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Three ribs and broken collarbone, plus cuts - Robert Förstemann's souvenirs from a six-day race hurt.
But there was no break.
After all, he had just decided to take an astonishing step: away with the usual bike for the track, in with the tandem, to shake up the Paralympics world with the visually impaired Kai Kruse.
“In order to be promoted, I had to get into the national team first,” he says.
And for that they needed a top result quickly.
So they trained and only two months later drove on a rather bad tandem at the World Cup to find a future together, pilot Förstemann in the front, Kruse as a steam engine in the back.
“Actually, it should be filmed,” they say.
It would be a film with a happy ending: they needed eighth place, they came seventh.
Want to win gold at the Paralympics in Tokyo: Third place in the World Cup, Förstemann (front) and Kruse
Source: Wolfgang Strength
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Forstemann had gritted his teeth.
If Kruse had needed any proof in the beginning that Förstemann would really give everything for their common dream of gold in Tokyo, that he had exchanged his Olympic ambitions with full conviction for a Paralympic team adventure, then he had it that day.
Now, almost two years later, they have long since grown into a tandem monster.
To an unusual duo whose basis for success is friendship and immense trust when they race around the curves at 80 km / h - and Kruse sees nothing behind.
Tandem monsters, that's what they call themselves. "Well, look at us," says Förstemann and they both laugh.
Kruse's maximum value for deep squats is 200 kilograms, Förstemann puts on 280, and on the leg press he manages 750 kilograms.
“When we accelerate on the bike, we have more than 4000 watts,” he says.
“We tore chains, dismantled wheels.
There are photos of how we heat up through the curve - you think: What monsters. "
A team with equal influence
Who is traveling with whom here is the wrong question, they form a unit.
Even if Förstemann emphasizes: “In principle, this is about Kai.” Kruse's name appears first everywhere.
Förstemann is the one who helps him to be successful.
He sees for him, makes the maneuvers, decides the tactics in consultation with him.
A team with equal influence.
And that's what's special.
Because if Kruse wins, Förstemann wins too, they stand on the podium together and both receive a medal.
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In other para-disciplines, the guide acts purely as a helper for the visually impaired.
Kruse and Förstemann complement each other far beyond that.
For example, Förstemann makes the best use of Kruse's steam engine capabilities: “When I do the sprint, I can divide my strength and say: 'Kai, full throttle in the back!'
So I can take it easy at the front and then get on with full power. "
A collision as a child brought the handicap
Kruse, 29, suffered a concussion as a three-year-old when he collided with another child, severely damaging the optic nerve.
In his better, the left eye, he has a residual vision of just under ten percent.
In the worse eye, it's just over five.
“I think it's impressive how he can compensate for this with other senses,” says Förstemann.
"If Kai comes into the room and you don't look him straight in the eye, nobody will notice that he is almost blind."
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He doesn't treat him like that either, sometimes jokingly asking if a car is coming from the right while driving.
They then laugh about it.
“A little more consideration,” says Förstemann, “might not be bad sometimes.” Kruse shakes his head.
He recognizes colors and brightness, including the outlines of people.
It is, he says, like extreme nearsightedness.
For example, he sees that Förstemann is sitting two meters away from him at this moment - or better: someone is sitting there.
“But I don't see what it looks like,” says Kruse.
Silver team: Anke Molkenthin, Astrid Hengsbach, Tino Kolitscher, Kai Kruse and Katrin Splitt show their Olympic medals into the camera
Source: pa / dpa / Daniel Karmann
That never stopped him from exercising.
In 2012 he won silver in rowing in a mixed foursome at the Paralympics, but then focused on track cycling and in 2016 won bronze in the 1000-meter time trial with Stefan Nimke.
With that Nimke - and with Maximilian Levy - Förstemann again won the 2010 World Championship gold in the team sprint.
In other constellations, he won three European Championships and won Olympic bronze in 2012.
Two separate careers.
Until Nimke stopped and Kruse was looking for a new partner.
His first choice: Förstemann.
So he called him.
Förstemann actually had other plans
Förstemann was surprised.
Actually, he had other ambitions, he wanted to go to Tokyo, but not on the tandem at the Paralympics, but in the usual manner.
On the other hand, he was there for so long, no title felt like the first, and motivation problems had spread.
“It was no longer enough, it was no longer the fulfillment.
And then came Kai.
I thought it could be. ”He was excited to experience cycling again from a different perspective.
Robert Förstemann, Tobias Wächter, Robert Kanter and Eric Engel (from left to right) are honored as German champions 2015 in the team sprint.
Förstemann has his son Noah in his arms
Source: pa / dpa / Annegret Hilse
Suddenly acting as a team, in addition to the less frequent Paralympics?
Not an issue for Förstemann.
"I found it exciting and important to approach the whole thing in a more complex way, perhaps to achieve something socially and to support someone with Kai who certainly didn't have it as easy as me."
The Federal Police, as his employer, also went along and supported the change.
The foundation of their special relationship is that this was not a step at the actual end of a career, or a slow path to retirement.
“That impressed me,” says Kruse.
“And that plays a very big role in the question of what attitude he has when tackling the matter.” Full speed ahead, in a way.
Trust has to be built
Certainly, chasing through the curves at 80 km / h did not work from the beginning, Förstemann had to get used to the new driving experience and Kruse had to get used to the style of his pilot.
“Trust has to be built up, it doesn't happen straight away,” says Kruse.
“Especially since I knew that Robert always drives the ideal line.” The pressure in the bends is higher than Kruse was used to.
But caution does not lead to victory, caution does not push boundaries.
So they bravely groped their way.
A balancing act especially for Förstemann, after all, he bears a lot of responsibility at the front.
"With every driving maneuver I have to be aware that I would not fall alone," he says.
“At the latest when we left the track briefly and there was a blow, Kai became nervous at the back.
At first I wanted my head through the wall too much, I had to become more flexible. ”But that didn't take long, and Kruse has long been able to say:“ During the sprints, I give all my trust in Robert. ”
"We have to understand each other blindly"
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They benefit from each other.
Everyone brings their story to the table.
This enabled them to get the best out of both worlds - a prime example of lived inclusion.
This gave rise to the idea of an unusual fitness program for everyone with her agency: exercises with closed eyes.
Kruse's handicap was used as an advantage, so to speak.
Förstemann was amazed when he put on a blindfold for the first time while squatting on tiptoe.
More wobbly, more difficult, more effective.
To put yourself in the other person's shoes: an essential aspect to build trust and understanding.
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They also need both for communication on the bike. "We can't keep shouting at each other, we have to understand each other blindly in the truest sense of the word," says Förstemann.
And you can only do that, they agree, if you spend time together outside of training.
Trust on the tandem requires trust alongside the sport.
"I think that's elementary for any team that is so small," says Kruse.
"You don't always have to be of one opinion and share everything, but I'm sure: If you don't fit together on a human level, it can't work."
In the meantime, they see themselves as real friends who, in addition to sport, also share the role of family man.
“I'm grateful to Kai,” says Förstemann.
"Every day new challenges await me, and it has also helped me personally."
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Source: Welt am Sonntag