Wise Words is our new interview series talking to some of mountain biking’s most switched on people.
We’ll ask our short list of questions to a heap of influential, inspiring and outspoken people that we feel are driving the direction of mountain biking today. Some will make you think, some will make you laugh, some will be plain dumb, some will inspire you to better yourself and your riding. We hope!
Wise Words is being tackled by none other than Anneke Beerten.
Former World Cup downhiller, 4X and BMX World Champion, Enduro World Series medallist, while also being pretty handy on an MX bike, there’s not an awful lot on two wheels Anneke can’t excel at.
Photos by Sarah Viggers.
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
I had to ask my my closest friends to answer this one for me and they told me they would describe me as passionate, driven, caring and spontaneous, I’m always down for an adventure!
One time I had a friend of mine telling me he sees me as one of those Duracell energy bunnies, just because I jump around like a bunny when I ride and I normally never stop.
What thing or things have you bought in the last year that had the biggest effect on your life as a mountain biker / cyclist / person that works in the bike industry?
That would be the Rylo 360 camera. It is amazing how technology has developed over the years and the new 360 cameras are just so awesome to capture your ride and adventures.
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
One of the habits I have is that I always put my racing number plate on the bike myself. I’m very picky with how my number plate sits on the bike. I hate it when it is all crocked or weird looking. My mechanic laughs at me when he see’s me spending like half an hour making it all perfect.
What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
Hear: Send it.
Ignore: Send it.
If you could go back and re-ride one day from your life so far, where/what/when/who would it be? Would you change anything?
That would be the 2011 World Championships in Champery, Switzerland. That was the first time I won the World Champs 4-cross and it was by far the best day of my life ever. I’ve always dreamed of winning the World Championships, but I had failed many times before.
That night everything went perfect and it was an emotional night when I finally won it. My parents where there and it was amazing to share that special moment with them. Leading up to that race I felt so much pressure and stress, it is so hard to describe sometimes to the outside world how stress full racing can be. But when it all falls into place and you win it is the best feeling ever.
What have you wasted the most time on in your life as a rider or bike industry career that you wished you’d given up years ago?
I find it hard to find a good balance in all the crazy social media madness we live in these days. I struggle with that from time to time and I definitely waste time on social media. Now a day it is not so much about race results any more but more about how you do on social media.
In 2016 I actually posted a long story online telling my followers how draining social media can be as an athlete.
I just want to make sure I stay real and show my fans who I really am and that I’m comfortable with the stories and photo’s I post online. It’s easy for a girl to go down a different road just to get more likes. But I want to keep inspiring the youth and make sure I will be a good role model for them.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
I try to look at the positive things of life and how far I have got. I know I have to work had to play hard, things do not come easy in this industry, not the race results or the sponsoring. I feel grateful for all the support I am getting from sponsors, friends, fans and family and feel lucky to live the life that I am living.
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
The wind through my hair, a quiet mind, being stoked and riding with friends. I guess that is more than one single thing, but there are just way to many things that I love about riding. The thrill of it, the adrenaline rush and it just puts a smile on my face for most of the time.
I’m not always smiling when I am racing the EWS series because they can be cruel and really hard, but the reward of finishing and doing well at those races is what brings me joy again.
I also love the the fact of riding and training that I stay fit and lean while eating cookies and ice cream without gaining weight.
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
Jared Graves getting diagnosed with brain cancer.
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
I would like to keep inspiring kids, women and just anybody in general to go out and ride. I love sharing my passion for cycling with other people and I am looking forward start doing that more and more next to racing.
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Reggie Miller (NBA Legend who loves riding), Rebecca Rush & Curtis Keene.
