When the Sommer family goes on a mountain bike excursion through the Mühlviertler countryside, it can be quite challenging. An average speed of 18 kilometers per hour is “comfortable” for Mama Sabine. It’s no wonder that alongside her and dad Alex, her daughters Clara (19) and Nicole (16) are also extremely successful in the mountain bike racing circuit. With her performance, high-flyer Clara not only got a nomination for the OÖN athletes’ choice, but is also in the excellent second place in the online votes behind water ski ace Nicola Kuhn. “I’m very surprised,” says the talented student, who is in his third semester studying medical engineering at the JKU in Linz.
When Mom had a slip
Not only do Nicole and Clara belong to their respective junior national squads, the latter trumped her mother at this year’s national marathon championships, with the race in June in Kleinzell being a very special one for the mother-daughter team. Eventually mother Sabine led the way before she had a blunder after about an hour. The next Clara was suddenly faced with the decision: help her mother or drive past and thus keep the chance of a top place? “It took a lot of effort not to stop there,” says Clara, who, however, protected herself. After a short question, Sabine called out: “Keep driving!”
Not only did Clara win the national championship silver behind Angelika Tazreiter, but her mother was also on the podium in third place after catching up. A moment that crowns the shared passion so far.
This started early. “Nicole and Clara took part in the first children’s races when they were five and eight years old,” recalls Sabine. When Clara qualified for her first youth European Championships at the age of 13, the children pushed the training harder. “Back then, my husband set up obstacles in the garden for technique training,” says Sabine. Since then, vacations and training camps have flowed into one another, “because the bikers,” says the mother, “are always there.”
Kepplinger is in third place
When choosing athletes, Sommer benefits in part from the strong cycling community this year. Road pro Rainer Kepplinger is in third place in the men’s category and his Hrinkow racing team in the team category.
You can still vote up to and including October 21 nachrichten.at/sportlerwahl as well as by means of the ballot papers in the OÖN editions. The top ten in each category then qualify for the final, in which an expert jury has the last word. (pue)
Source: Nachrichten
