Mick Dierdorff, 30 

Snowboardcross 

Trained with Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club 

Having competed in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, what lessons and experience are you bringing with you this time around? 

Having one Olympics under my belt makes this time around I feel a little less stressful. Going into the last Olympics, I had put so much pressure on myself because it felt like a make-or-break point in my snowboarding career. This time I still have really high expectations and goals for myself, but I’m going into this year with a lot more confidence.  

What was it like to win the World Championships in 2019? 

Becoming World Champion in 2019 will always go down as one of the best days of my life. To me, it felt just as big as having won the Olympics. Once I did it, it was crazy to even try to process what I had just done. The whole race I felt like I got into this mental zone where I knew I was going to win every heat. The best part was being able to celebrate afterwards with all my family, friends and teammates. Having already won at one of the highest stages in our sport will hopefully allow me to fully believe in myself that I can do it again at the Olympics.  

What qualities define an elite snowboardcross racer? 

Quickness and power is crucial for getting out of the gate and being fast through the technical start section. You need to be a great glider, turner, and have really good air awareness as well. I also think that the mental game and racing tactics and experience can be the most important, because you need to make split-second reactions based on what the other three guys around you are doing.  

What do you enjoy the most about snowboardcross? 

I love the speed and the huge adrenaline rush I get when I’m flying down a big, fast course with three other guys right next to me. I am known for being a good passer on the course, and some of my favorite memories of my career are of clutch passes I made when I was battling from behind. 

What does your ideal winter day in Steamboat Springs look like? 

My perfect winter day in Steamboat starts with waking up to a bunch of fresh snow. Next, I head up to the mountain with a group of good friends and spend the day finding pow stashes in the trees and jumping off every cliff and side hit in sight. After the legs are toast, I’ll hit up the T-bar for apres drinks with all the friends.