There was a time that Maud Golsteyn used to feel more comfortable on horseback than on a bicycle. Nowadays, however, she’s one of the top female off road triathletes in Europe. After a season of bad luck the Dutch triathlon cross champion is looking forward to race her first XTERRA Spain National Championship in Cieza, 2014.
Tell us about your triathlon career. How did it start?
I used to ride horses and hardly knew what triathlon was. Then I met Lars van der Eerden, my boyfriend. Lars is a triathlete. I accompanied him to a race in the Netherlands. I was so impressed and thought: this is what I also want to do! I started to train a little bit. I couldn’t swim, but I enjoyed everything about triathlon. A few weeks later I did my first sprint triathlon in a little race in the Netherlands. I won. And I was sold.
When and where did you race your first XTERRA?
It was in XTERRA Germany in 2007. Back then I was a duathlete, but decided to join Lars to race XTERRA. At the time, both my swim and bike skills left much to be desired. The mountain bike was a disaster. I had to walk every technical part, but I enjoyed myself.
Two years later I was over trained and lost my motivation and pleasure for duathlon. I started to swim and mountain bike again. It was then that I discovered that my heart was in the XTERRA races.
I did the XTERRA Italy and knew I had found pleasure and motivation again in this new sport!
Your most memorable XTERRA race to date?
My first "real" XTERRA was in 2009 in Germany. I was more confident on the mountain bike then. But I fell hard in the last kilometre, cut my elbow and there was blood everywhere. Somehow I was so focused, I ran the fastest split and finished 3rd behind Renata Bucher and Sybille Matter. I knew them by names only but I was so proud to be on the podium with them!
Your goal for 2014 season?
Why do you prefer to race XTERRA over road triathlon?
It’s much more honest racing. No drafting, no advantage of other athletes. In mountain biking more skills are required than to ride hard on a bike. You have to have technical skills, on very different kind of courses. No course is the same.
And I enjoy the off road courses much more than the road courses. I love the nature. XTERRA is much more an adventure than a road race. I see XTERRA as a challenge and that’s what motivates me to train and to race.
How are you feeling about racing your first XTERRA in Spain?
I’m really, really looking forward to race in Spain. Last year I came down with the flu a few days before the race. I was too sick to even travel to Spain. I was devastated. Afterwards I heard so many good stories about the race. So I’m eager to race and to do well on the 25th of May!
XTERRA SPAIN WELCOMES MAUD GOLSTEYN
THIS IS XTERRA
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