Christa von Niederhäusern | Illusive Lines
Follow Christa von Niederhäusern on Instagram
Photos by Fifteen BMX / Tobi Schmid
Christa von Niederhäusern | Illusive Lines
Follow Christa von Niederhäusern on Instagram
Photos by Fifteen BMX / Tobi Schmid
Racing Pump Track is more of an art than anything else, yes you need to have the bike skills, yes you need the physical attributes, but it’s more than that … you have to be able to feel the track, flow with it rather than fight it, see the lines, see the possibilities … asphalt, bike, rider … an undulating symbiotic relationship. More than anyone, Switzerland’s Christa von Niederhäusern has mastered the relationship, the art of finding the illusive lines that could potentially yield a tenth of a second advantage, and she has the Rainbow jerseys to prove it. The three-time Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Champion is now gearing up to go get her fourth, and if she wins again in 2024, it will be her third Velosoutions UCI Pump Track World title, in a row! ‘For me, all three titles are special in their own way,’ she told us, ‘It was just unbelievable to win the very first title. It came out of nowhere. Then in 2022 in Chile, it was more of an enormous relief. I really wanted the Rainbow Jersey and after my victory in 2018, the competitions were very challenging for me mentally. And finally last year, I managed to pull off the perfect race and having my family and boyfriend with me was very special.’
Christa found her way to the Pump Track events via BMX Racing. She was, not too long ago, a regular on the UCI BMX Racing World Cup circuit. At the Papendal rounds in 2022 we seem to remember seeing her in the Elite Women’s semi-finals, so obviously she’s fast, on any track. Since then, she has found focus, ‘I’m done with BMX Racing,’ she told us, ‘I really loved racing in the past, but at some point, I wasn’t enjoying it anymore.’ The transition to the Pump Track events wasn’t a ‘conscious decision at all’ for Christa, like many of the other riders who race for the Pump Track title every year, she kind of fell into it. ‘I took part in a qualification at very short notice and was able to travel to the World Championships in 2018 straight away. It was a huge adventure for me. I think that BMX Racing and Pump Track require very similar skills and that the many hours on the BMX track helped me. Of course, there are also some new skills that I have learned in recent years. The turns, for example, are very different to BMX. The fun of riding the pump track and my success have naturally led me to spend more and more time on the pump track.’
As the Pump Track series has developed and evolved over the last few years, so has the skill set required to conquer it. No longer can a fast BMX racer just turn up and assume. The riders who do well here have become specialists in the discipline … obviously there is a sliding scale here, and Christa has managed to slide that all the way to the right in search of perfection. ‘The level has risen over the years. I think that as a skilful BMX rider you have a good basis. After that, you have to get used to the high speed in the small corners. But the most important thing from my point of view is precision. It’s about finding the exact line in training and delivering it in every run during the race. That’s also what I love about pump track riding, it’s about getting as close to perfection as possible.’
Christa picked up her most recent UCI Rainbow Jersey in Austria last year, at the tight indoor circuit in Area 47, where her ongoing search for precision came to the fore. She once again rode the track, she didn’t fight it, ‘I think it’s exciting to ride and adapt to new pump tracks. There has been a new challenge every year. Last year in Area 47 the track was very tight, you could reach very high speeds, so it was also about taking some speed out at the right moment.’
We’ve been to a couple of the Pump Track World Championships now, Lisbon, a big outdoor track, and Area 47, a tight indoor venue, but the one constant is the atmosphere. Obviously, the competitors are there with a goal, but the events feel more like a gathering rather than the pressure cooker you might find at a World Cup. Christa has an intimate experience of both, ‘the atmosphere at the event is very different. At the Pump Track World Championships, you spend a week together, you stay in the same hotel, train together and go on excursions together. On race day you are of course focused and competitors, but otherwise you are primarily friends who have a good time on the BMX/MTB.’ There is of course, the inevitable pressure that comes with being World Champion, but Christa seems to have also mastered the art of outwardly hiding it, ‘I put a lot of pressure on myself every year, last year in Area 47 was no different. Over the years, I’ve learned to deal with the pressure and trust in my ability.’
