After two years in Asia (Team RTS), German sprinter Tino Thömel returns to Germany and will take over an important role in the sprinter's part of the squad from Germany. As the team already announced before, BIKE AID wants to strengthen the team for the bunch sprints and already signed with the American Timothy Rugg a strong guy for the lead out part. The experienced new signing Tino Thömel shall take over the role as sprint captain together with Eritrean Meron Teshome. Thömel has already won many professional races, among them stages at Tour of China, Tour of Hainan or GC of Tour du Loir et Cher and many others. In a short interview, you can get more information about how Tino Thömel sees his future.
BIKE AID: Tino, you've been with an Asian team now for two years. Let us know a bit about your experiences you've made there.
Tino Thömel: „I made lots of good experiences over there during the last two years.On the one hand, I have seen a lot of new countries in Asia and learned a lot about the culture there, and the culture of my team-mates who also came from various countries. We had a lot of fun together during mostly long stays somewhere in Asia. But on the other hand, different cultures mean also different languages and that led lot of times to difficulties during the race in terms of communication. All in all the result was that most of the time everybody acted alone, for himself and not as a team."
Now you come back to Germany and you join a German team that has also a very international orientation. What are the reasons for your transfer?
"One of the most important reasons to join BIKE AID is, to ride again in a team that works together as a team, winning together but also losing together. I met BIKE AID couple of times at races in Asia and had the opportunity to learn more about the team and what is behind the team. An important thing is that social commitment and team spirit are merged in this squad what impressed me a lot."
You already won a lot of pro-races in the past. Can you describe a little bit how you see your role in the team and how you can bring in your experience.
"I clearly see my role in the team as a sprinter. During the last couple of years I gained a lot of experience in the bunch sprint but had mostly to fight alone in the finale during the last two years. I want to use this experience to be succesful together with my team in the future, no matter if it's me who is going to be led out or someone else, more important is the result of the team."
What would you say is unique at BIKE AID?
"The unique thing at BIKE AID is that it turns a lot about the riders and not about making profit for the management in using the team as a tool. That is also a bit unique in professional cycling. But also the social commitment or the project with Africa that is a sustainable one, is unique in professional cycling. That's what I am looking really forward to!"
Las but not least: what would you say at the end?
"I am looking forward to an exciting and hopefully succesful season 2017 and to meet new people from new and different cultures again!"
Thanks a lot Tino for your time and good luck with BIKE AID in 2017!
Tino Thömel on Procyclingstats
