Friday, March 29, 2024

Rick Zabel – All Set For the Classics With BMC

-

HomeInterviewsRick Zabel - All Set For the Classics With BMC
Rick Zabel
Rick Zabel.

How do you get an interview with rising BMC Racing Team rider; Germany’s Rick Zabel?

We thought a good start would be not to ask any questions about his ‘D,A,D,’ – he’s his own man; but it helped too that Xylon Van Eyck of Corso Sports Marketing who now represent young Rick is a friend of ours and has helped us with many cool interviews in the past.

The German Junior Madison Championships came Zabel Junior’s way in 2009 with more track podiums at national junior level in 2010 in the points, team pursuit and madison.

There were a raft of strong junior road results in 2011 with a fifth place in the Junior Worlds as a high point.

His first year as a U23 in 2012 saw him lift the national U23 road race title for Rabobank Continental for whom he also won the U23 Ronde van Vlaanderen in 2013.

Last year saw him step up to the World Tour with BMC Racing Team and land a share of a win in the Tour of Trentino TTT.

Still only 21 years-old he took time to answer our questions as he steeled himself for a Northern Clasics campaign:

When did you first decide you wanted to be a pro, Rick?

“I was 16 years old, first year junior (U19), I did the world championships on the track in Montichiari, Italy and also my first international road races and did quite well.

“I started taking it all more serious to be even better in my second year juniors and my dream was then to become a pro.”

You were originally a track rider – when and why change?

“I was not a specifically just a track rider.

“I did road and track cycling but first I had more success on the track which I guess is why people thought I’d focused on the track alone.

“I was in the track national team, I did two times the track worlds as a junior, and I really liked it but when I became good on the road as well in my second year juniors I decided to concentrate more on the road for the U23 ranks because my dream was to become a professional.”

How did you get the Rabo ride?

“When I was second year junior I started to look out for a good U23 team.

“I got contact details for Piet Kuijs (he was a Rabo-DS) and contacted him.

“He said they would follow my results and then; ‘we will see.’

“Luckily I had a good year so they took me.

“That was my big goal because at the time, Rabo was the best U23 team in the world.”

Tell us a little about your time at Rabo.

“It was a really nice but also a hard time. I was one of two Germans in the team and all other riders were Dutch.

“So first I learned Dutch; that was really good so I could speak with everybody. They had good riders and everyone wanted to become a pro and wanted to be good. They also had a good race program.

“Everything was really professional, like a small pro-team.

“I had to learn a lot and it was not easy but I knew if I could make it here, I could make it anywhere.”

You won the U23 Flanders – you must look forward to riding the ‘big Ronde’ one day?

“Yes of course! It’s a really cool and legendary race!

“I’m proud that I’ve won the U23 version and to be good at the pro race as well is a dream of mine.”

How did the BMC Racing Team ride come about?

“After I won U23 Flanders a few teams were interested in me.

“Allan Peiper from BMC Racing Team visited me at home and we had a good talk.

“After meeting with him, I wanted to ride for BMC.”

Rick Zabel
Rick warms up at the USA Pro Challenge last year. Photo©Casey Gibson

Season 2014 and the World Tour; what was like it moving up from Continental and U23 – what’s the biggest difference?

“Of course, it´s hard.

“It´s faster, especially in the finals.

“Fighting for positioning is a lot harder because so many more riders are good at it.

“The races are much more structured and controlled, teamwork is much more important but to ride in the `champions league` is really cool.”

Alan Peiper – tell us about working with him, please?

“He’s a great man! I´m really happy that he’s with the BMC Racing Team.

“He has a lot of experience and is just a cool guy.

“He takes care of young riders like me but also in general of everybody in the team.

“You can always call him any time if you need to talk.

“He’s one of the best people I’ve met in cycling.”

Do you have a mentor at BMC?

“Mentor is a big word.

“I have a few people who look out for me but if I need to pick one it would be Allan.

“Working with him is really professional and cool!”

Who sets your training schedules ? are you ‘hi-tech’ or ‘old school’?

“Marco Pinotti; he’s a really good trainer – so I`m happy that he´s my trainer!

“I became good with typical old school German training so I like it and believe in it; but now with BMC Racing Team I do also a lot of hi-tech training stuff.

“So you can say I do a mix of both, I think that’s really good for me!”

