Stuttgarter Zeitung (2000-03-28)
Rominger,
world champion in artistic cycling, fights against the rules
Like a machine, Martin Rominger enrols his program on the artistic bycicle.
For five years, the 22-year old has driven the same free section. Like on
last sunday at the “württembergischen” championships. He would like to add
new difficulties, but the international association acts against it.
“Championships are still fun, but the training loses attraction, more and more”, says Martin Rominger after his free section. The big favorite and multiple world champion has also won the title in Ludwigsburg. Hardly anyone masters the artistic on the wheel better than Rominger.
Martin is doing a hundred percent, he is reaching the absolute limit, says Michael Wild, reporter of the artistic bicycle federation. Almost annoyed he adds: " He could show even more, but unfortunately the rules don't admit this; although it would be a great thing for this sports discipline. It would make artistic cycling more attractive."
Let´s see for example the artistry of ice skating as another system of judgement: every participant has to show his program with a sequence of difficulties. Each figure, each jump is established with a certain score of points. In case of failure there is a loss of points. This occurs in Rominger´s program as well but he masters all difficulties in the selection of artistic cycling.
“The theoretical maximum-score lies at 352 points. But within the six minutes it is not possible to manage this at all, otherwise Martin would have cracked the record long ago”, Wild says.
Nevertheless, with an achieved score of 350,8 he is coming close to it.
But something quite different keeps the mind of the 22-year old guy busy: "For months, I am working on a somersault- as to finish my program. I have often trained together with the gymnasts in Ruit."
If all the muscle-tomcats was now for nothing, it would be pretty annoying”,
Rominger says - and you can see the disappointment written in his face. "After
all, I almost got it perfect"
Why does the international commission of indoor cycling not permit the somersault? " Some difficulties are blocked through the foreign countries. The Germans already belong to the leading nations in this sports discipline. Others would feel disadvantaged if there was only one mastering the somersault ", says Wild.
At the moment it looks like the commission wants to permit the somersault in the year 2002, test-wise first of all.
Martin Rominger could shake his head on that.
But there seems to be hope in the future. In any case there is a great challenge for Rominger in november this year. He has got the chance to win his first local title at the World Championships in Boeblingen, Germany.
Until now, he has gained victory at the World Championships in Switzerland, in the Czech Republic and on Madeira.
"For the Championships in Böblingen I will do more exercise than
ever before. Now in the training stage I primarily work on my condition and
on my power ", Rominger says. “One can never have enough condition”,
but the "allowed" difficulties are "enough" for him soon.