Petra Zeller and Nico Endler from Freeride Inc. are known as the "colourful dogs" of the BIKE Transalp. This year, you can follow them on social media as they prepare. They will be at the start of the legendary MTB stage race from 9 to 15 July 2023 as the Maxxis BIKE Transalp Team and will report on their experiences on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and bike-magazin.de.
Rock classics, après-ski hits and Alpine panorama
BIKE: Which moments of the BIKE-Transalp do you associate with your playlist?
Petra Zeller: There are special experiences, for example, when there is a traffic jam before the uphill sections of the trail and the whole field of participants sings or dances along to the songs in front of and behind me. Of course, you can always find a few clips of this in our Transalp videos on YouTube. I had a very special goosebump moment with Frank, my long-time BIKE Transalp partner. When we were riding side by side towards the end of a stage and the song "When I Die" by No Mercy was playing in the playlist, we sang along loudly. We simply felt the song completely and it gave us new strength to pedal on.
How do the other participants react to your music?
In a good mood! At the start, half of the participants sang along to "Wann wird's mal wieder richtig Sommer" by Rudi Carell and laughed so much that some of the English-speaking participants asked what the song was actually about. In a flowing trail uphill, a Dutchman once hung behind me and sang along to the complete lyrics of "Comment ca ca". Afterwards, he explained to me what the song was about. The song had inspired him throughout the entire climb. The Burn Babies also said that my music had given them a boost on one of the longest climbs of the BIKE Transalp 2022.
These songs carry bikers across the Alps
You can find Petra Zeller's complete playlist on our Spotify account: Bike MAG. More playlists from Raphaela RichterSteve Peat, Lael Wilcox, Danny MacAskill or Dangerholm and other mountain bikers can be found on our BIKE Spotify account: Bike MAG
- Highway to Hell - AC/DC: Legendary song at the start of the BIKE Transalp
- Doll - Nickerbocker & Bee: Describes me perfectly with "You are a modern witch"
- The Game of Life - Scorpions: Brings back memories of the pictures of the day at my very first Transalp
- I am solo - Mickie Krause: Reminds me of the long ascent from Mayrhofen to the Pfitscher Joch
- Purple Rain - Prince: A classic to feed new power into the pedals
- Major Tom - Peter Schilling: Accompanied me through my school days and reminds me of great sports lessons
- Biste Braun, Kriegste Fraun - Mickie Krause: With the full power of après-ski over the mountains in summer too
- Worriors of the World United - Manowar: The song carries me over the pass
- Without you - Münchener Freiheit: The other participants perform along. More fun is not possible
- Final Countdown - EuropeRuns not only in Riva, but brings the destination on Lake Garda a little closer
Soundcheck: A new playlist on Spotify every month
Every month we present a new playlist by a professional biker on our website. All you need is a free Spotify account to listen to the MTB pros' favourite songs. Hardcore fans should subscribe to the "Bike MAG" account on Spotify and never miss a playlist again.
More athletes & their Spotify playlist:
We've already asked more than two dozen professional cyclists about their favourite songs. Here are just a few more athletes with their Spotify playlist, which you can listen to on the Bike MAG account on Spotify:
Jan Timmermann
Editor
