Max Kanter in a TOUR interview: "The change certainly came as a surprise to some"

The season ended for Max Kanter with three top ten results at the Tour of Guangxi in China. The Cottbus-born rider also had a consistent year overall at Movistar, finishing in the top ten in the daily classification a total of 17 times from January to October. Only the first victory eluded him in his fifth professional year. "Perhaps the team support was lacking in some races, especially in the lead-outs," says the 26-year-old sprinter in an interview with TOUR.

Accordingly, Kanter is breaking new ground for 2024 and switching to Astana. After all, the team is increasingly focussing on the sprints with Mark Cavendish and has also recently signed a German rider in Rüdiger Selig. Kanter is now hoping to have found the right environment with the Kazakh team to achieve his first victories.

Max Kanter in a TOUR interview

TOUR: Mr Kanter, you have a new employer next season with Astana. To what extent does a change of team change the off-season?

Max Kanter: Normally not that much changes. After the season, you have a bit of a break without a bike. That's when the first team meeting takes place. We met with Astana directly after the Tour of Guangxi (12 to 17 October; editor's note) for two days in Italy. When you're new, you talk to the sporting directors, the coaches, the team principal and the performance team. You also try on the new racing kit and generally get to know the other riders. After that, I continued to train regularly until December: Either at home or privately in Spain. And now the team training camp is coming up for a fortnight in Spain.

TOUR: And how do you feel in winter before changing teams?

Max Kanter: This is the second team change for me in the World Tour (Kanter switched from DSM to Movistar in 2022; editor's note)so I'm a bit used to it. But of course there is a certain sense of optimism. You're looking forward to experiencing new things again. At the beginning, it's just important to get to know people as well as possible and to integrate well.

TOUR: You have spent the last two years with Movistar. Did your time with the Spanish team go as you had imagined?

Max Kanter: Yes, I would say so. I have continued to develop and have become a very consistent rider. That's not unimportant. Of course, I would have liked to be at the top in one or two races, that's my ambition. Perhaps I also lacked team support in some races, especially in the lead-outs. Because I was often on my own in the final. On the whole, however, I look back on this time positively. I have also matured as a person.

Lack of support at Movistar

TOUR: Was it an option to stay with Movistar? After all, the team brought in Fernando Gaviria last year, a big name as another sprinter. That might have raised the question of whether Movistar is the right team for the long term.

Max Kanter: Of course such thoughts come up. But in general, the team was very happy with me. Fernando and I also always had a very good relationship. That wasn't the deciding factor. You are in constant dialogue with the team, but you also look at how things are developing: What potential is there, what is there for a sprint train? And, as I said, I sometimes lacked the support. Then you look at other options, where things might look different.

TOUR: Team Movistar has a strong Spanish identity. Was there a language barrier?

Max Kanter: The team is very Spanish, it has to be said. But I think I integrated quickly there. It was also relatively ok among the riders and with my coach, you could get very far with English. That wasn't an obstacle for me. But you have to learn the Spanish language a bit in the team. Many sports managers speak Spanish in the meetings. It's helpful if you understand it. Nevertheless, I was able to understand everything in the meetings at the end and even say a bit in Spanish myself.

TOUR: Your spring did not go as planned. You had to take a break due to corona. This meant that an important phase of the season with the classics was cancelled for you. To what extent does it bother you that you are in a contract year - and sometimes can't deliver results?

Max Kanter: As drivers, we are of course always under a certain amount of pressure, as we only have fixed-term contracts. Fortunately, I did well with results the year before. And I also had some good results right at the start of this season. That's why I wasn't too worried about my future. I am a consistent rider who can be relied on. But of course the spring took its toll on me. I was really looking forward to the classics and I think I would have been in decent shape. I was able to avoid corona for a very long time. And then it hit me pretty hard right away. You can't calculate things like that beforehand.

The new role at Astana

TOUR: What is the procedure with the consultant when looking for a contract?

Max Kanter: This usually starts in the winter before the contract year. We sit down together and discuss the current situation, where we can go and where there might be interest. From the middle of the year, the topic intensifies - and the teams also become more active on the market: Which rider will help us? A lot always happens during the Tour de France. In my case, the decision to switch to Astana was made early on after the team signalled its interest to me. I therefore didn't have to worry too much.

TOUR: How did the contact with Astana come about?

Max Kanter: This change certainly came as a surprise to some people. However, I had a good discussion with the performance team about their plans and what role they see me playing. A lot of things fell into place for me. The team definitely wants to aim for the sprints and classics. The commitments make that clear. And I fit in very well.

TOUR: What is your role at Astana?

Max Kanter: I should definitely take on one of the leading roles in the sprints in the future. With Rüdiger Selig, I now also have a good team-mate at my side. That's a huge motivation boost for me. I believe that we can build a good bond and a basis of trust with each other. That is very important, especially in the sprint. The sprints will be my main focus.

TOUR: How do you come together with a new leadout for the sprints?

Max Kanter: We will definitely practise leadouts at the training camp. But that's difficult to simulate. Because there are no external factors such as the tactics of other teams, how they drive their race, the hectic pace is not there - and we are in open traffic, so you also have to pay attention to that. You can practise a few commands in the final, including timing and speed. But you can't practise a proper final.

Learning from Mark Cavendish

TOUR: What was not yet clear when you signed your contract: Mark Cavendish is staying with Astana for another season. How does that affect your role?

Max Kanter: It won't change my role much. That's what was communicated to me from the start. I see it more positively: Cavendish was and is one of the best sprinters in the world and I think he's at an age where he's happy to share some of his experience. That can only help me. Mark Renshaw (Cavendish's former rider; editor's note) is now also the sporting director at Astana, so I can also benefit from that.

TOUR: Did you already have contact with Cavendish beforehand?

Max Kanter: We know each other, but we haven't had much personal contact yet. As everyone knows, Cavendish has one goal next year: to win that one Tour de France stage. Everything will be geared towards that for him. That won't affect my race programme much.

Max Kanter hopes for his first professional victory

TOUR: A change of team usually means new equipment for a rider. Most recently, Chris Froome made headlines because the settings on his bike were apparently not optimal. This is said to have hindered his performance. How do you experience the change of equipment?

Max Kanter: I have learnt in the past that it is best to listen to your own body feeling. It always takes a certain adjustment period to find the right settings with the new equipment so that no abnormal tensions arise. But if I don't feel comfortable with a position for several months, then you have to change certain things again. Because if you change a lot of equipment, that's a tricky thing. With things like shoes or saddles, you have to be careful to find the right settings. With Astana, however, the set-up has not yet been done.

Season highlights from Max Kanter 2024

TOUR: What season highlights are you aiming for in 2024?

Max Kanter: I can already say that I will start my season in Australia. Of course I'm hoping for another Grand Tour. And one or two big classics.

TOUR: What is still missing from your career is a professional victory ...

Max Kanter: I'm sure the day will come. I hope it will be something big!