Olympics postponement gave me time to prepare Looser
Namibian road cyclist and mountain biker Vera Looser, who is currently riding for Canadian-based team InstaFund Racing, said she is looking forward to the upcoming Olympic Games.
The cyclist, who represented Namibia at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, told Nampa on Thursday the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games to this year gave her enough time to prepare.
“One can never be prepared enough though, but at some point, it has to come.
I am in good shape because the games being moved to this year was actually in my favour as I have had a year to train longer and I am definitely better prepared now than I was a year ago,” she said.
Looser, who has won the Namibian National Time Trial Championships on six occasions, the Namibian National Road Race Championships on nine occasions and eight years consecutively between 2014 and 2021, stated that she is stronger than she has ever been.
“My preparation is going quite well for the Olympics. Currently, I am in the mountains having a block of mountain training in the altitude as it’s only a month to go before I compete in my race,” she said. The cyclist, who will be the only representative for Namibia in the road race, said a lot of training, as well as commitment, is needed when one prepares for this global showpiece.
“When I am done competing at the Olympics, I will take it a little bit easy on myself again - but until then, its full focus on Tokyo. My expectation for the race is a little difficult to say because the course doesn’t suit me really.
It’s a lot of climbing and I am not the best climber in the world but I will try to have a positive race, give my best and if I cross the finish line, I would really want to say that I gave it my all and I had a good time and hopefully make my country proud,” said Looser.
In an interview with Nampa on Thursday, Namibia Cycling Federation (NCF) president Axel Thiessen said all their riders are currently in Europe doing their final training and races there and as a federation, they would be happy to see any of them finishing in the top 30 at the Olympic Games.
“In cycling, anything can happen. It will be a huge achievement for cycling in Namibia if our riders are in the top 30.
The NCF has supported these cyclists financially, a gesture that everyone was very happy with and currently, the NCF is in direct contact with the Namibia National Olympic Committee, planning for our race events which will take place in a month’s time,” Thiessen said.