Wise Words is our 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 this week come to you from none other than Nina Hoffmnan.
If you’re fans of Wideopenmag then we know you know who Nina Hoffmann is. Nina Hoffmann graduated from javelin to mountain bikes and certainly isn’t shy of sending a jump or two. Nina became the first German to win a World Cup since 1996, and the first German woman to win a downhill World Cup since Regina Stiefl in 1993.
Photos by Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull.
How would your closest riding buddies describe you to someone who has never met you?
Probably as a super active, ambitious and determined person, who gets excited about almost all kind of sports with an extra excitement for downhill racing.
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?
A Swift home trainer. Indoor session are less boring now.
What unusual habits do you have as a bike rider?
For a while I had the habit to always wear a cap when going outside, luckily that changed. What I do quite often is judging other people (mostly city biker and e-bikers, or worse, city-e-bikers) for their (weird) set ups of the bikes/no chain lube on the chain. That’s something I don’t get out of my head anymore as they could often have so much more fun riding a bicycle and longer lasting bikes with a good better set up and proper maintenance.
What piece of advice do you think every mountain bike rider should hear? And what piece should they ignore?
Advice: Cooperation in the forest! Respect hikers and other people, try to see the situation out of their position and be kind. Only in that way we can push mountain biking forward.
Ignore: The danger of this sport. Then you’ll have fun. Don’t be a dare-devil, but in some situations it helps to shut the head of and trust in your abilities.
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?
World Cup Final Leogang 2019, an insane, wild run with a second place finish, just amazing!
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?
Trying to look stylish during World Cup racing.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re struggling or lacking inspiration?
Shift your attention and seek for things you are not good at and improve them! There are always weaknesses to work on
What single and specific thing about riding bicycles do you gain the most happiness from?
Being in the mountains, become one with the nature and feel the freedom.
What single thing would you like to erase from cycling history from the last year?
Doping. As from every sport…
What single thing would you like to make happen in the cycling world in the next year?
Next year I’d love to see more girls racing downhill. We need more female racers and more attention for women in this sport.
Who else should we ask these questions to?
Tahnee.