Rick Zabel
Rick enjoys some downtime at the European U23 Road Champs. Photo©ROT

Where are you based – and why?

“I live in Unna, Germany; I was born and raised here.

“My family and friends are here and also it´s a good place to train.

“The weather is OK, not too much traffic and a few people around to train with; I can train on hilly or flat terrain but most of all, it´s my home.

“In winter I spend a lot of time in Mallorca.

“There’s good weather in winter and also a great place to be as a bike rider.”

Last year you rode Australia and Dubai, this year Dubai and Qatar – which did you prefer?

“It’s hard to compare.

“It depends which goals you have later in the season but I liked both; Australia and the Middle Eastern races, they are different but both are cool.”

Your second rides in Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne this year – are they races you think you can excel in, one day?

“I would like to.

“I’m working hard to be good there in the future; they’re nice races that I really like and believe will suit me!”

What would make 2015 a success for Rick Zabel?

“Riding a Monument such as Flanders or Roubaix.

“I would also like to do my first Grand Tour.

“In general I would like to ride the season at a constant high level and improve a lot from last year and to get results where I can.

“To win one race would be a dream. I know they’re high goals but I will give my best to reach them.”

Rick Zabel
Rick gets a hand from his dad, Erik. Photo©spa

Who is his dad, anyway?

With thanks to again to Rick, Xylon and to Sean Weisse at BMC Racing Team for their cooperation and patience.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

James McCallum – Rapha’s ‘Busiest and Oldest’ Pro

We caught up with James McCallum after a busy weekend which combined the British Madison Championships, a Revolution meeting and a cyclo-cross.

Michael Mørkøv – Straight from the Road to a Six Day win

It's been quite a season for Saxo-Tinkoff's former World Madison Champion, Michael Mørkøv. The man from just north of Copenhagen was the prime animator in the Spring classics; wore the polka dot King of the Mountains leader's jersey in the Tour de France for the first week; was in the Danish team pursuit squad which dipped under the magic four minutes in London and he was back off 'up the road' in the late season Northern European classics.

Gary Hand – the New Scottish Road Champion 2013

At his ninth attempt, Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes' Gary Hand finally 'done the business' in the Scottish road race championship; timing his move to perfection on the final climb inside seven miles to go and holding off a desperate chase from reigning champion James McCallum (Rapha Condor JLT) and David Lines (MG-Maxifuel Pro Cycling) to win on his own. We caught up with the man who eats the miles - but not much else - on the Monday morning after his win.

Andrea Pogson – British 100 Mile TT Champion in 1998

Has a Scottish based woman ever won the British 100 mile time trial title championship before? The answer is ‘yes,’ in 1998; Andrea Pogson riding for Midlothian Racing Team did that very thing and kindly consented to delve back into her memory banks and give us her recollections of a highly successful time trialling career. 

At Random

Skil Shimano Team Launch

Rotterdam is readying itself for the Tour de France start this summer, and the Skil Shimano Team used it's 2010 presentation last weekend in the city to recce the route which will be used for Stage 1. The team is largely the same as last season, but has been bolstered by the addition of six riders; Dutchmen Job Vissers and Robin Chaigneau, Frenchmen Alexandre Geniez and Yann Huguet, Belgian Dominique Cornu, and Norwegian Frederik Wilmann.

Scots selected for UEC Junior and Under-23 European Track Championships

Four Scots have been selected for the Great Britain Cycling Team heading to the UEC Junior and Under-23 European Track Championships taking place in Montichiari from 12 – 17 July. Under-23 riders Mark Stewart and Jack Carlin will be joining Juniors Lewis Stewart and Jenny Holl – who were also selected for the UCI Junior Track World Championships earlier this month.

Rolf Gölz – A Chat with ‘Turbo’ about his Career

Rolf Gölz might not be a name that readily comes to mind, but from 1983 to 1993 the man from West Germany filled his palmarès with Olympic and World medals, National championships, Tour stage wins, Classics and a list of other race wins. Ed Hood caught up with Rolf for a chat over old times.

Scottish 25 Mile Time Trial Championship 2007

Jason Macintyre (Edge RT) made it a 'double-double' on Sunday morning as he successfully defended his Scottish 25 Mile Time Trial Championship 2007 with 51:58 on a sunny but airy Irvine by-pass, the win coming just two weeks after he retained his British 25 mile title.