAM. Last year, the 23-year-old was already considered a promising young athlete, but the Tour of France came too early.
The anticipatory atmosphere at grand department in Clermont Ferrand did the rest. Hours before the race, people were out and about in the streets of the old town so as not to miss the start. Even the statue of the Gallic city hero Vercingetorix was wrapped in a yellow jersey – so Clermont-Ferrand was ready for the women’s tour.
Successful start for Bauernfeind
Just like Bauernfeind. In the end, she finished 24th, just 53 seconds behind the yellow jersey, making her the second-best German behind Liane Lippert. Bauernfeind’s favorite stage comes at the end of the tour on the legendary Tourmalet goes. The mountain specialist would like to attack there. “But the six stages before that will be really tough. I just hope that I can support my team as much as possible until then.”, said Bauernfeind to the sports show. This is especially true for their captain Kasia Niewiadoma. “We want to give everything to defend the podium from last year.”
This worked perfectly on the first stage, Niewiadoma reached the same time as the top favorite Annemiek van Vleuten the goal. The relief at her good result was noticeable to Bauernfeind after the race. But also the joy of the exuberant atmosphere along the route. “Even before the start, it was something very special and new for me. You could also tell from the climbs and in the villages that we’re really riding in the Tour de France now.”says Bauernfeind with a smile. “The Tour is the best thing that could have happened to women’s cycling.”
First year as a cycling pro
At first, Bauernfeind’s parents didn’t want her to start cycling, it was too dangerous. But she prevailed, also because her brother practiced the sport. Of course, the Tour de France Femmes didn’t exist back then. As is well known, that has changed, so Bauernfeind really wanted to be there too. “The fact that it worked so quickly is all the better”, says the Upper Bavarian. For a long time it was not clear whether Bauernfeind would continue with competitive sport, let alone take the path of a professional cyclist. As a junior, she won medal after medal on the track and on the road, and was one of the national leaders in the youth field.
Four years ago, however, she retired from racing. “I just lost the fun of racing and wanted to concentrate on my studies instead”, remembers Bauernfeind, who is studying sports and nutrition to become a teacher. Only virtual races during the corona pandemic reawakened their desire for professional cycling. In her first season back on the competitive circuit, Bauernfeind rode for the Canyon SRAM junior team. “There I got the chance to drive more freely and without pressure.” That was last year, which culminated in winning the bronze medal at the U23 World Championships in Wollongong, Australia. At the beginning of the current season, she then made the leap into the professional team.
Surprised at himself
“For me personally, that was the best path I could have taken. The past year has also really helped me in terms of the learning process.”, Bauernfeind is convinced. Her first professional season is at least something to be proud of – top 20 places in spring and fifth overall at the La Vuelta Feminina, along with the Tour and the Giro D’Italia Donne, one of the three major tours of the year. There she only had to let van Vleuten and Demi Vollering go up the Pyrenees on the fifth stage.
When asked about the Vuelta, Bauernfeind grins. “This is my highlight so far, simply because I not only surprised myself personally, but also everyone else. It gave me a lot of self-confidence and motivated me even more.” She also needs a good feeling in the next eight days until the finish of the tour is reached in Pau. When asked whether the tour should be a little longer in the future, Bauernfeind has to laugh, perhaps with a touch of despair. “First of all, I want to get through the eight days here and then we can continue talking.” She should, because the student wants to hand in her bachelor thesis in October.