I caught up with Emīlija Mikalauska after her win at the Heavy Criterium earlier this month. Emīlija rides for the Latvian team SHE FIX which was founded by Linda Jakubone in 2012 and runs to a simple manifesto; "To encourage society to lead active and healthy lifestyle, to promote fixed gear and other types of cycling as an everyday activity among girls and women, to organize sporting, recreational and cultural events - to develop bike culture in our dear Riga and all over the world." Riga has been blessed with one of the best skate parks in Europe which is also home to a minidrome - a magnet for freestyle and fixed gear riders!
TLFC: When and why did you get into racing fixed gear bikes?
EM: Oh, it was something like two or maybe two and a half years ago. I was still at school and living with my grandma (mom was abroad) far away from that school. Two years in a row I was going by two buses and spent something like 3 hours to get there. Quite demotivating! I was passing Chinese shop and I always saw there is one awesome Electra style bike and I really wanted it. Grandma did not allow, cause she thought traffic in Riga is too heavy. I saved some money and mom came back I bought it immediately and was riding all the time. Still bike was around 15 kilos, really slow and I was quite aggressive. I went to my friends birthday party when a friend of mine started to show me videos of Juliet Eliott, his bike.. I tried it and I said.. damn! There is a magic there and I need to get it! I sold that shitty bike and got my first XVZ fixie, tourist, one of the saddest ones but really beautiful. Slowly I learned to ride fast, don’t be afraid of cars.. first steps in minidrome.. first criteriums, then I met She Fix girls who are the same crazy as me and now I can call fixed gear as a sport and extremely big part of my life!
TLFC: Where are you currently living? How would you describe the fixed gear scene in your area and is racing a big part of it?
EM: I am living in Riga, but now I am spending summer in Ukraine. In Riga the fixed gear scene is extremely big. Not like in Berling or NY, but still every year, every month you can see more and more fixed gear riders. Some of them been into fixies 3,4 years ago , some of them are freshmans. But it is awesome to see how often people are making nightrides, criteriums, sprints, fixed weekends, we have our own minidrome.. When Latvians are coming to other countries for minidrome competitions they taking it all! About girls part – 9 crazy She Fix girls are really competitive. People know us and fixed gear scene is becoming bigger every year! Riga is flat and it makes riding more awesome.
TLFC: Tell us about your day leading up to the race. Do you have any pre-race rituals?
EM: Oh, I don’t have any like really serious. But still I am always trying to have enough sleep and don’t be stressed. Sometimes I am talking with my bike (laughing) and cheering him up. And.. I am always eating cottage cheese. Even when going abroad I am trying to get it. I believe it makes me stronger.
TLFC: What bike did you race on?
EM: I am riding Colnago Superissimo bike, quite old one.I got a frame from the bike mechanic who was building bikes for Soviet union bike team. Setup is not serious (remerx rims, weird cranks..), I am laughing about myself all this time, because I am winning criterium with joytech hubs! I don’t know how come they still alive, actually in Stockholm messenger championship I broke a thread on one of it, but still! I am waiting for my new bike and it will be grand. I love this steel frame but I feel that time for aluminum came.
TLFC: How would you describe the course for the Heavy Criterium?
EM: Well, it was hard. Before that we had She Fix jungle race, more for freestyle fixies and with some obstacles, kickers .. riding through water. I was quite tired and when got to know that we gonna ride 25 laps on Heavy Criterium, I thought – not gonna make it! I borrowed Specialized langster track bike, qualified and waited for the main race. I was a bit afraid of those steep corners, afraid to touch the ground with a pedal. But as it was track bike, it was completely allright. And I came first , even kicked ass of some guys!
About Odessa criterium race 3 days ago – it was even more hard. Plus 35 degrees outside and the course was uphill almost all the time. One lap was around 1,6 km and we needed to ride 15 laps. Anyways, finished first but I made it with the biggest effort in my life. Anyway, I believe it worth it all!
TLFC: Did you know many of the riders before the race? Who did you think your main competitor would be?
EM: About Heavy Criterium – yes , I knew. They all are She Fix girls and I know them really well. Elza Ozolina – 16 years old girl is the main competitor.. always. Sometimes she catches me, sometimes I am catching her.. will see how it will be in future.
In Odessa criterium I did not know any girl.. I saw that one had Cinelli track bike and became scared. But still.. it is more about your legs.. not about bike.
TLFC: What was your race plan before the start?
EM: Don’t give up. Ride!
TLFC: Do you have a phrase or song that comes to mind during a race to encourage you?
EM: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. And again, all over again.
TLFC: If you could pick a song to be the soundtrack to a video of the race, what would it be and why?
EM: Kraftwerk- tour de france.I don’t know, it just came to my mind.
TLFC: How did you celebrate for the rest of the night?
EM: Well.. I was dancing and spending time with my friends! It was the end of Playground 3 days festival of all these extreme sports and I knew these are my last days before leaving.
TLFC: Are there any fixed gear racers you look up to or we should look out for?
EM: Yes.. Linda Jakubone, Marika Arro, Hristina Satalova, Elza Ozolina, Viktorija Mezniece, Mianzi Rei, Beate Skvorcova, Elina Teresina..!
TLFC: What are you planning to do next? Do you have more races lined up?
EM: Yes, after Heavy Criterium I made it til Odessa fixed weeked and now I find out there is minidrome, goldsprints and more races in Kiev in two days..
TLFC: Finally, any shout-outs you would like to give?
EM: Do what you love and fuck the rest!
Emīlija Mikalauska
Top Left - Bottom Right:
She Fix riders Marika Arro, Emīlija Mikalauska, Linda Jakubone, Hristina Šatalova
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