Swedish rider discusses her entry to the sport, her career to date and some targets
At just 22 years of age, Emilia Fahlin is one of HTC Highroad’s up and coming talents, a rider who could well have a big future in store. The Swedish rider has already won one national road race title and two in the time trial, and last year was second in the time trial at the European championships.
She was part of the squad which won the City Trophy Elsy Jacobs team time trial in Luxembourg.
team time trial on Friday, this group showing the benefits of a two-day TTT camp held in Germany last Tuesday and Wednesday. While she is not presently scheduled to do the Open de Suède Vargarda World Cup team time trial in July, she has another big goal in store: the women’s time trial to be held at the Tour of California.
Fahlin won the criterium held at the race two years ago, and believes that the time trial is a major boost for the sport. “I think it is a really great thing for women’s cycling, to combine it with the men’s event to make it bigger,” she told VeloNation in a video interview at that TTT training camp last week.
“That is how I think we can expose women’s cycling. I think it is a great thing, especially to have it on the same course and having to start before the men do. Having the public there, I think it is set up to be a great event.”
The time trial was originally a hotly-debated topic, as the organisers had envisaged paying out on the basis of how many of the men the leading women could beat. That proposal came under criticism from some quarters, and so the rules were changed to make it an event that would see the riders judged on their own merits.
It will offer a prize fund of $10,000 and, importantly, will benefit from the same crowds and some TV coverage.
Fahlin hopes that it will lead to something bigger and better again. “A stage race would be great to put on the same time as the men,” she said. “When you have the organisation there, you have the course closed, it is not to big a step to be able to do it.”
Looking ahead, Fahlin has set some goals that she wants to achieve soon. She realises that it will take several more years for her to hit her athletic peak, but wants to get to the top of a podium as soon as possible. “I am eager to get a win in a UCI event, to try to see how far I can go,” she said. Given that she has beaten riders such as Emma Johannson in taking her national titles, it’s clear that she has the potential to have a big career.
For more, see the video interview below.