Besides being busy, and more so this year, three World titles hasn’t changed Christa’s day to day life, that much … she does however carry autograph cards to the Pump Track with her … and now we want one! Another perk is the stunning custom bike that Staystrong commissioned for the three-time champ, with the help of Renato Rufener (Christa’s boyfriend), the frame and forks are emblazoned with gold flake and rainbow stripes, with a host of other subtle but beautiful details (bike check below). Christa’s first adventure on the new whip is this coming weekend, at her home Pump Track qualifier at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland. A fitting location for the bikes first appearance, but blink and you might miss it.
If you’ve been following Christa, and you should, you would have noticed a gradual increase of MTB activity, and we expect it will continue to increase. ‘Last year I took part in the Crankworx in Innsbruck for the first time.’ she told us, ‘That was a fantastic experience. I’m already looking forward to this year! I ride pump track and dual slalom. It’s a completely different experience to ride a mountain bike. I like the variety. I believe it also makes me more relaxed on the BMX.’ We’re happy to report that the big wheels won’t be taking over from the 20” anytime soon, especially on the Pump Track, ‘I don’t think I can ever be faster on an MTB on a pump track than on my BMX. I grew up with the BMX and have trained the skills on the BMX for years.’
Obviously, Christa’s big goal on the bike this year is to defend her title at the yet undisclosed venue for the finals, but she has some big college exams to fit in, ‘I have the final exams for my medical degree this summer. So, my schedule is very full at the moment due to my studying. I will start working as a doctor at the end of the year and would like to become a paediatrician.’ Once that box is ticked, it’s back to the task at hand … racing bikes. And that’s the plan, for now anyway, ‘the Pump Track World Championships will be held in Switzerland again in 2025. I will be 100% at the start again. What comes after that, I don’t know yet …’
BIKE CHECK
World Champion Custom StayStrong V5 Pro XXL Frame
ToniRad Swiss Design Oversized Carbon Forks
ToniRad Swiss Design Pro Carbon Rims
ToniRad Swiss Design Pro 20mm Front Hub
ToniRad Swiss Design Pro 10mm Rear Hub
Avian Cadence 175mm Cranks
Shimano 43T Chainring
BIKE CHECK
World Champion Custom StayStrong V5 Pro XXL Frame
ToniRad Swiss Design Oversized Carbon Forks
ToniRad Swiss Design Pro Carbon Rims
ToniRad Swiss Design Pro 20mm Front Hub
ToniRad Swiss Design Pro 10mm Rear Hub
Avian Cadence 175mm Cranks
Shimano 43T Chainring
Thomson X 50mm Stem
StayStrong Race 8.0 Bars
ODI Vans Lock On Grips
StayStrong Headset
Thomson X 50mm Stem
StayStrong Race 8.0 Bars
ODI Vans Lock On Grips
StayStrong Headset
Chris King Bottom Bracket
KMC SL 9 Speed Chain
Sram Level Ultimate Carbon Gold Brakes
StayStrong Pivotal Seat
StayStrong Post
StayStrong Clamp
Chris King Bottom Bracket
KMC SL 9 Speed Chain
Sram Level Ultimate Carbon Gold Brakes
StayStrong Pivotal Seat
StayStrong Post
StayStrong Clamp
HT Ans10 Supreme Pedals
Tioga Faster React 1.75 Front Tyre (shown)
Tioga Faster X 1.75 Rear Tyre (shown)
(usually Tioga Powerblocks 1.75 front and rear)
HT Ans10 Supreme Pedals
Tioga Faster React 1.75 Front Tyre (shown)
Tioga Faster X 1.75 Rear Tyre (shown)
(usually Tioga Powerblocks 1.75 front and rear)
Subscribe to Fifteen >> HERE
To Advertise on Fifteen email >> advertise@15.ie
