Son and grandson of cyclists, Fabian Weiss always had a clear career path. His dream is about to come true as he will join the pro ranks as of January 2025.
18.07.2024
As far as he can remember, Fabian has always been a cyclist: “I started around three and joined the local club when I was six. I took part in road races straight away and loved it. I tried a couple of other cycling disciplines: cyclo-cross in U15 and raced on the track as a Junior. The Swiss National Team wanted me to, so I did. I wasn’t convinced at first but started liking it as good results came in.” His Bronze Medal in the Elimination race of the 2020 Junior European Championships remains as one of the highlight of his young career. However, it didn’t distract him from his first love: road racing.
Fabian joined Swiss Racing Academy in September 2021 and has been racing with the U23 Tudor Pro Cycling Team since 2023. He won the last three editions of the U23 Time Trial National Championships, finished fourth of the 2022 European Championships, so the solo effort naturally became one of his specialties. “I train a lot on the TT bike. I realized that the effort suits me well, especially when the course is hilly. Also, TT is key for being successful in stage races.” In this year’s Giro Next gen, he finished third in the opening stage, an 8,8km TT, before turning into a key domestic for team leader Mathys Rondel.
The Swiss Champion lives in Sulz, a small village close to the German border and the Black Forest where he likes to train. “I just have to ride five minutes and cross the border to find a fantastic playground. I can ride for hours and hours there. It is very green, hilly, with long climbs but not too steep.” This terrain is ideal to train his racing style: “I like hard racing, with lots of ups and downs, cold and rainy conditions, everything like the Ardennes races.” The young rider already got a taste of it racing Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23 and looks forward to more of it in the future. He also had the chance to race together with the pros in a few races. “The first one was Settimana Copi e Bartali last year,” he remembers. “I was amazed by the pace on steady climbs. At the end of the first stage, I thought that I would hardly survive the week, but it eventually went pretty well. It was also nice to race along riders I used to watch on TV. I realized that there is still a gap in levels but nothing I cannot manage and it motivated me even more.”
Speaking of motivation, it is something that he’s not short of. Back in 2018, he broke his scaphoid and explained to the doctor how the cast should be shaped so he could still hold his handlebar. He could then work, train and even race, missing very little of his training and racing programme.
Before turning pro next January, there are still a few important races where Fabian would love to do well: the European Championships in Belgium and the World Championships in Zürich, a short hour drive from his place. “I am really looking forward to racing at home. It might be once in a lifetime. The TT and road race courses suit me but the selection has not been announced yet so I don’t want to get excited too early. But it would be amazing to race in front of my family and friends there.”
Photos: Filip Bezdek
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