Interview: There are few athletes who stick in your memory for years. Most of the time it is these who have won precious metal, championship jerseys and a number of fans with unbelievable performances and who inspire with great sympathy outside of sport. Dutch Anneke Beerten is one such athlete. We put the first European Enduro Champion to the test and talked to her about her career, Enduro and the future.
Hello Anneke, many will already know you from Fourcross or Enduro, but please introduce yourself briefly. How long have you been on the bike and when did you turn pro?
I'm from the Netherlands and I've been cycling all my life. I started riding BMX when I was four years old, now I'm 32 and I still ride my bike. I've been Dutch champion six times on BMX and won the world championships twice. At some point I needed a new challenge and so I threw my leg over a mountain bike for the first time when I was 17. A few years later I turned pro and I still am with all my heart.
You were then on the fourcrosser for a long time and switched to enduro in 2013. The disciplines are very different, but last year you were able to prove yourself with good results. A few weeks ago the first Enduro European Championships took place in Kirchberg and you won the race. The weather didn't quite cooperate, but you did a great race. Can you tell us about your impressions of the event?
It was a great race and to win the very first European Enduro Championship is unbelievable. The whole weekend was a challenge, the conditions were very difficult due to the heavy rain – it even snowed at times. Surprisingly I felt really good in these difficult conditions and at times it felt like riding a motocross machine through deep mud. I definitely had fun and just tried not to fall, which ended up being good.
Were you a little disappointed not to see all the top European riders at the EM?
Yes, but that's often the case in European races. We now have so many events that it's difficult to compete in all of them. Some were at Trans Provence which was held the same weekend but nonetheless there were plenty of starters and I can tell you there are some fast girls!
You have had many victories in a wide variety of disciplines in your career so far and the results in the Enduro World Series are also getting better and better. Last year you were able to get your first stage win and the day win is undoubtedly the next big step. What do you think you have to do to beat Tracey and Anne-Caroline?
I feel like if the event and the tracks suit my riding style I'm able to beat them. Slowly but surely I'm finding out how to win stages and now it's all about winning not just one but several on race day. (laughs)
Which of the EWS races do you like the most and where do you think your chances of winning are the best?
It's always difficult to say. I like the demanding races like in Scotland but also the flowing and fast stages in France. I'm looking forward to Colorado next month, love riding there. (Editor's note: Anneke won her first EWS stage in Colorado last year. The fast and jumpy trails benefit her BMX background.)
You rode for Specialized many years ago until they decided to discontinue their Gravity program. You were then on Trek for a while and with the switch to Enduro you went back to Specialized in 2013. Both are big companies with a big mountain bike background. Why did you decide to switch?
When I rode for Trek the focus was clearly on fourcross and I was on Bart Brentjens' team which was heavily cross country oriented. After winning the Fourcross World Championship twice, I was looking for a new challenge. I had stayed in good contact with Specialized over the years and when I heard they were building an enduro team I contacted Benno Willeit, the team manager. I was really looking forward to tackling my new Enduro challenge together with Specialized.
Which bike do you currently use the most? We usually see you on the Enduro 29, but the last few times you've been on the brand new Stumpjumper. Will you ride the Stumpjumper for the rest of the season? What is the big difference to the Enduro?
I'm a bit spoiled, I have to say, Specialized has a lot of great bikes. So far I have ridden the Enduro 29. The bike is a machine and it's incredibly good, especially downhill. But the new Stumpjumper already impressed me on the first test ride and I fell in love immediately. It's a bit more playful than the Enduro and it's also a bit lighter. I rode the Stumpjumper the last few races because the courses just suited the bike well. It's pretty easy for me to switch between the two bikes so I think I choose bikes based on how the tracks are.
It's a little strange to see a woman on a 29er. Why are you using them? Do they suit your riding style better than 650B wheels?
Tracey Moseley also rides a 29...it just feels faster to me and after spending some time testing the clock is right for the 29er too.
You also ride normal unisex frames, although there are already women-specific bikes. Would you wish to be able to ride an Enduro 29 designed for women?
The new Rhyme from Specialized is a great enduro bike just for women. Unfortunately, the bike is only available with a 650B at the moment, but it's great to see that the companies and we at Specialized are doing more in this direction. I am sure that we will see more bikes like this in the future and that sooner or later I will also be racing with them.
To what extent are you involved in the development process at Specialized and how does this process work?
As Specialized athletes, we are involved in all stages of development and testing. The company is very passionate about development and they take our ideas and rider feedback very seriously. We constantly talk about the products and especially after the big events we give feedback. A very cool product that I was very involved with is the SWAT Bandit, a really great enduro product that I really like.
How do you think enduro will develop? Is it already at its peak or is there more to come?
I think there will be a lot more going on in the future. Enduro is still a very young discipline and more and more racing series are emerging. The Enduro World Series is doing a great job and promoting the sport in a great way. The race in Ireland is a good example of how big the sport is already. So many spectators came to the stages and the atmosphere was incredible. The nice thing is that anyone can do it!
Unfortunately, we're already at the end of our interview, but there's one more thing I'd like to know from you. After so many years of racing, how do you stay motivated?
It's in my blood...I love to race, travel and follow my dreams. I get pretty grumpy when I don't get to ride my bike. So put me on a bike and I'm happy.
Photos: Sebastian Schieck