There are countless examples from the past and present of teams comprising members of the same family. The best-known current example are the cousins Bernd Mlady and Gerhard Mlady: for 25 years, the Germans from the Bavarian village of Stein (near Nürnberg) have been a successful cycle-ball team. Their track record so far has been impressive: 2017 UCI World Champions, two-time silver medallists at the UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships, three-time German Champions, and five-time National Cup winners.
Now Bernd and Gerhard want to expand their collection at the UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships from 29 to 31 October in Stuttgart: the local heroes aim to win another medal, preferably gold and the UCI rainbow jersey that accompanies it.
The two amateurs are full of anticipation for the title fights in their own country. “You ride onto the competition area and the whole audience rages," says goalkeeper Gerhard Mlady, “It's just a great feeling.” Bernd agrees: "When the fans are behind you, and you don't understand each other anymore, that's just madness. We're really in the mood for this atmosphere again."
Five years ago, in 2016, the Mladys enjoyed their UCI World Championships debut at Stuttgart when they secured the bronze medal in front of 6,000 fans. A year later, they dethroned the UCI World Champions Patrick Schnetzer/Markus Bröll from Austria at their home UCI World Championships in Dornbirn. And this year they return to the ‘Porsche Arena’ in Stuttgart. A maximum of 5,000 spectators will provide a no less fantastic atmosphere with big support for the Mladys.
The generations of Mautes
Two interesting family teams are taking part in the men's artistic cycling at the 2021 UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships. The German era of the Maute dynasty goes into its third generation: 57 years after the first UCI World Championships appearance of three-time UCI World Champion Manfred Maute, grandson Max Maute is about to make his debut on the international UCI stage. His coach is father Dieter Maute, five-time UCI Champion between 1986 and 1995, inventor of the jump from saddle to handlebar, and, since 2003, the German national coach.
Immediately before the UCI World Championships, Max Maute proves his skills as a sports event manager: on October 23, the 22-year-old will organise the UCI Artistic Cycling World Cup final in his hometown of Albstadt. After that, his full concentration will be on his appearance in Stuttgart, where a circle closes for Junior Max. “At the 2010 UCI World Championships at Stuttgart, as a young boy, I was allowed to wear the nation's sign at the opening. That was an incredible moment for me."
The Artistic Arellanos
Meanwhile, another father-son duo represents Spain. Emilio Arellano is the son of multiple UCI World Championship medallist José Arellano. José had ended his career 20 years ago with his second UCI World Championship silver medal. The Arellano family live in Germany, and Emilio trains with his dad, José, at RV Oberjesingen. He was crowned German U15 Champion in 2016 and was a member of Germany’s Junior National Team until he came of age. In 2020, he was considered the favourite for the U19 European Championship title, but had to put these ambitions on hold due to the changes forced by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now Emilio is competing for Spain and has a good chance of winning a UCI World Championship medal. With 195.43 points, the 18-year-old recently achieved a new personal best at the SwissAustria Masters at an absolute world-class level.
“Without my father, I wouldn't have gotten into the sport,” says Emilio Arellano. “His videos as an artistic cyclist were always an incentive for me.”
It is also difficult to separate family and sport.
“There are often discussions,” says Emilio with a grin. “But overall, it has more advantages than disadvantages that my father is also my coach.”
Austria’s discipline-hopping Schnetzers
But it’s brothers Patrick and Marcel Schnetzer from Austria who buck the trend of competing directly together, and they have been playing that way for years! Patrick (27), multiple UCI World Champion in cycle-ball, will line up with new partner Stefan Feuerstein for the RV Dornbirn bent on winning his eighth UCI World Championship title. His younger brother Marcel, on the other hand, is an artistic cyclist, and will compete in the Single Men class and the Pair Open with Katharina Kühne.