What is the next best thing to riding bikes? Sharing the joy of mountain biking with others. Karen Eller, a biker for more than 30 years, founded the Contessa team based in Germany and Austria 12 years ago. Since then, the team has been helping to grow the community of riders. In this episode, the team meets up in the Dolomites for some riding and to look back on how Karen formed the team into what it is today.
“When I'm in my everyday life sometimes I have no energy but when I jump on the bike, I don't have the feeling I got older.”
– Words by Karen Eller
For nearly 20 years, Karen Eller has been a steadfast SCOTT athlete and ambassador of the sport.
Karen, how did you get into biking?
“I was into ski racing. In summer, we trained on road bikes. I loved the mountains and road biking was so boring to me. When I first heard about these bikes you could ride up mountains and have fun on the downhills I jumped on my first mountain bike. Since I loved racing, it was clear that I would start mountain bike racing as well. Transalp Challenge, TransRockies, and BC Bike Race were some of my successful races.”
Many of us are very different.. mothers, mountain guides, dentists.. but we share mountain biking.
Why did you start the Contessa Team?
“After coming on as an athlete in 2001, I told SCOTT about the idea to have a women’s only mountain bike team focusing on those who share the passion for the sport and love riding with others. This was driven by seeing so many women riding in the pacific northwest and I wanted to see that in Europe too.
The Contessa Team started in Germany in 2003 and has since spread to other countries having their own specific teams.”
Focusing on those who share the passion for the sport and love riding with others.
What is the goal of the Contessa Team?
“The focus is not racing, even though some of the girls in the team are successful. It's without the pressure; the focus is fun. We try to get more girls on the bike, test the SCOTT collection and take women out riding.”
Being physically fit, having a good time, feeling the flow and challenging yourself mentally.
What is important about mountain biking for you?
“Physical feeling good, having lots of fun with my sport, feeling flow, get challenged, physically and mentally. Enjoy nature and being outdoors, and for me mountain biking is really biking in the mountains and enjoying the freedom you can find within them.“
Visit a camp where you can meet and learn from others, especially if you're a beginner.
"Come and join us, it's much more fun to ride with others, learn from one another, face new challenges and get tips. Mountain biking is perfect to get physically and mentally fit, enjoy nature, be outdoors and simply find joy.”
