How we had to convince SD Worx multitalented Schreiber of how good she is and could potentially be

She had a big smile when Schreiber crossed the finish line in third place Saturday afternoon after a fast race. It was her first classification cyclo-cross of the season, and thus immediately achieved a solid result. "I think it's my first or second time on the podium of a big race, especially against the big stars," she refers to Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Lucinda Brand, who finished ahead of her. "I don't quite realize it yet, but I rode a good race and competed at full throttle. That was a bit overwhelming, but most of all, I'm delighted with the result."

It sounds like Schreiber is living in a fairy tale. Although two weeks earlier, at the European Championships in Pontevedra, she just narrowly missed out on the title in the U23, her status among the elite is not yet established. At least, that image is clearly in her mind. Even when she boldly took the lead in Merksplas and started to accelerate. "I rode my own pace in the first two laps and was surprised that I created a gap." Again, that uncertainty, surprise, and, at the same time, joy in her voice.

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At the European Championships, Schreiber took the lead from lap one and did not let go until the sprint; in Merksplas, she suddenly slowed down after two laps. "I planned to take the lead from the beginning at the European Championships because I knew I was the strongest. It was a bit of a shock that Célia Gery stayed with me for so long, but it wouldn't have made a difference in the results if I had been riding slower. Then, it would have been easier for her to win in the sprint. So full throttle the whole race was the plan, but against the big names in the elite, that's not possible."

And so, on Saturday, she moved into third to fourth position after a solid start. "I decided not to go full throttle because there was quite a lot of wind, and riding in the wheels was better. I was confident I could compete for the top spots from that position. It's nice when you can play that way, and maybe even second place would have been possible if I had been better prepared at the decisive moment..."

There's a little more confidence in that already, but the surprise about own ability soon follows again. "I knew I felt good two weeks ago at the European Championships. After a quiet week, I was surprised that my legs were so good. Then, I usually still wanted to be too enthusiastic and do too much, but tactically, I did well. This was the best possible result. And this shows that I can't just be fast during the first lap because I'm always super. I kept that up longer and felt suitable for three-quarters of an hour. It would be nice to continue that for the rest of the season and always be competitive."

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Based on all her answers, we presented her with a somewhat surprised and audacious question: do you realize how good you are? Schreiber is silent for a moment and then begins to laugh. "I think I've always underestimated myself somewhat. If there was a group of four ahead, I was always the one who would set the pace. I was so happy to be there that I wanted no one to return. But I think I'm better now than I think I am. That underestimation has always been there, but now I have more left at the end. Then you can also gamble because you will never know if you don't try."

In just five minutes of talking, Schreiber has changed from an insecure rider with enormous joy for place three to a combative athlete who, after Merksplas, is mostly thinking about what else is possible. "Tactically, I can still make some progress because sometimes I want too much. However, I can play more tactically if I always have the legs at the front. Hopefully, we will see what that brings some more top spots during the season. So far, I have been satisfied with what I could get, but if I can ride a little more controlled..."

Because what we forget in this whole story is that Schreiber's big ambition lies and continues to lie in cross country. Of course, the road races are added to her calendar at SD Worx-Protime, but cyclo-cross is her number one. "It was hard to start so late in the field this time, but the road season has flown by, and the cyclo-cross season was already here sooner than I thought. At the World Gravel Championships, I realized I wanted to get back into cyclo-cross. Nevertheless, my summer on the road was a nice distraction, and I am happy to be back. Although I love cyclo-cross the most, I also enjoy the road, and I've had some nice races with the team. That is also lovely. The combination I will continue to do in the coming years, I am convinced that the road gives me a better base in the winter."

One more poke then: with these legs and this potential, going for an elite World Championship in February rather than another one in the U23 category? Schreiber laughs again and shakes his head. "It's my last year in U23, so I'd like to do the World Championship in that category. There are plenty of years to come in the elite, so for me now, the goal is to perform well every weekend, and then the main goal is the World Championship."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])