You are one of the few non-Swiss mountain bike pros who have competed here. How did you come to the Red Bull Velodux in the first place?
I came to the Velodux via Tim Johnson, the Red Bull athlete. He asked me if I wanted to ride with him and I didn't want to miss out on that.

You are not a frequent guest at cyclo-cross races. Will that change in the future?
I don't think so. It just fitted in well, because my preparations for the season start next week. Plus, it's always interesting for me to do something different - to ride a different bike. A race that is so much fun also makes it easier to get back into training.

You mentioned before that running is not your thing. There's not that much running at cross-country races anymore. Wouldn't the sport be an alternative after all?
Not at the moment. I still have a few goals I want to achieve in cross country, so my focus is fully on mountain biking. If it would fit into my preparations for the season, then I could even imagine doing one or two races. I would never say never, but as I said, not at the moment.

Have you ever ridden a cyclocross race before the Velodux?
No, that was really my premiere.

Have you enjoyed this type of race and would you ride here again?
Yes of course, it's a cool event. But again, it has to fit into my schedule and not interfere with my main priority. In terms of the workload, it would also fit in well, as cyclocross and cross country are very close to each other. But I just enjoy mountain biking more, because I have to be honest, it feels a bit strange on this bike.

Despite this, you seem to have got on quite well?
Well, I still have suspension and wider tires on my Cannondale Slate. That helps. But my colleagues ride down the stairs on their normal cross bikes. Even with my bike, it felt a bit unsafe for me there. I just think mountain biking is cooler. (laughs)

Another thing about "fitting in": It's your wedding anniversary today, and it's not a given that your wife will let you go here, especially as racing is not on your priority list.
I've been with my wife for 15 years now, so she knows me and my job and the responsibilities that come with it well. We've also celebrated a few wedding anniversaries together. Nevertheless, the day is important to me and that's why I'm riding back right now so that we can toast our day with a glass of red wine.