Bora-Hansgrohe pro Anton Palzer in a TOUR interview: "I want to cross the finish line first one day"

Interview: Andreas Kublik

TOUR: Toni, your transition from ski mountaineering to professional cycling was accompanied by a camera team and is now available as a documentary film under the title "Breaking the cycle" to see. What was your first appearance as a film star like?

Palzer: That was really special for me - and when I watched the film, it was also pretty emotional for me. Especially this scene at the World Ski Mountaineering Championships (in spring 2021; editor's note), where I won my last World Championship medal. I think the film is really cool! Many of the racers from other teams now know my story - also thanks to the film.

TOUR: What else can the film convey to the viewer?

Palzer: I hope that many people can take a leaf out of my book: that you have to be brave for change! Many people don't even realise what I gave up to switch to cycling, in terms of sponsors and financially. It would have been a safe bet. Ski mountaineering has become an Olympic sport. I was a sports soldier - I was doing so well! But in the end, it just didn't suit me anymore. Nevertheless, I didn't want to leave my comfort zone.

Profile Anton Palzer

• Date of birth: 11/03/1993
• Place of birth: Berchtesgaden
• Height: 1.78 metres
• Teams: Bora-Hansgrohe (since 2021)

TOUR: You have now completed your second season as a professional cyclist in the Team Bora-Hansgrohe jersey. What were the most important lessons learnt in your new profession?

Palzer: I had to learn everything from scratch. Of course, I brought the physical requirements with me from another sport. Cycling, especially road racing, is simply completely different to ski mountaineering. The first year (2021) meant incredibly hard lessons for me. But after a year and a half of professional cycling - I only started in April (2021) - I'd say the transition has been a success. It's really good for me. It was the right step.

Click through: All of Bora-Hansgrohe's 2022 World Tour victories

TOUR: What has been the toughest experience in cycling so far?

Palzer: The Vuelta 2021! Riding a Grand Tour after just five months in cycling was very special, also because of crashes. Three weeks can be endless. During the race I was calling out all the saints and just swearing - but in the end there was a point to it: it was about improving my engine.

Palzer on the learning process

TOUR: In professional cycling, motor is the name given to the basic physical performance. Unlike ski mountaineering, however, slipstreaming and tactics also play a major role in road cycling. How did you cope with these aspects?

Palzer: It is still a learning process. In order for me to show my qualities, it depends on my position when I go into the mountain. Sometimes that works well, sometimes not so well - I have to be honest. But overall, I've been a completely different, better cyclist this year than last year.

Lennard Kämna in a TOUR interview

TOUR: Do your professional colleagues in the peloton still give the man with the eye-catching Red Bull helmet a wide berth - because everyone knows that you are a newcomer and could have weaknesses in your riding technique?

Palzer: Naa! Sure, nobody knew beforehand whether I could do it. But after my first few races, you could see that I could move through the field. So far, I haven't caused any crashes involving others. If I have, then it's been me.

Palzer on his goals

TOUR: You have now extended your contract. What are your goals for the next part of your career as a professional cyclist?

Palzer: My ultimate goal is to become a successful athlete again. Whether that works or not - that remains to be seen. But that's my motivation, why I invest so much in sport. Last year, I was at home for five days from January to April - otherwise I was only in the south. That's not easy when you have a girlfriend and family at home. But I knew I had to invest a lot to make it a success. A lot of people don't realise that, but the situation isn't easy for me. For years, I travelled to sporting events to win or to make it onto the podium. I was super successful.

TOUR: You came from an individual sport as one of the best in the world and are now competing in a team sport in which many people work in each team so that one of them wins in the end.

Palzer: Now I'm back to square one, I'm an apprentice and I'm not going for my own result. But I'm now riding in a team where there are only rockets. The new focus on a GC team isn't easy for me either ...

TOUR: ... In the future, Bora-Hansgrohe wants to focus more on a podium finish in stage races - and for that they need a lot of helpers ...

Palzer: Yes, that means there's always one of our rockets at the start - and the top rider then rides. So I would consider it a success if I could become a really good mountain helper and support one of our leaders in the difficult mountains. I've managed to do that many times this year. I rode good races in the Tour of Catalonia (Palzer finished 25th overall; ed.) and the Tour de Romandie.

TOUR: So as an athlete, you've really taken a step backwards with the change. Why is that?

Palzer: Nobody can take away what I have achieved. I was the most complete ski mountaineer for over eight years. But I was simply tired of always doing the same thing. The same eight World Cup stages every winter. I've somehow become indifferent. I no longer have the bite I used to have. 2017 was my best winter, back then I won three World Championship medals and celebrated four World Cup victories. Things got tough after that.

Last race as a ski mountaineer in 2021

TOUR: Nevertheless, you put in another strong performance in your last race as a ski mountaineer in March 2021 and won World Championship silver in the vertical discipline ...

Palzer: It was important to me to finish with another good World Championships. So that people can see that he's not quitting as a ski mountaineer because he's no longer in a position to win anything. But overall I just wasn't happy any more. It was like being in a relationship with a woman: if it's stressful, if you don't like it anymore, then it's hard to take that step, but it's still better.

TOUR: Let's recap the separation process: as a ski mountaineer, you also trained a lot on your racing bike in the summer. But that doesn't necessarily lead to professional cycling.

Palzer: I had never actually thought that I would become a cyclist. I was well positioned with sponsors. I could have continued to do my own projects, like I did with the record for the Watzmann crossing. That would have been my option A. But then Ralph made me an offer, for which I am incredibly grateful.

TOUR: Bora-Hansgrohe team boss Ralph Denk wrote to you asking whether you would be interested in trying your hand as a professional cyclist.

Palzer: You don't normally get this chance as a career changer: to be allowed to drive in one of the best teams in the world straight away.

I'm a huge fan of ski mountaineering and I'm delighted that it will be an Olympic sport in 2026.

TOUR: What role do skis still play for you as a professional cyclist - are they an important piece of training equipment in winter?

Palzer: Not really any more. But that's totally fine with me - I've been skiing all my life. I'll go on a few ski tours at home over Christmas/New Year, but otherwise I'll concentrate on cycling. I'm a huge fan of ski mountaineering and I'm really excited that it will be an Olympic sport in 2026.

TOUR: What goals do you want to achieve so that you can say: The cycling project was successful for me overall?

Palzer: I want to cross the finish line first one day. Even if it's perhaps unrealistic. But I think I'm capable of doing it one day. And I'm a huge Giro fan and I really want to ride the race one day. When I sat on the roll this year and saw what the bunch (Bora-Hansgrohe won the race with Jai Hindley; editor's note) delivered there this year, I cried. But I'm part of a team now and have to make compromises.

The documentary film entitled "Anton Palzer - Breaking the cycle" is available online at the following link: Anton Palzer: Breaking the Cycle - From skis to bike (redbull.com)