April 16, 2008 – The name Sandra Walter is immediately recognizable to Pedal readers. For years Walter has combined her passion for writing with her love of cycling. But who is the world-class XC MTB racer that brings you daily cycling write-ups and behind-the-scenes stories? I caught up with Walter at her home in Coquitlam, BC before she left for Switzerland, where she will be based for the race season. Walter closed the 2007 season fourth overall in the internationally competitive SwissPower Cup Series and was also the 4th-ranked Canadian woman in the UCI standings.

Catharine Pendrel: (First off, I noticed that her trademark waist-length auburn braid no longer exists. She’s now sporting shoulder-length locks.) So Sandra, why the change? Is this significant?
Sandra Walter: I figured it was time for a change, and a friend and I had been planning to donate our hair for wigs. It’ll be used for kids who lost their hair to cancer, and you have to give at least 10-12″ (the program is called Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term illness).

As far as I know, you’re the only Canadian MTB racer competing for a European team. Who do you ride for and how did that get started?
SW: In 2005 I worked with Martina Feldmann (as a ride guide) at a resort in Spain. Most of the clientele were from Switzerland. My mom is Swiss, so I speak the language. Martina and I both made contacts there and joined the Swiss-based X.O-Felt MTB Team for 2006.

You made a really big jump in your racing level last year. Do you think you could have had this progress racing in Canada, or has living and racing in Europe made the difference for you?
SW: The European scene is so much more supportive than the Canadian scene. The X.O-Felt team is really professional. They are so organized and really take care of me. This means I can focus more on my race and what I need to do to have a good performance. In Canada you really have to rely on yourself and family a lot for everything, so it’s a lot tougher.

How does the racing compare?
SW: Cycling has deeper roots in Europe and the Swisspower Cup series has a good reputation with racers. It’s geographically central, so we get racers from a lot of different countries, like Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Poland, Israel – even Australia and China. The fields are bigger and deeper, so they’re more like a World Cup. The laps are shorter and less technically selective (than most Canada Cups), so racers stay together longer. You need to have a good engine and every second counts. If you drop your chain you can lose two positions (this happened to Walter at the Houffalize World Cup last year on the final lap. She finished 26th). In Canada you often end up racing by yourself.

How’s the race atmosphere different in Europe?
SW: You can’t compare the spectators. In Switzerland, there are fans all over the course cheering for everyone and ringing cowbells. Each race has a big expo area, every team has a tent, and people are walking around the pits to check out what racers are doing. There are fun things for kids, there are announcers giving play-by-plays, people handing out free stuff, the awards ceremonies have flowers and music. Families come to the races as a weekend outing, whereas most of the non-racers at Canada Cups are parents and boyfriends or girlfriends. It’s a different world. As a racer you feel so much more appreciated, like what you’re doing is so much more valid in Europe.

Where is the coolest place racing has taken you?
SW: Living in Switzerland, every weekend is a cool road trip. Switzerland is about the size of Vancouver Island, but it has 26 cantons (provinces) and is divided into different regions with different geography and dialects. In one region people speak Swiss German and in others Romansch, Italian or French.

The mountain biking where I live isn’t that great, but there’s amazing road riding. The whole country is crisscrossed with roads so there are five different ways to go anywhere – it’s a great way to explore.

So there are lots of cool things to being based in Europe. What’s the toughest part?
SW: Being away from my friends and family in Canada. But it’s kind of bittersweet, it has also given me the chance to spend more time with my extended family in Switzerland and Austria, which I would never have been able to do otherwise. Living with my uncle and aunt has brought me closer to them – they’ve basically adopted me as a daughter. They’re so supportive and generous, and do things like drive across Europe to watch me race!

Before being based in Europe for the season, I’ve spent a lot of time away from home and I never got homesick. I thought I was immune to that. But once I was away for four or five months at a time, it kicked in. It’s more the people than the place that I miss, although after a while, I do crave that twisty, rooty, loamy singletrack in the cedar forest behind my house. Yeah Triple Crown! When I get home, though, everything is extra-sweet… the trails, the support of friends and parents, the taste of muffins (they don’t really do muffins in Europe).

No muffins, good thing they’ve got good chocolate! So what’s your favourite Swiss dish?
SW: Chnöpfli mit Gschnätzlets – homemade pasta with a meat sauce (usually beef or veal) with red wine, onions and mushrooms.

I know you’re also quite selective with your coffee – which “biker” coffee is better SRAMpresso or KessiaCoffee? (SRAM is a sponsor, but Fredrik Kessiakoff is Walter’s favourite pro MTB rider).
SW: Umm… haven’t tried a KessiaCoffee yet. SRAMpresso is a classic full bodied espresso (she says with the air of a true connoisseur).

Okay back to biking. How’s training going this year?
SW: Good! Every year my volume and load, commitment, motivation and quality of workouts are improving. I’m really noticing it this year and am hoping that will translate into race results. No big changes, just more progression year to year.

At home I work part time at a bike shop called Local Ride. They have a great winter of training even though the weather hasn’t been great. I lead Wednesday night training rides and put myself and the group through the paces; we have regular group road and epic ‘cross rides in the snow and mud. It’s so motivating to train with riders with similar training goals, who challenge me and support me 100%.

Speaking of goals, what are your goals for 2008?
SW: Win a Swiss Cup, qualify for the Olympic pool (by getting a top 12 at a World Cup), and race at the MTB Worlds.

Any Olympic aspirations?
SW: Realistically, I am aiming for 2012, but I’m not counting this year out. You never know. I had a big jump last year. Anything can happen.

Good luck with your season, and I’ll see you on the start line in Houffalize.
SW: Thanks Kika. I’ll be there!

Sandra Walter factoids…

Walter is a closet punk rocker. Listening to The Donnas is part of her pre-race routine. She has a closet full of dress-up clothes and she won the costume contest at Local Ride’s Halloween cyclocross race – Pumpkin ‘Cross – in October.

She used to be a ballerina.

Pet peeves: True to her Bachelors degree in writing, she hates certain pronunciations of words like “expresso” and “disorientated” (although they are listed as alternate pronunciations in the dictionary) and is known to have cried when confronted with a difficult math problem. “I hate Math!”

She fully admits she can be pretentious when it comes to coffee, food, literature and anything else she feels like being pretentious about – but all in good fun.

Favourite book: She is currently hooked on Bill Bryson’s humorous travel memoirs, including The Lost Continent. She’s also a fan of everything Jane Austen, as well as CanLit, like Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient. A big favourite is Rohinten Mistry’s A Fine Balance. Can you tell she’s an arts grad!

Favourite movie: She enjoys British humour, like Death at a Funeral and Waking Ned Devine. She also has a soft spot for James Bond. Other favourites include Grizzly Man, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Hero.