Focus on special teams: 3 questions for snowboard pro Nevin Galmarini

Focus on special teams: 3 questions for snowboard pro Nevin Galmarini

Nevin Galmarini mountain biking in Finale Ligure. Photo: Andoni Lopez

A snowboard pro at a mountain bike race? What an honor! Parallel Slalom Olympic and World Cup winner Nevin Galmarini will be at the start of this year's Mondraker Enduro2! He rides as team "Love the ride / No shortcuts" in a mixed duo with top mountain biker Stefanie Thalmann, who has also ridden in the Enduro World Series. Read how the snowboarder, who is used to victory, deals with it when others are faster than him, whether a career as a mountain bike professional would have been an option and how his risk taking has changed since he has become a father. 

Mondraker Enduro2: Stefanie und du kennt euch schon seit einigen Jahren, sitzt immer mal wieder zusammen auf dem Bike und seid auch schon ein Rennen als Team gefahren. Dabei musst du dich aber jeweils sputen, um an ihrem Hinterrad dranzubleiben. Vom Snowboarden bist du dich jedoch gewöhnt, der Schnellste zu sein. Wie gehst du damit um, mal nicht an vorderster Stelle zu sein, und dann noch hinter einer Dame?
Mondraker Enduro2: Stefanie and you have known each other for several years, have been biking together every now and then, and have also ridden a race as a team. From snowboarding, you are used to being the fastest. How do you deal with not being in the front, but ride behind Stefanie trying to keep up? Nevin Galmarini: I love to ride with people, and of course with ladies who are better and faster on the bike than me, like Steffi. This way I get to learn over and over again - if I even manage to keep up...haha! Of course it's hard to compare. I've been snowboarding intensively my whole life. I only really discovered biking about seven years ago. I will never become equally good there... But that suits me, because this sport is all about fun. And I definitely have that!

Mondraker Enduro2: Nowadays you sit on your mountain bike a lot in summer and you also race every now and then. If you hadn't become a snowboarder, would you have considered a career as a professional mountain biker? Nevin Galmarini: No, I really don't think so. To become a professional in any sport, so many things have to fit together... Your own talent, your family and sporting environment and so on. There are a lot of factors and they all have to be perfect. I am lucky that everything worked out for my favourite sport, snowboarding, and I really appreciate being a professional. That's why I want to get the most out of it and become the best snowboarder I can be.

Mondraker Enduro2: You became father of twins last summer. Has your risk taking in sport changed because of it? Nevin Galmarini: I don't think so – at least I don't really see it that way. I have never been someone who takes risks just like that. I always think carefully about whether something is feasible or not and prepare myself mentally for the task. I only give it a shot when I am convinced that my skills meet the requirements.

Nevin in action. Photo: Andoni Lopez

Steffi Thalmann rocking Finale Ligure. Photo: Andoni Lopez