YOU CAN’T BE WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE
Downhill prodigy Vali Höll is blazing a trail for female mountain bikers; former world champ Tracy Moseley gets the inside story
here is no hiding that mountain biking attracts more men than women, and especially when you look at the number of participants in races. Having boys and men to ride with has always been part of life for me ever since I started aged 14, and I attribute a lot of my success and skill from trying to aspire to be like them and keep up and copy them, and that is something I encourage all young female racers to do. But I feel we are seeing a shift.
There are now so many more women mountain bikers out in the forests and on the trails and this is only going to continue to grow as more women see other women on bikes. The saying ‘you can’t be what you don’t see’ is one I heard recently, and it really stuck with me. More women riders means more visibility, which means more women will be encouraged to give mountain biking a try. In time more participation will lead to more women racing and so the snowball starts to gather momentum. It matters that we have female role models.
I also believe there is nothing better than an all-girls group ride. Being surrounded by like-minded, supportive women fosters the right kind of encouraging environment. They can also provide important opportunities for progression and skills tuition without being intimidating or overwhelming. The value of having other women to relate to, share experiences with and confide in cannot be underestimated.
Part of my role as a mentor for the Trek Factory Racing Team is to pass on my experience to young up-and-coming racers, offer advice when asked and be a listening post when needed. With women’s racing going from strength-to-strength, I sat down with one of downhill’s most prodigious talents – Vali Höll – to talk about her journey to the top.
V: Ski-racing was kind of normal when I was growing up – everybody did it. I was kind of good at it, but the mentality is not as friendly as it is in biking. Then my dad found out there was something called the IXS Rookies Cup – a European Downhill Series for kids. He knew that I was really competitive so he took me to one. He said: “You’re going to race against the boys. Don’t expect to be any good, or even on the podium”. I ended up winning the race and beating all the boys.
V: Angie Hohenwarter is a good friend of my parents. She has known me since I was seven and is a superstar in my eyes. She was a pro racer and I was always trying to follow her. I learned so much from her – not just riding. Things like how to talk to sponsors, how to prepare your coverage folder. Angie is now with me at all the World Cup races, taking care of me and supporting me. It’s cool to have a friend, but as my godmother she’s also very close to me. When Angie became my godmother, her present to me was a trip to Whistler.