There is a quite simple reason for meeting Viola in Stuttgart – apart from the wonderful park on the university campus. As Viola is studying here, Nina chose it as the first stop of her trip in a compact ŠKODA KAROQ SUV. The plan is to travel all the way to San Sebastián in Spain and – as a seasoned surfer – to have a go at riding the waves when she gets there. On the way, she will meet eight athletes to try out the sports they specialise in – and she’s starting with Viola and artistic cycling.

“Funnily enough, although I’ve been artistic cycling for eighteen years, I don’t have a normal bike, just this special one,” laughs Viola, adding that she would never have time to ride a regular bike anyway. “Getting to school and then to the training hall is more than a 100-kilometre round trip, so I can’t imagine doing that every day. Then there’s the training and my other responsibilities – sadly, there’s no time for road cycling,” shrugs the double world runner-up.