Becca Check: Fahringer has Challenging, Eventful First Month of Euro Racing

After a tough crash at Superprestige Merksplas, Becca is hoping to return to racing at Boom(!)

Racing cyclocross in Europe is tough enough for North American racers, but jumping in midway through the season during a global pandemic … yeah, that’s infinitely tougher.

Rebecca Fahringer of the Kona Maxxis Shimano team was able to head to Europe in mid-November to start her 2020-21 cyclocross season. Going from riding mountain bikes in Oregon and experiencing two-wheeled joy to joining the Euro ‘cross grind a month and a half after her competitors had already started proved more challenging than expected.

Perhaps because 2020, Fahringer suffered a tough crash at Superprestige Merksplas that gave her a concussion, keeping her out of last weekend’s races in Kortrijk and Tabor. We wanted to check in with Fahringer to see how she is recovering from the crash and get a look inside what it’s been like trying to start a Euro cyclocross campaign midway through the season.

You can read our email chat below.

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Zach: We all saw your tough crash ... how are you doing a week later? You mentioned you got a concussion?

Rebecca Fahringer: Man oh man. A week later I seem fine. I am back on the bike, and the only lingering symptoms of the concussion are a mild headache when I wake up, I’m a bit tentative to start reading, I seem to be slower at my word puzzles, and judging on this first answer my typing skills are not so great. You may need to do some editing. Please don't make me sound 2 zt00pid. I didn't even realize I got a concussion until Tuesday! I just assumed my back was wrecked, which it is. 

Zach: What happened with that crash? 

Becca: I was waiting on another rider to do one of the up-down features of the course. It was not really a place where one could pass safely. I was waiting, and Clara came up behind and was a little pushy. She apologized, but I felt the pressure, and I kind of made myself speed up. I didn’t want to slow her down, and I wanted to match her momentum to hopefully hold her wheel. Well, I rushed and didn't set up for my line and dropped my wheel 3 inches to the left into a big hole on the drop. And that was it. 

Zach: What's your prognosis in terms of racing? Will we see you back soon? 

Becca: I'm going to come back for BOOM! So, this weekend, or 2 weeks after the crash.

Zach: You expressed some frustration after your first race, and it seems like a number of Americans have been having a rough go over there. Has it been harder than usual to adapt to being in Europe? 

Becca: It's not adapting to "being in Europe," as much as adapting to living full time in a foreign country in the midst of a global pandemic so you can race your bike at the highest level after not racing for 9 months and not even thinking you were going to race for most of them, while your greatest competitors have kind of been going on all systems are normal in terms of training and pandemic life. Sooo, yeah.

It's hard for me to jump in, not knowing where I should be in a group, but then worse is not even being able to hold a group. I don't know if it is mind or body, but those first two races were ROUGH.

Zach: It seems like the whole UCI point thing was pretty stressful. Were you happy with how the UCI resolved the situation? 

Becca: I am not happy it took so long. Points preservation was a reason I came here, and they should have announced a solution before racing was two months in. And why go to zero except for Worlds? Why should Worlds points count? And why not just pause the points until the start of next year and have this year just be a standalone year? Sooo... not happy. Also the points reset brought me to #7 in the world, which is clearly not reflective of where I am right now, so it kind of adds insult to injury.

Zach: Do you think there's a significant advantage to having a month of racing in versus coming in with none midseason? If yes, in what ways?

Becca: YES! Maybe for some it doesn't matter because they are able to train in groups in cyclocross race-like settings. But me? I am lucky to force myself to do hot laps, let alone with anyone else, let ALONE alone (what’s the PPS of let alone? Just a new sentence?) with fellow Subtoppers. (winky face emoji). I am not sure what is a bigger blow, actually, jumping in mid-season or jumping into Euro racing. I think it is the Euro part. In the U.S. I know where I stand, the race is thinner, less aggressive, and we all ramp in together. Here? It's too much too fast. I hope I can recover. 

Zach: How did you prepare for the intensity during that September to October period? Is there something you wished you had done differently? IDK, Zwift racing? 

Becca: I trained hard. Maybe not hard enough? Maybe Zwift racing? I'm not really an indoor type of gal. I was enjoying the mountain bike so much! I think that helped my technical skills. Maybe that's my problem—I had joy. Belgian cyclocross racing is no place for joy. I need to find the hatred within me!!!

Maybe that's my problem—I had joy. Belgian cyclocross racing is no place for joy. I need to find the hatred within me!!!

Zach: Can you explain the COVID protocols you have to go through in order to race? 

Becca: There is no on-site registration. All racers and crew must be pre-registered.

As of November 24, everyone—athletes, crew, staff, pets, etc—must have an up-to-date COVID test (PCR testing every 10 days).

Most races require you to drive up to registration, hand in your COVID test, get a temperature check (for all riders and crew), pick up your numbers, then you can get back in your car and drive to park. And of course, masks all the time.

Zach: Where are you living during this trip? Has training still been mostly normal? How is Belgie dealing with the pandemic? 

Becca: My usual spot, at the Chainstay in Oudenaarde. Training has been different because there is only 1 race per week. Usually, we are post-Nationals and there are 2-3 races per week, so it is race, rest, race, race, rest, repeat. Now I am like, doing intervals. It's weird.

Belgium is doing well with the pandemic, compared to America. Yeah, there are people at races with their masks down, but out in the world, everyone is masked. Even people walking down the street tend to be in masks. We just got out of a "lockdown" that was a month and a half of so long where all nonessential shops had been closed, and this closure brought their caseload down dramatically. 

Zach: What should we look for for Becca to officially be BACK?

Becca: Top 10s? It's tough because here I am wondering if this lag in results is an expected effect of the late start or indicative of my 2020. I know where I was last year, and then there is where I thought I was based on training and prep coming into this year. To be honest, I wanted to be better, and who knows if I can get where I want to be.

We are about to get into the Kerstperiode, so if that doesn't race me into shape, nothing will! (This inclusion is for Coach McGovern: I KNOW I can get there. I am strong and fit and fast and totally capable) (This is for the reader: My coach thinks I have a slight confidence problem, which I very well may, but he's not the one lining up next to Lucinda Brand less than an hour before we end up bookending the lead lap of a race. Not exactly confidence-inspiring. But with your support, perhaps the confidence can boost a bit! YAY!!)

You can watch Becca race on Sunday at Superprestige Boom(!) If you missed it, check out our preview of the race.