The new world time trial champion, paracyclist Flurina Rigling, is one of the best athletes on the planet in the C2 category. RTS Sport went to meet her on the sidelines of the Zurich World Championships.
Following the Paris Paralympic Games, which ended on September 8, paracyclists are heading to a second major event in a row with the Unified World Championships in Zurich. Having won a medal in the French capital in the road race (2nd) and the individual pursuit on the track (3rd), Flurina Rigling therefore had no time to dwell on her good results. This does not seem to have bothered the 28-year-old Zurich native, the reigning world champion in the road race, who was crowned on home soil on Tuesday in a time trial that she narrowly missed in 2023 (2nd).
“It’s a big challenge for me because I haven’t really had time to realize everything I experienced in Paris. But at the same time, it’s also good that it starts again immediately, because it’s also difficult when you’re 100% and then there’s nothing left.“, she explained on the eve of the time trial.”It’s been a very long season. I started in January in Australia, it’s September and I had the Paralympics before. When I look at what I’ve done so far, it makes me proud.” she adds.
Technology, a need and a passion
Now that she has graduated in political science from the University of Zurich, Flurina Rigling can now devote herself entirely to her sport.The army has supported me a lot. It’s important for us athletes because every year I have 130 days where I’m paid when I compete or train. And that’s extremely important because it’s not natural for sponsors to support us for several years.” she says, full of gratitude.
It’s important to have something besides sport because in sport, not everything is always perfect.
A true technology enthusiast and always looking to have cutting-edge equipment at her disposal, the Hedingen native surrounded herself with technicians to develop her bike and shoes, specifically 3D printed.One of the reasons it works so well for me is because I like to be interested in the material. But on the other hand, I am also forced to do it. Sport is something that I wanted to do and on the other hand, high-level sport requires you to be attentive to these things. These are two aspects that complement each other well.” she appreciates.
Due to her disability, Flurina Rigling has to resort to some tricks to be able to compete in cycle races.I was born with only one finger on each hand and my feet are also affected“, illustrates the Zurich native by showing her hands. The opportunity to see a red nail with a white cross on one side and blue and white stripes on the other. It is impossible for her to use a “classic” bike in these conditions, hence the need to make certain adaptations to her machine.
Balance through mushrooms
For many athletes, the post-Olympic period is synonymous with great changes. A cycle ends and a new one must be started, while maintaining a precious balance between sporting career and private life.I love nature, I love being outdoors, I love cooking, I love picking mushrooms and I need that balance. It’s important to have something besides sports because in sports, not everything is always perfect, but if you also have other passions, it helps to balance everything out.“, describes the new world time trial champion.
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Having completed her studies, she now aims to learn Spanish and go and train in the Iberian Peninsula. While it is not necessarily there that she will pick the most mushrooms, she first has one last harvest to make in Switzerland: that of a second consecutive world title in the road race on Saturday morning.
From Zurich, Patrick Délétroz and Bastien Trottet
