and Biker

Gerhard, you’ve been Junior World Champion, U23 World Champion, World Championship Runner-Up, Relay World Champion and European Champion in cross-country mountain biking. You’ve also won several World Cup titles and last year you regained the title of Italian champion. But now you’ve swapped your mountain bike for a pitchfork. Why?

I wrestled with my decision for a long time because, at 31, I’m still young enough to keep racing. Some athletes don’t stop until their forties. But I have two small sons now, aged one and three, and I wanted to spend more time with them. Taking over my family farm, the Unterplattnerhof, was the perfect opportunity to do just that. I love life as a farmer, spending time out in nature with our animals. As an athlete, I was away a lot, sometimes for weeks at a time. Now that I’m no longer a professional cyclist, my life has taken on a completely different pace. It’s been a huge adjustment, but I have to admit that I don’t miss competing.

What is cross-country mountain biking exactly?

In cross-country, cyclists race flat out for roughly 90 minutes over very technically challenging courses with a total elevation change of around 800 metres. The sport has also been an Olympic discipline since 1996.

How did you discover mountain biking?

As a child, on my favourite route in the whole world, which runs from my home in Verdings/Verdignes all the way up to the Latzfons Cross pilgrimage site. My grandparents had a mountain pasture up there, and I spent many summers there as a small boy. My grandpa gave me the money for my first mountain bike, which meant I could ride up and down the mountains to my heart’s content.

When did you compete in your first races?

With the St. Lorenzen/San Lorenzo di Sebato sports club cycling team when I was 11 years old. We travelled across Italy and around Europe too. I won a few races, but winning wasn’t what mattered most to us as kids.

What was more important than winning?

The crisps and gummy bears we secretly bought with our pocket money whenever we stopped at a service station! Looking back, I can see that I had a very relaxed start to cycling. Nobody put pressure on us, and it was all about having fun. I want to make sure my own two boys have the same experience of sport and never feel forced into doing it. That’s important because if kids feel too much outside pressure, they soon lose interest.

What do you like most about mountain biking?

I love the sense of freedom when I’m out riding on my own and how I can simply let my mind wander. I used to do that a lot when I was training. And, of course, winning always felt fantastic. My 16-yearold self would tell you that nothing beats the rush of adrenaline after winning a race. But, today, I’d say that the time spent in the fresh air surrounded by forests and mountains tops all that. There’s no feeling in the world like launching yourself down a mountain at breakneck speed.

Were you ever afraid you’d get seriously injured?

No, actually. Generally speaking, cycling is a safe sport. It’s gentler on your joints than running, for example. Of course, there’s a high risk of injury if you fall, but if you cycle carefully using correctly taught techniques, you have almost nothing to fear. I’ve never injured myself cycling. The only issue I’ve ever had was an inflamed Achilles tendon from when I neglected my cycling one winter and then started up again too quickly.

Top: Gerhard grew up here on his family farm, the Unterplattnerhof. Since taking it over, it’s kept him busier than ever before.

Left: The farm is home to ponies, Haflinger horses, hens and the family’s dog, Lusy.

Bottom: Three years ago, farmer Gerhard built a new house, together with chalets for guests, alongside the old one.

Why did you choose mountain biking over road racing?

Because, to me, mountain biking is pure freedom on two wheels. Compared with cross-country, road racing is much more structured. It’s all about tactics and group dynamics, the routes are fixed, and you have to focus more. Of course, there’s more money in road racing. The Giro d’Italia, for example, is pretty much an essential part of Italian culture. But you don’t get the freedom, or fun, of having to navigate your own route through the countryside.

Profile

Name: Gerhard “Gerri” Kerschbaumer

Date and place of birth: 19 July 1991, Brixen/Bressanone

Home: Unterplattnerhof, Verdings/ Verdignes (Klausen/Chiusa)

Racing weight: 69 kg

Height: 183 cm

Discipline: XC mountain biking (cross-country)

Is there a race you have especially fond memories of?

Oh yes, two actually. The first was in Canberra, Australia, in 2009 when I was 18 and won the Junior World Championships. A lot of doors suddenly started opening for me, and I even signed my first professional contract.

And the second?

The Italian National Championships in Gsies/Valle di Casies in the Pustertal valley last year. It was the first time this event was held in South Tyrol, and it felt great to compete on home soil. The courses were amazing, and so many friends and familiar faces were there to cheer me on. I won – but I still don’t really know how. My performance was pretty average in the competitions before and after the event, so perhaps my victory was a case of mind over matter.

Have you ruled out a return to racing?

I still ride a lot in my spare time, but it’s unlikely I’ll ever compete again. I was a happy mountain biker, and now I’m a happy farmer! At the moment, I’m focusing on my family and the farm. There’s always something to do here, and I really enjoy it. I’ve explored the world on two wheels, and now I’ve returned to my roots in the farmhouse where I grew up.