Marie Schreiber's winning start explained: From "full throttle from the start" to "staying out of trouble"

Before the race, team manager Christian Kos explained why Schreiber so often leads into the first section of the field. "Marie has a very strong start. She really does. It’s not necessarily the goal to enter the field first, but it helps her stay out of all the chaos and trouble. So, while it’s not a specific tactic, it’s something we can use to our advantage."

Kos elaborated on why leading into the field (either as the first rider, or at the front) is so important. "You stay out of trouble for a while, you can pick your own lines, make fewer mistakes, and ride your own race instead of getting closed in and having to react to others. It’s not an official tactic, but it’s definitely something we aim to use to our advantage."

Schreiber herself recognizes the importance of a good start as well, and in Hulst, she once again did what she’s done all season: lead from the front. "The start is important here because the course gets technical right after," Schreiber said after the race. "I mean, I did what I normally do, but I just wanted to stay out of trouble. At some point, I had a gap, so I kept going. I don’t know exactly what happened. I just rode a time trial, and it worked out well."

Safe to say, the start of the race is not a problem for the 21-year-old rider. It is mainly the race after the first lap where she struggles, having to give up positions to the rest. "The key for me is not to go too hard, especially in the third and fourth laps. I always have to save something for the end because I know that, for example, someone like Lucinda (Brand, ed.) always finishes fast. I was kind of afraid of that today. But I focused on myself, although I did feel some pressure because I was being chased. I had to try to stay in the zone."

Her team manager also recognizes the dangers of her overextending herself during the race, after such a fast start. "I think if you look at the past, and especially last season, you could see that Marie tended to overestimate herself. I think this season, we are consciously working on her finding her own pace and slightly easing off after the start or the first laps so she can sustain her effort all the way to the finish."

During the race, it became clear that the young talent is learning from her mistakes. Team manager Kos barely needed to give her instructions regarding her pace, as the rider managed it well herself, according to Kos. "I only communicated the time gaps."

Her competitors in the field are also well aware of Schreiber’s fast start. In the podcast Dirty Talks, hosted by cyclo-cross riders Maghalie Rochette and Lucinda Brand, the latter mentioned what she would focus on at the start in Hulst. "I’ll go after you," said Brand, who ended up finishing second in Hulst.

Laughing, she reflected on that statement after the podium ceremony. "I keep an eye on her from a few meters behind. Following her is really tough. I tried, but today, for example, I slipped out of my pedal again. Then it’s over quickly. I never saw her."

Not even toward the end of the race, where Schreiber often sees her lead diminish. "Yes, she always says she starts at half speed, so I’ll have to give it everything next time. She’s apparently really good at pacing herself," the runner-up concluded.

So how fast does Schreiber go at the start, exactly? "From the whistle, I go full throttle, yes. I hit over a thousand watts and get close to my limit. In a first lap like that, you’re not going completely all-out, but you do everything you can to maintain that position."

And in Hulst, she held that position all the way to the finish. Before the race, Kos already knew it was possible. "I’m not going to put pressure on her because it happens when it happens. But today might just be the day. They’re ready," said the Dutchman, showing foresight when asked if one of his riders could win.