European Track Cycling Championships 2023: Friedrich and Hinze: Recovered for the next title hunt

Lea Sophie Friedrich and Emma Hinze have recharged their batteries in the Cape Town sun, and now the title hunt can begin again.

European Track Cycling Championships 2023: Lea Sophie Friedrich & Emma Hinze ready

When the European Track Cycling Championships begin on Wednesday in Grenchen, Switzerland, the medallists will be looking to make a comeback on the international stage. "Above all, the training camp in January with the good weather in Cape Town did us all a lot of good," reported Friedrich. Friend and long-term rival Hinze added: "The break was important. I needed time for myself and for my training."

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After the extraordinary success story at the European Championships in Munich in August 2022, when Hinze and Friedrich won half of Germany's eight gold medals, the two exceptional riders were already struggling at the World Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and had to concede two of the four titles in the short track to the strong French women. After that, nothing worked. Hinze did not even compete in the Champions League and Friedrich had to retire in tears after the second round in Berlin, sick and exhausted.

Continuation of the long-running duel at the 2023 European Track Cycling Championships?

Now the restart. Will the long-running duel continue? Friedrich is 7:6 ahead of Hinze in terms of World Championship titles. Kristina Vogel's World Championship record of eleven victories is likely to be shaken soon. At the European Championships, the two team-mates are still tied 3:3, but Hinze does not want to let expectations get too high. "I feel quite good, but not yet where I want to be. I think the European Championships are coming a bit too soon," said the 25-year-old.

Friedrich, who is two years younger, seems to be one step ahead. At the Berlin six-day race, which was shortened to three days, she recently came out on top against Hinze in the sprint competition. She doesn't want to overemphasise this: "Berlin was cool and fun, but above all it was good training."

Focus on Keirin

In the individual, Friedrich's focus in Switzerland is primarily on the keirin. After winning gold at the European Championships and World Championships in 2021 and repeating the feat in 2022, the "combat sprint queen" would love to continue her run of success. "I definitely want to keep the title, anything else would be a lie," said Friedrich. Hinze will also concentrate on the Olympic disciplines of sprint and keirin. Whether she will compete again in the 500 metres, where she won silver at the World Championships after winning gold at the European Championships, has not yet been decided.

Team sprint title as a common goal

Before Friedrich and Hinze take on each other on the wooden oval, they first want to win the first title together in the team sprint on Wednesday. They will be joined by Pauline Grabosch, another Cottbus athlete. A good result is also a must for the world and European champions, as qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games begins in Grenchen. Only eight teams will be travelling to Paris next year.

"We definitely want to perform well and secure our place," says Friedrich. And Hinze agrees: "In the end, it's important that we get the points for the Olympic qualification." But if there were a few more medals like in Munich, neither of them would mind.

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