How does the women's sprint continue without Kristina Vogel?
Berlin: Even if exceptional athlete Kristina Vogel after her paraplegia can no longer ride as a figurehead and motivator and push their team mates to new successes said the German coach Detlef Uibel "he see not black for the sprint division". In addition to the experienced Miriam Welte, also Olympic champion and six-time world champion, with Pauline Grabosch (Erfurt / 20 years), Emma Hinze (Cottbus / 20) and Lea Sophie Friedrich (Schwerin / 18) three talented sprinters are pushing in the international top.
"Of the quantity and quality we have happy circumstances. This width has not existed for women in the past ten years", said national coach Uibel on Thursday. Nevertheless, the loss of Vogel can not be compensated. Since 2012, the Erfurt has determined the world's top, won Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016 and was eleven times world champion. "We will not be able to replace Kristina athletically and as a personality. Her press conference on Wednesday also underlined her strong and extraordinary character. She is and remains an exception, "said Uibel.
Grabosch, Hinze and Friedrich can at least reduce the gap in the future. This year, Grabosch has become already a Team Sprint World Champion as well as 3rd at the World Championships in the Sprint. Hinze showed at the European Championships in Glasgow - at the same time the prelude of the Olympic qualification - together with Welte as third in the Team sprint her growth potential. Also Friedrich shone in August at the Junior World Championships in Aigle / Switzerland with four titles. At the World Cup opening in mid-October in Paris, the 18-year-old starts for the first time in the elite.
"All young riders have very good approaches, but they have to find their own way. This is going primarily above high-quality competitions, "says national coach Detlef Uibel. Miriam Welte also plays an important role in the integration and introduction of the young trio to the top of the world. to "She has a greater responsibility now than before. She can not just look at her own performance - she knows that, after all, she can not win the team sprint alone, "said Uibel.
Welte has not decided yet whether to continue until the Games 2020 in Tokyo. "I`ve had left open the way after Rio. That still applies, "said the 31-year-old from 1. FC Kaiserslautern on Thursday, who won the 2016 Teamsprint bronze with Vogel. "The aches are getting bigger, it's all a bit harder than it was ten years ago. But if it`s good enough, I would gladly to be there in Tokyo. It's a lot of fun and has been going very well since Rio, "said the two-time 500-meter World-Champion.
She has come to terms with her new role in the team after leaving her longtime companion. "In the past I was guided by Kristina, now the girls will probably look after me. I'm aware of the greater responsibility, "said Welte. At the same time, she also makes the good offspring work a bit proud: "Emma Hinze started cycling when Kristina and I became 2012 Olympic champions. Now I'm riding with her - that's crazy, "said Welte. At the latest after the World Championships at the end of February 2019 in Pruzskow, she wants to decide whether if it will continue until 2020. If she can withstand the onslaught of the youth, hardly nothing will get in the way of her third games.
