When you look at a hillside in Tramin, you usually see vineyards. Rows of vines, winding paths, beautiful landscapes. Perhaps your eyes wander down into the valley. Veronika Widmann sees something different.
She sees lines. Movement. Possibilities. Where others see a steep forest trail, she reads corners, terrain, speed and rhythm. For her, a hillside is more than just scenery – it is a landscape waiting to be understood.
Veronika Widmann is one of Italy’s most successful downhill mountain bike athletes. She has competed in the UCI World Cup since 2015, won several Italian national titles, claimed medals at the European Championships and, in 2019, finished third overall in the UCI Downhill World Cup standings, establishing herself among the world’s elite riders. On paper, her career is an impressive collection of achievements.
But anyone who speaks with her soon realizes that the most fascinating part of her story cannot be found in race results. It lies somewhere between courage and calmness, between speed and patience, and in the way Veronika has always chosen to follow her own path.
Veronika grew up in Tramin, in a farming family. Her parents ran a farm with apple orchards and Gewürztraminer vineyards, which is now managed by her brother. Nature was never something she visited at the weekend. It was simply part of everyday life.
„I’ve been closely connected to nature ever since I was a child“, she says.
Sport played an important role from an early age. At the age of twelve, she started mountain biking, initially competing in cross-country. It was all about climbing, descending, fitness and technique. But one aspect fascinated her more than anything else: the descent.
The feeling of controlling the bike. Making decisions in a split second. Finding a line where others might not even see a way through.
„What I loved most was the technical side of it.“
At some point, the way you look at a trail changes. You no longer see it simply as a path. You start to see the line.
From the outside, downhill looks wild. Dust. Jumps. Speed. Risk. Almost a little crazy. And yes, it is spectacular. But appearances can be deceiving.
„In reality, there is far more preparation behind it than people can see from the outside“, says Veronika.
Long before she stands in the start gate, the entire course is already mapped out in her mind. It all begins with the track walk: riders inspect the entire course on foot. Every corner is analysed. Every rock is examined. Every possible line is carefully studied. Then come the training runs, bike adjustments and countless repetitions.
„Before a race, I already have the whole course in my head. I know exactly where I need to go and where I want my tyres to be.“
It is almost like watching a film play out in your mind. Downhill is not simply about letting go and riding downhill. It is about concentration. Preparation. Control. It is the art of staying in complete control while still riding with freedom and flow.
When she was younger, Veronika never imagined she would become a professional athlete. After graduating from high school, she moved to Innsbruck to train as a registered nurse. She continued racing, but the decision to dedicate herself entirely to downhill came only later.
Perhaps that was exactly the right path. It wasn’t carefully planned from the beginning—it evolved naturally, step by step.
„It was never a big goal I had from the start. It grew little by little, simply because I loved riding my bike.“
Throughout that journey, her parents gave her one invaluable gift: freedom. No pressure. No expectations. She was free to find her own way. And perhaps that is still what defines her today. Veronika doesn’t race to prove anything to anyone else. She races because this is her own path.
For many years, Veronika has competed at the highest international level. She knows World Cup courses, the pressure of elite competition and how much can depend on a few hundredths of a second. Has success changed her?
„I’m incredibly grateful. I know I have an amazing life.“ At the same time, she also knows that in elite sport every single day is a new beginning.
„You have to keep pushing yourself every day if you want to stay at this level.“
Today, one thing helps her more than anything else: experience. After more than ten years competing in the World Cup, she knows not only her sport, but herself as well.
„I can rely on my experience. And, above all, on my instincts.“
Veronika Widmann
Competitions take her all over the world. Training camps, teams, new tracks and new challenges are part of her everyday life. But sooner or later, there is always one moment she looks forward to most: coming home. Coming back to Tramin.
„I’m actually a very down-to-earth person. I enjoy the simple things in life.“
After races and long journeys, she doesn’t seek excitement or crowds. She looks for peace. Nature. Home.
„When I come home after the races, I really enjoy the peace and quiet. It gives me new energy“
Surrounded by vineyards, mountains and familiar trails, she recharges her batteries and finds her balance again.
Crashes are part of a sport like downhill. But perhaps they also teach one of its most valuable lessons: not how to avoid falling, but how to get back up again.
„The important thing is to get back up after a crash and keep going.“
It is not only the body that needs to recover. The mind has to recover too. That is why Veronika also works on the mental side of her sport. She doesn’t see fear as an enemy, but as something to understand and manage.
„You learn a great deal about yourself.“
Perhaps that is the greatest challenge of all: not simply becoming faster, but getting to know yourself better.
Veronika never looks for attention. She admits that being in the spotlight sometimes even makes her feel uncomfortable. She doesn’t race for applause. She races because it is what she loves.
„I do it for myself. To keep improving.“
And yet, she knows that her story can inspire others—especially young girls.
„If you have a dream, you have to believe in it.“
Believe that you are free to follow your own path. That you don’t always have to meet other people’s expectations. That dreams can become reality if you are willing to work for them.
Veronika is delighted to see mountain biking continuing to grow in Tramin.
She has already ridden the new Klapf Trail, and for her, a great trail is one that combines technical features with smooth flow.
„It’s all about having a great feeling on the bike.“
Because in the end, that is what truly matters. Not just speed, but the feeling you experience while riding.
Veronika Widmann rides down trails where many people would rather stop and turn back. But perhaps courage is not what defines her best. Instead, it is the calm before the start. The preparation. The passion. Her connection with nature. And her trust in herself.
Her story is one of patience, dedication and determination. It is the story of a young woman who grew up among the vineyards of Tramin and learned to find her own line—on the bike and in life.
(Interview Erica Furini)
July 2026
Some stories continue to unfold even before they can be fully told. Just days after this interview, on 18 July 2026, Veronika Widmann claimed her seventh Italian Downhill Championship title. The Tramin Tourist Association warmly congratulates Veronika on this outstanding achievement and is proud to have such a genuine, down-to-earth and inspiring ambassador representing our village.
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