Cycling: Nikias Arndt won a stage at the Vuelta a Espana last year and thus celebrated another great success. Now he dreams of winning the Tour de France. In the interview, he tells us, among other things, that he – like probably most of us – watched the Tour of France in front of the television as a child and shared the excitement with Jan Ullrich.
Name: | Nickias Arndt |
Nation | Germany |
Date of Birth: | 18 November 1991 |
Place of birth: | Buchholz in the north heath |
Team: | Sunweb |
Greatest successes: | 1x stage win at the Critérium du Dauphiné 2014 1x stage win at the Giro d'Italia 2016 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2017 1x stage win at the Vuelta a Espana 2019 |
Nikias Arndt (almost) every year a winning driver
On July 21, 2017 was Nickias Arndt close. The now 28-year-old almost won a stage of the Tour de France back then. As a breakaway, he had to focus on the 19th part only beaten Edvald Boasson Hagen. Exactly this one stage win is still missing to make the triple at Grand Tours perfect. Then Nickias Arndt won the 2016st stage at the Giro d'Italia in 21 and the 2019 8th stage at the Vuelta a Espana. In general, the German seems to aim to win at least one race every season. After all, he has managed to do this every year since 2010 – with the exception of 2018. His career really took off in 2014 when he Criterium du Dauphine celebrated his first win on the World Tour. And although he is mostly used as a loyal helper, he always finds the opportunity to win a race himself at some point and place. So also in 2017, when he did that Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race could finish victorious. But now – as he tells us in the interview – he dreams above all of a stage win in the Tour de France.
How do you motivate yourself to train during the Corona break?
Nickias Arndt: “Sure, at the moment it is a long phase in which we only have training. There is a great deal of uncertainty as to when and if we will start racing again. Of course, sometimes it's difficult to find motivation. But on the other hand, it's still what we like to do and what we love: going out and cycling. We are very lucky in Germany that we can train outside and that the weather was very good. That's why I had few training units on the roller, but was able to do a lot outside. I took the opportunity to ride outside in the sun and just spend the time with me and my bike. So it wasn't that bad for me. But the anticipation is there again, to have a goal and I hope that the races will start again soon.”
How do you relax after a tough training session or after intense races?
“After a hard training session, there is a recovery meal first, i.e. lunch. Usually there is a nice coffee or cappuccino at home afterwards. In the late afternoon and evening it varies a bit. On some days it's a stretching session to loosen up the muscles a bit. Other days I work with the massage hammer to give myself a little massage. It is currently not possible to work with physiotherapists or masseurs. The third option that I am currently using are recovery boots or compression boots, which help with the removal of lactate and regeneration. But of course I also like to lie on the couch and put my feet up.”
Can you recommend a good series or movie for our readers?
"I'm relatively open when it comes to films and series and don't have any big favourites. I watch what's on offer or something my girlfriend wants to watch. I haven't seen that many series, but I quite liked Homeland. I also really enjoy watching classics like the 96 Hours trilogy.”
What does your favorite food look like and what are you particularly happy about in the food bag?
“At home I really like to eat a really good fillet of beef with baked potatoes with rosemary and some vegetables, such as broccoli or, this time of year, asparagus. In the food bag I am happy about a variation, just to be surprised. It doesn't matter whether it's a chocolate bar or the rice cake has a new taste. Especially on a Grand Tour you are happy about every surprise.”
Who do you think is the greatest professional cyclist of all time? Did you have a role model when you were young?
“The first thing that comes to mind is Eddy Merckx. In his time he was a crazy athlete who really won everything. Otherwise, of course, it's difficult afterwards when you realize what happened at the respective times. When I was young, I was also a huge fan of the Tour de France and followed the stages in the afternoons. It was a really great fight back then when Jan Ullrich rode up front. Of course, I was also an absolute Ullrich fan and was totally rooted for it. Later, with the juniors, I looked more at more up-to-date professionals. For example, there was Marcel Kittel, who hit like a bomb and made me think "Whoa, what an athlete". Just like John Degenkolb or Tony Martin. They're not much older than me, but I followed them both when it was time to make the leap to the pros. They had already won big races at the time and were the great role models I wanted to emulate in order to make the leap to the pros.”
Why is cycling the hottest sport in the world?
“Anyone who has been fascinated by cycling can no longer escape it. I think that can happen relatively quickly. When someone watches Paris – Roubaix for the first time, they will do it every year thereafter. The "Hell of the North" is just an insane race. What is demanded of the wheels and the body, the spectacular images when the drivers drive over the pavement and kick up dust. The same applies to the Tour de France: the recordings that are made there are simply very beautiful and ingenious. In addition, we athletes are very tangible. When someone comes to a race, they come very close to us. That's a big difference to football, for example. In cycling, the fans can stand by the bus, we arrive at the bus after the race sweating, disappointed or full of joy and the fans can experience these emotions up close. The joy and congratulations after a win or the disappointments are very tangible. Many people and amateur athletes can also find themselves there.”
Do you like to watch bike races yourself? Do you remember the first race you saw?
“Basically, I like to watch bike races myself. Especially the classics and grand tours are very popular if you are not there yourself. Sometimes, when I'm coming out of a stressful racing phase and need some rest, I just want to switch off and not watch bike races. But most of the time you want to follow and support your teammates. I can't specifically remember my first bike race, but I do know that my father always watched the Tour de France. At that time, however, I wasn't that enthusiastic about cycling and I rather emulated my parents and watched the races with him. That's how I was introduced by my father."
What do you think was the best race of all time?
“Paris – Roubaix 2015 is definitely very popular. Back then we were able to win the race as a team with John Degenkolb. The years before that, the races were also very cool. We invested a lot as a team, worked towards the race and it was an absolute highlight of our classics campaign. The 2015 edition was an absolutely captivating race that is still worth watching today. For me personally, the 8th stage of the Vuelta 2019 is of course also associated with many positive emotions, as I was able to win it. That was also a very exciting race in the leading group, which I watched again afterwards and which was very captivating, exciting and emotional for me.”
What's your next big goal?
"The ultimate goal is that we all get through the Corona period well, including the teams and race organizers, so that we can start again properly afterwards. I've also always said that one of my biggest goals is to win a stage in the Tour de France - and I'm still striving for that. Depending on when the classics will continue, I would of course like to show good performances there too, whether this year or next.”
What tips can you pass on to young up-and-coming drivers?
“The most important thing for young athletes is to work purposefully on their career and not to be swayed by what others say or do on the left and right. You just have to pursue your goals and go your own way, trusting the most important people, like your own coach and parents. Then you simply have to use every opportunity you get in a race and present yourself in the best possible way in every race – whether it’s the Bundesliga, the European Championship or the World Championship. That also means being as prepared as possible for these races and entering with a lot of self-confidence.”
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