"You've put a permanent grin on my face!" With these words, Leila Künzel commented in March on the announcement that she was the winner of the premium package for the solo start at the 24-hour race Rad am Ring was selected. TOUR, bike components and Bike on the ring have offered a package worth around 10,000 euros as a partner, including a top Factor racer and complete clothing equipment.
The new racing bike fits perfectly
Since then, Leila has been preparing intensively for her season highlight - and realises: "The grin never goes away." With her new Factor 02 VAM she has already clocked up several thousand kilometres and is delighted every time she climbs into the saddle: "The difference compared to my old bike is really noticeable; I think you can clearly feel that it is much better aerodynamically, it just rolls really well." After the professional bike fitting by biomechanics expert Sebastian Klaus, he also realised: "The bike is smaller than any I've ever owned before. But it's the first one that really fits me properly." Klaus slightly modified the position of the brake levers and also adjusted the handlebars and stem so that she sits a little more relaxed on the bike - certainly not a bad move for her 24-hour solo at the Nürburgring.
Another tip from Bikefitting: anatomically shaped insoles for cycling shoes. "Since then, I've had no more back pain," says Leila in amazement - who actually always had back pain when cycling longer distances of 120 or 130 kilometres.
More rides on the mountain in training for Rad am Ring
At the TOUR training camp in Alcudia, Leila also met cycling coach Torsten Weber, who is coaching her together with his partner, former professional cyclist Christian Knees, for her 24-hour project. After a detailed analysis session and an inscyd performance diagnosis, they jointly fine-tuned Leila's training plans. "You don't have to motivate me," says the ambitious amateur athlete, who did triathlons for many years, "I usually train once a day anyway." But she is now focussing on the upcoming challenge and on the basis of her performance diagnosis. She is intensifying her training work for her maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and incorporating more mountain rides into her sessions; the Nürburgring adds 560 metres of altitude to the clock per 26-kilometre lap, the ascent to the Hohe Acht builds up lap after lap with a 17 per cent gradient in front of the tyres - that soon puts any Alpine marathon in the shade.
Regeneration is also important
It's good that Torsten Weber has sensitised Leila to take breaks and make sure she gets the regeneration she needs. "I would have trained more for myself," she admits and explains that she now strictly uses Mondays and Thursdays as rest and recovery days, for example to actively recover with a relaxed swim.
Leila has already completed her first long-distance test, riding around 240 kilometres in eight hours at Cycle The Lake in Leipzig. She plans to integrate night rides into her training soon in order to prepare for them. Over Whitsun, she also cycled through the Ore Mountains in the footsteps of the legendary Stoneman Miriquidi. "Steep ramps, fast descents. Exactly what I can expect at Rad am Ring," says Leila with satisfaction.
Rad am Ring is a legendary 24-hour race on the Nürburgring, which takes place this year on 21-23 July.
Thomas Musch
Publisher
