Nordic combined athlete Rydzek: "I’m still passionate about this sport"

Kombinierer Rydzek: "Ich brenne noch für diesen Sport" | sportschau.de

Johannes Rydzek belongs to the "old guard", as he humorously refers to himself in the Sportschau podcast. Since 2008, the athlete from Allgäu has been part of the World Cup scene. He achieved significant acclaim during the 2017 World Championships in Lahti, where he won four gold medals, and at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, he was crowned a double Olympic champion.

However, the last few years have been quieter for Rydzek. This season, he made headlines again by celebrating his first World Cup victory in almost six years in Ruka. "It was an incredible day," says the 33-year-old. In the finish area, he was met by his sister Coletta, who was in Finland with the cross-country skiers. "We rejoiced and had a tear in our eyes. We could hardly fathom what I had accomplished."

Rydzek's motivation recipe: "Return to the basics"

How did Rydzek manage to keep his motivation alive after some underwhelming winters? "Having achieved so much already, it's natural that the sports goals become fewer and harder to chase," Rydzek explains. "I'm not doing it just for the results but because I still have a passion for this sport. I returned to the basics, appreciating the small successes instead of getting bogged down by poor results."

Rydzek reveals that he never seriously contemplated retirement during tough times. "At times, yes, because nothing seemed to work. But my supportive environment helped me reflect: I still have a fire for this sport. Yet, I acknowledge that my career will come to an end. I now recover differently than in my mid-20s. And what are my goals for after my career? I definitely want to stay involved in this sport."

The future of Nordic combined: "The trend isn't very promising"

However, the future of Nordic combined is uncertain. It remains to be seen whether this prestigious discipline will also feature in the 2030 Olympics. As an athletes’ representative, Rydzek participates in FIS meetings and feels caught in between perspectives.

With only eight World Cup weekends in this season, and just one in the important January month, Rydzek laments, "I would prefer a full competition schedule. Our discipline struggles when not prominently featured. But I also understand the organizers; adding more World Cups is logistically complex. Still, I want to warn that gradually, we see less each year – the trend isn’t promising."

Source: nho

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