TOUR: You’ve won the legendary Ötztaler Cycle Marathon for the fourth year running, once again setting a new course record. What went through your mind as you crossed the finish line in Sölden?
MEYER: Not really much. If anything, it was a sense of disbelief that I’d actually managed it again.
TOUR: When Jack Burke, the men’s winner, placed the winner’s wreath around your neck a few seconds later, you really struggled to find the right words during the interview...
MEYER: You walk in there, and then, bang – first the wreath, then the Red Bull can, then the trophy. Then my husband immediately handed me my mascot – I was speechless for a moment (laughs).
TOUR: Following your victories in previous years, you were the top favourite. Did that put you under pressure?
MEYER: I’ve certainly felt the pressure, and it does make me feel a bit uncomfortable at times. In the run-up to the race, I simply tried to focus on preparing for it and not let myself get distracted. Before the race, I need my routine and have to keep myself busy. I visited the sponsors on site, met up with all sorts of people, then prepared my meal the evening before race day – all these things take my mind off things and take the pressure off me.
TOUR: After the race, you said the competition had been particularly strong this year. How did that show?
MEYER: It was a very fast start right from the off, and the leading group literally stormed into Kühtai. I had to burn off some energy there, pushed a bit too hard and had to battle it out all day.
I think it was obvious that I was in a great deal of pain.
At Kühtai, I managed to open up a lead over my closest pursuer for the first time – it stood at one and a half minutes at that point. That’s when I knew I absolutely couldn’t afford to slack off from then on.
TOUR: You really proved that impressively on the descent towards Innsbruck. Was the speedometer really showing 115 km/h?
MEYER: I’d got some new wheels and was riding them in a race for the first time. On descents, I never look at the speedometer, as I only ride as fast as I feel comfortable with. I was actually surprised afterwards. The lads ride down just as fast, and if you want to be in a group at the bottom, you just have to keep up with them.
TOUR: Did you ever have any doubts whilst you were racing as to whether you’d be able to win again?
MEYER: A good friend of mine, who I’d actually planned to cycle with, fell at a blind spot in Innsbruck and suffered a fractured pelvis and pubic bone. I was right next to him and stopped. By the time he told me to carry on, our group had gone – and I was on my own. But they were kind enough to wait for me. When I heard, whilst climbing the Timmelsjoch, that I’d built up a lead of eight minutes, I thought: if I can make it to the tunnel in good time and manage the descent without any problems, I’ll make it.
TOUR: During our chat before the Ötztaler, you said that breaking records wasn’t your top priority. Now, with a winning time of 7:15:46 hours, you’ve once again beaten your own course record from last year by just under seven minutes. So does the record matter after all?
MEYER: I don’t line up at the start and say, ‘Today I’m going to set a course record.’
I’m standing on the starting line and I’d really like to win. If that means setting a course record, so much the better.
Of course, I’m delighted with the new record, but my first victory was my most memorable experience at the Ötztaler.
TOUR: How do you explain this further significant improvement?
MEYER: That may have been down to the equipment, or perhaps the conditions were just perfect. It simply couldn’t have been any better – it felt as though there was no wind at all on the Brenner Pass. The new wheels were faster, and I was also performing better on the descents.
But I wasn’t any fitter than last year, and I didn’t cycle up the Jaufen Pass and the Timmelsjoch any faster than I did in 2025.
Thanks to our quick start alone, we were two to three minutes faster by the time we reached Oetz. Those minutes really do add up quickly. What’s more, my husband and I had taken a closer look at the runs beforehand. Knowing those details gave me more confidence.
TOUR: You kept pushing hard on the final few kilometres of the descent to Sölden, despite your substantial lead. Were you aware of the time gaps and the possibility of a new course record at that point?
MEYER: When I crossed the finish line, I didn’t realise I’d set a new course record. I only found out from a reporter a short while later. I always wear an Apple Watch, which my husband uses to send me split times. But I didn’t look at it then, because I just wanted to run my own race and not let external factors influence me. I didn’t look at the total time on the speedometer either. I’ve learnt from past experience to fight right to the end.
TOUR: Does the organiser actually offer an extra bonus for a course record?
MEYER: No, not here. But it does happen in other races, such as the Glockner-König.
TOUR: Apart from fame and glory, what else are you taking home with you from this Ötztal victory?
MEYER: There’s no prize money at the Ötztaler, but you can win some very high-quality prizes. The winner receives an SRM power meter system, including a computer, worth 2,000 euros. On top of that, there’s a pair of cycling glasses worth 500 euros. But that’s not what it’s all about for me. It’s the whole atmosphere that brings me here. There were so many people lining the route, shouting my name. That really moved me and spurred me on.
TOUR: What was the media interest like?
MEYER: Not as much as the first time. But I received loads of messages on Instagram, Strava and WhatsApp. There was certainly a great deal of interest.
TOUR: In social media clips, you can see the professional support provided by your crew. Did you ever have to get off your bike at all?
MEYER: No, apart from when my friend fell, I didn’t get off my bike. My husband organises which of our support staff are where and when, and makes sure they pass me refreshments so I don’t have to stop at the refreshment stations.
TOUR: When Jack Burke crossed the finish line, he got down on one knee and proposed to his partner. What surprise did your husband Michael have in store for you after the race?
MEYER: He pressed my mascot, Drogon, into my hands (laughs) – and I was really pleased about that.
TOUR: You’ve been racking up one success after another, yet you often seem quite calm and matter-of-fact immediately afterwards. What still needs to happen before we see Janine Meyer ‘lose it’ with joy?
MEYER: That comes across differently from how I actually feel.
I’m absolutely thrilled when I cross the finish line, but I always need to let it all sink in a bit first.
I’m not the sort of person who gets as carried away as others perhaps do. In the days that follow, I only really celebrate my successes once I’ve had a chance to calm down.
TOUR: What other goals are you aiming for as the season progresses? And do you intend to compete in the Ötztaler again in 2027?
Janine Meyer: I’m still doing the Kitzbühel Cycle Marathon on Sunday, followed by a few shorter mountain time trials. As far as my plans go, I’m still mentally focused on the 2026 season, but we’ve definitely got the Ötztaler in the back of our minds again.