Over the weekend, Anatol Friedl was on the verge of earning Team GRENKE - Auto Eder’s first international medal of the season. He finished in an impressive fourth place at the MTB European Championships in Cheile Grădiștei, Romania.
From road to trail – in the scope of comprehensive talent development at Team GRENKE - Auto Eder, the young Austrian Anatol Friedl competes not just in road races but also frequently in mountain bike events. His success in off-road racing was recently proven at the Mountain Bike European Championships last week in Cheile Grădiștei, Romania.
Following his twelfth-place finish in the Cross-Country Short Track (XCC), the 17-year-old raced boldly in the Cross-Country (XCO), advancing from the 35th start spot to a near-podium finish. He just missed the bronze medal by mere centimetres in the final sprint, securing fourth place. This was an excellent outcome for Friedl, who joined the team through the Red Bull Junior Brothers Talent Development Program, especially since he is among the younger riders in the U19 category.
Quotes
“After the first lap, I found my rhythm and even made up some time on the winner in the later laps. So, overall, it was a good race. Unfortunately, I misjudged the final sprint against the eventual third-place finisher. Fourth place is a very good position, but a medal was within reach.” – Anatol Friedl
“Anatol is one of the younger competitors in the U19 age group. His fourth place is definitely a statement. It also proves that he has developed very well with us over the past few months.” – Dr. Christian Schrot, Sports Director
Photo: Joerg Mitter / Red Bull Content Pool