In the meantime, however, things are going well again with the Fridolfingerin – and how! She spontaneously registered for the Linz Triathlon and won the race over the middle distance (1.9 km swimming, 84 km cycling and 21 km running) in a strong 4:24 hours. “That was the test of whether my leg would hold up,” she laughs. ‘And that looks good. I’m in good spirits again now,” she says happily. »Linz was definitely a good foretaste.«
Swimming in the Pleschinger See was anything but good – at least mentally. “First of all, I really asked myself what that was supposed to be?” But in the end, the first discipline “wasn’t that bad at all,” she says happily.
And in her parade discipline, cycling, the ambitious Friebel drove the competition to the ground once again. At that point at the latest, the exceptional athlete “had her good feeling back and I really enjoyed it again.” She took the lead in the women’s race in the first of the two rounds. “The course was really nice,” she reports. “But it was so windy that the descents were really difficult.” It was even borderline at times, she adds. “It was really exhausting, because you had to really hold on to the handlebars.”
But Cindy Friebel once again took this hurdle with flying colors – and went on the run with a lead of more than six minutes. It was windy there too, but the girl from Fridolfing didn’t really mind. “It was the first time I had a lead bike with me at a competition,” she reports proudly. »That was cool and also pushed me.« In the end Friebel won in a top time and with a huge lead. When she was running, she could have accelerated even more, she says. “But I didn’t have any pressure from behind, so it’s difficult then.” Second-placed Babsi Gerngross from Austria (Pewag Racing Team) only crossed the finish line after 4:35 hours – eleven minutes later than the winner!
Cindy Friebel has now planned her next race at the Trumer Triathlon on July 17th. There she will also start over the middle distance. Then she is also registered for the Ironman70.3 Dresden on July 31st. The race in Saxony will probably be the dress rehearsal for her first appearance in Hawaii. “But I’m still considering starting somewhere at an Olympic distance,” she keeps her plans for the rest of the season somewhat open.
The anticipation of the Ironman World Championships – she got the slot for the legendary long-distance World Championships in September with a superior age group victory at the Ironman Klagenfurt – is now increasing for her every day. “Everything is already booked,” says Cindy Friebel. Incidentally, she will be traveling with Hans Mühlbacher. The Ainringer triathlete has competed in the Ironman World Championships several times and has again secured a starting place for it. “That’s good, because Hans can also give me a few valuable tips,” says Friebel gratefully.
Incidentally, Mühlbacher (Be the Chance Team) was also at the start in Linz and finished ninth overall in the victory of Austrian Peter Müllner (3:52 hours/Esin Racing, SV Cobra) in 4:12 hours. He finished second in his age group.
In any case, Cindy Friebel has what it takes to be at the forefront of her age group in Hawaii. But she prefers to dig a little deep. “You never know what the shape will be like that day,” she emphasizes. In addition, she does not know how she will cope with the extreme heat in Hawaii. Now she wants to continue training well for her big highlight of the season. “And then on race day I don’t want to think too much and just enjoy it.”
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