Professional bike owner Rebecca Fahringer has carved a brand new nook to steer in the direction of her eleventh professional season, this time on a contemporary path laden with gravel, some single observe and steady well being.
Within the final two seasons, the cyclocross stalwart suffered a number of concussions that sidelined her burgeoning profession, the place the 2019-2020 season noticed her scoop up a career-high 10 victories. That season she earned a trio of World Cup prime 10s, the bronze on the Pan-American Cyclocross Championships and a silver at US Nationals. Then got here the bumps within the street, or moderately, laborious impacts from the bottom and the coronavirus pandemic.
A brand new focus off-road and with competitors within the Life Time Grand Prix collection this summer time acquired her again on the bike and on the rostrum. She additionally “discovered the way to embrace the spirit of gravel”.
“It has been an emotional curler coaster as a result of once I first began this [Life Time] collection, I used to be nonetheless experiencing fairly excessive concussion signs from final cyclocross season,” Fahringer instructed Cyclingnews on the collection finale in Arkansas at Massive Sugar Gravel.
“I used to be very dissatisfied for the primary two races. After which I spotted, oh, you’ll be able to have enjoyable on a motorcycle with out being quick on a motorcycle or with out profitable the bike race. Everybody’s ‘quick’ is completely different than the profitable pace, proper? Yeah.”
She admitted to being a bit tentative at Sea Otter Basic in April in Fuego 80K MTB, however she completed seventeenth within the Life Time standings. Then a bout with COVID precipitated her to overlook Unbound Gravel, so she targeted on the remaining 4 collection occasions. She was constantly in the course of the pack, referring to the mountain bike occasions as “survive, not thrive”, her greatest finishes thirteenth at Chequamegon MTB and 14th at Massive Sugar Gravel. She didn’t end within the cash, which was the highest 10 for the invitation-only collection, however she knew she may race once more.
Only a week previous to Massive Sugar, she competed in Belgian Waffle Journey Kansas and took the victory. She was again on observe, however not within the self-discipline that she beloved most. Cyclocross races remained off her schedule for 2022-2023.
“So, I missed cyclocross with the whole lot of my coronary heart, and I hope to do extra of it subsequent 12 months once I’m in higher bodily and psychological form and emotional form,” mentioned Fahringer, who continues to be supported in all disciplines by her Kona Maxxis Shimano crew.
“I’m not leaping into CX racing immediately. Kona, like many different bike producers, has taken a step again on the cyclocross entrance for some time and did not produce new Jakes (their line of CX bikes). No new bikes to focus on means the crew’s focus was pulled from CX and into gravel. It labored out for me as a result of my well being has not been prepared to leap again into CX.
“I nonetheless do really feel some concussion signs on the highest coronary heart charges, which impairs my imaginative and prescient and decision-making abilities, and this mixture is, like, 90% of cyclocross. As well as, I actually do not wish to concuss myself three years in a row, so well being is being placed on the forefront of my still-mushy mind as I select to sit down this season out.”
Removed from race prepared
Rewind to 2020 and Fahringer had massive plans coming off her most profitable cyclocross season. The coronavirus pandemic struck and US races had been cancelled, so she headed to Belgium. In her second race of the season, Superprestige Merksplas, she crashed laborious headfirst on a descent. She then missed the following two races to permit her again, neck and her mind to get well. She completed the season with simply two prime 10s throughout 22 races.
Within the 2021-2022 season Fahringer by no means made it to Europe. She hit the repeat button, not deliberately, with a crash in her second race, this time at GO Cross in Virginia, and hitting her head. “I acquired numerous yellow lights and some inexperienced lights, however nobody put the purple mild on racing,” she famous on her weblog. Lingering complications and bouts of disorientation had been her companion throughout 10 extra races, and he or she did see a concussion specialist.
“I hoped for some type of mind scan to inform me I used to be regular or to resolve that I used to be most positively not regular after which to get fastened by some magical process. However as an alternative, I acquired this gentle, wishy washy, ‘yea I suppose you might be nonetheless concussed go forward and do nothing and hope that it will get higher’.
“I finished doing something. I did nothing. No screens, no studying, no TV, no using or operating, no driving, no mountain climbing, no alcohol, no hanging out with associates. I did NOTHING.”
Days turned to weeks and he or she didn’t race Nationals in December final 12 months, or make any try at chasing factors. As a substitute, she fought an uphill battle with continued concussion signs of tension, melancholy, and mind fog. She did make a shock look on the World Championships, motivated to compete for the uncommon US venue that February, however the end was not what she was used to – twenty eighth as an alternative of prime 15 from two seasons prior.
“Up to now two years, I simply limped together with concussion signs on and off and by no means totally recovered,” she defined to Cyclingnews. “Final 12 months I skipped Nationals and European races as a result of my concussion. I nonetheless can be lacking these races once more this 12 months as a result of varied elements – well being, motivation, assets, and so on.”
Again on observe
Whereas her foray into mountain bike races with the Life Time collection was “disappointing,” she rebounded with the sudden victory at BWR Kansas. The development proved her well being was virtually again to regular. She additionally regained enthusiasm for racing, particularly with gravel and different adventures. And it was enjoyable to journey and to win once more.
“Hopefully, a great relaxation interval will set me on observe for like nice health subsequent 12 months. A very good bodily restoration in order that I can begin with a contemporary slate, keep in mind that I am able to profitable bike races and be robust,” she mentioned.
“I believe I will do extra gravel, perhaps just a few gravel collection, mountain bike races, after which perhaps be capable of form of steadiness the season with a little bit little bit of cyclocross.”
In only a week’s time, cyclocross races can be in Merksplas for a Superprestige spherical. She might watch from afar and misses the motion, however nonetheless doesn’t wish to danger one other mind damage. As a substitute, she focuses on new challenges.
“The BC Bike Race [July 3-9, 2023] is one thing I’d like to dip my toes into, and hopefully just a few Grasshopper occasions [Low Gap begins series January 28] to get warmed up for some single-track racing! I’d for certain like to do extra correct mountain biking however can be returning to some gravel favourites like Oregon Path Gravel Grinder, and getting redemption at Unbound and hopefully throwing my hat within the ring for a correct go at Leadville 100.”
