Sophie Alisch, previously known as one of Germany's greatest boxing talents, is making a surprising career change. The 23-year-old athlete, who has already celebrated numerous successes in boxing, is switching to professional road cycling. With this step, Alisch is pursuing a clear goal: she wants to work her way up to the world's top cyclists within the next 12 to 16 months and is aiming to take part in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Alisch can look back on an impressive boxing career. She was a multiple German champion, the youngest member of the German Olympic team and won medals at the European and World Championships. She signed her first professional contract with Team Sauerland at the age of just 17. She ended her professional career unbeaten with a record of ten wins in ten fights. At the age of 21, Alisch was honoured with the "Herqul Award" as boxer of the year.
From the boxing ring to the street
The switch to cycling was not a spontaneous decision, explains Alisch: "Cycling has been a great passion of mine for a long time. It's the result of years of admiration and attachment to the sport." She emphasises that it was the right time for her to follow her curiosity and ambition and take on a new challenge at the highest level.
Goals and challenges
Sophie Alisch is aware of the challenges that come with switching to a new sport. "I've learnt that success doesn't depend on the circumstances, but on your attitude. My mindset is crucial in order to keep finding new solutions and pushing boundaries," explains the athlete. With the prospect of the Olympics, both road and track cycling would be an option, but the former boxer is clearly focussing on road cycling. "It was a conscious decision," adds her father Michael Alisch, who is supporting her with media communication and organisation surrounding her transition. "Both out of sporting conviction and personal fascination. The focus is entirely on the specific requirements of the road: on tactical depth, racing experience and teamwork in the field."
Aiming for a professional contract
In order to succeed in international women's road cycling, Alisch will sooner or later have to join a professional racing team and secure a contract. "Although we only recently publicised the change of discipline, we've already been working on the sporting transition in the background for months," explains Michael Alisch. "We are currently in talks with several teams with an international focus. We are aiming to make a decision on team affiliation in the course of this year. The aim is to compete in the first international UCI races in 2026."
The 2028 Olympics as a prospect
With a view to his daughter's possible Olympic participation in Los Angeles 2028, Alisch adds: "Sophie knows the Olympic structures from her own experience. She was part of the official Olympic boxing squad and knows what it means to build up performance within a federation system. At the moment, the focus is clearly on athletic development, racing experience and physical reorganisation. Initial contacts have already been made with the relevant bodies in cycling, not to speed things up, but to be prepared when the performance speaks in favour of it." Olympic participation is the clearly defined goal, says Alisch, but is not formulated as a matter of course. It is a possibility that can be worked towards - with time, substance and results.
