To find Kira Lissek in Aachen, you have to go down beneath the main stand and disappear into the stadium corridors. There, just a few metres of concrete away from the riders, she prepares the bouquets that will end up in the hands of the medallists. Around 180 athletes rewarded over the fortnight, 2,000 plants on the main arena alone and flowers by the thousand: in the basement of Aachen, there is another World Championship taking place. Much quieter, and considerably more floral.

Ten metres of concrete

Take the corridors beneath the main stand in Aachen and head deeper in, until you almost forget that a World Championship is taking place just a few metres away.

The riders’ stand is not far, though. In some places, only around ten metres of concrete separate the two worlds.

Up there, they talk medals. Down here, they cut stems.

Kira works beneath the stadium. So no, she does not exactly have the luxury of bumping into riders all day. She might catch a glimpse of them on television or at the edge of an arena, but that is almost a bonus.

And when a podium ceremony appears on a screen, her eyes do not necessarily go where you might expect.

The winner’s name can wait a few seconds.

Kira first looks at what they are holding in their hands.

A round bouquet, in shades of mauve and white, which will accompany the medal, the official photo and the lap of honour.

Because there is a good chance that bouquet passed across her table a few hours earlier.

A florist at the Worlds

Kira did not discover flowers when she arrived in Aachen. They are her job.

« Yes, it is my usual job. I work in a flower shop in Düsseldorf and we do all the events you see here. " she explains.

In Aachen, she works for Dietz Blumen & Events, the Düsseldorf-based company in charge of the floral work at these World Championships.

And the plural matters.

Because the team is not only responsible for making the bouquets that will appear in the medallists’ photos.

« We do all the decoration, in the different areas, in the VIP, in the restaurants, everywhere. »

You only have to head back up to the surface to understand the scale of the operation.

Flowers are everywhere in Aachen.

Around the arenas, near the fences, in the hospitality areas, the restaurants and the guest-only zones. In the main arena alone, around 2,000 plants are part of the scenery.

As for the total number of flowers used during the event, even the professional prefers to surrender.

« I don’t have an answer because there are so many… Maybe thousands and thousands. ” Kira says with a laugh.

Let’s just say the florist who landed Aachen did not exactly walk away with an order form for three geraniums.

It has to be said: they know the drill. World Cup Finals, the Brussels Stephex Masters… and then Aachen. The client list has a bit of pedigree.

180 medallists to flower

Beneath the stand, part of the work is directly destined for the podiums.

Over the fortnight, around 180 medallists have to receive their bouquet.

So production is required. Regularly. Cleanly. And with that little detail that belongs to major sporting events: what is prepared anonymously in a corridor can end up, a few hours later, in front of tens of thousands of spectators and on hundreds of photos.

The bouquet therefore has to respect the visual identity of these World Championships.

« This year, we have special colours because of the lilac and gold theme. So this year, everything is lilac and gold .” Kira explains.

For the rest, she keeps a certain amount of freedom in choosing the flowers and putting them together.

The gesture is precise. The bouquet has to be round, balanced, full enough to look proud on a podium and compact enough to be held easily.

Because a freshly crowned champion rarely has three hands available. There is already the medal to manage, the reins depending on the ceremony, the congratulations, the photographers and sometimes a flag.

No need to add a shrub.

Above all, do not knock out the front row

There is also another constraint, one that is much less aesthetic.

Weight.

Kira explains it with a smile:

« It must not be too heavy because sometimes they throw them. »

Crucial information gathered in the basement of Aachen: a World Championship bouquet also needs decent ballistic qualities.

Because podium euphoria has its traditions. The arm goes up, the crowd applauds and, sometimes, the flowers fly into the stands.

So it is better to avoid making a bouquet capable of turning a lap of honour into a spectator incident.

At this level too, every detail counts.

Her bouquet, their podium

Perhaps the strangest thing about Kira’s work is the distance separating her from the final destination of her creations.

A few dozen metres.

No more.

But between her workshop beneath the stand and the podium, the bouquet changes worlds completely.

On one side, it is a working object. You choose, cut, assemble, adjust.

On the other side of the wall, it becomes part of the ceremony.

And when she sees it again on television in the winner’s hands, Kira does not hide her pleasure.

« It is an incredible feeling. I am so happy to have made that bouquet. I love it. »

She also admits that the mission adds a little extra dose of pressure to a florist’s day.

« I am a little nervous, but it is incredible to have the chance to do this. I am very happy. »

You can understand why.

The flowers will obviously not decide the world champion. They will not knock down any rails and they will not win any tenths.

But they will be in the photo.

And the photo will remain.