"Can achieve a lot": High-flyer Niedermaier on Germany's chances in the road race

About the person: Antonia Niedermaier

• Nationality: German
• Born: 20 February 2003 in Rosenheim
• Size/weight: 1.62 metres, 53 kilograms
• Place of residence: Walchsee (Austria)
• Teams: Team Mangertseder Bayern (2021), Canyon//SRAM Generation (2022), Canyon//SRAM (since 2023)
• Important successes: 2 stages and overall victory Tour de l'Ardeche (2022), stage Giro d'Italia (2023), U23 world champion EZF (2023-2024), sixth Giro d'Italia and Tour de Suisse (2024), world championship fourth EZF (2024)

Antonia Niedermaier in a TOUR interview

TOUR: Last year you said in the TOUR interviewyou wouldn't even know many of the well-known professional cyclists in the race. How well prepared are you now for the big-name competition in the World Championship road race? The female riders wear national jerseys at the World Championships and may be even harder to recognise...

Antonia Niedermaier: I've learnt a lot this season and can now read the races better. You also have to listen to your gut feeling a bit. I know who the key riders are - it's relatively obvious on a course like this (like here in Zurich) who is going to try something. We are well prepared for this, also as a national team. We have a good team. And I think we can ride boldly and make a big impact.

TOUR: What is your personal gut feeling for the race on Saturday, what is possible for you?

Antonia Niedermaier: The course works in my favour, I like mountains. Maybe these are mountains for more explosive riders than me. We can ride well and I think that anything can happen. I know that my form is good and I already have the expectation that I want to ride well. When the road gets wet, everything is a bit different, then you have to be more careful on the descents and corners.

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TOUR: You get a lot of attention because of your achievements. What is your attitude towards media work?

Antonia Niedermaier: Of course, there is already a lot of attention. Everyone wants a statement and asks for one. I'm happy to do it, I know that it's part of the job now, even if I don't like being the centre of attention. So: I'm the last person to turn someone down for an interview or react flippantly.

TOUR: How do you personally feel about self-promotion via Instagram & Co.

Antonia Niedermaier: Nowadays, it's hard to imagine life without it, you also do it for the sponsors. It's just very important to me that I remain authentic on my profile.