For the first time in four years, a German main sponsor is back at the Tour de France with a professional team: the kitchen appliance manufacturer Bora is replacing the US group NetApp with Ralph Denk's racing team. The Canadian cycling brand Argon 18 is joining as co-sponsor. The 20 riders met with management and sponsors at the beginning of November to get to know each other for the first time ahead of the 2015 season at the sponsor's headquarters in Raubling, Upper Bavaria.
At the team meeting, team boss Ralph Denk said: "Our goal is to take part in the Tour de France for the second time." Next year could be the first time since the dissolution of Team Milram at the end of the 2010 season that a team with a German main sponsor could take part in the world's most important cycling race. As a team with a second-class licence as a Professional Continental Team, the Germans will have to hope for a wild card at the Tour - as they did in 2014 when they started under the sponsor name NetApp. A good sign for a possible invitation: Tour director Christian Prudhomme has announced a visit to the headquarters of the team and the main sponsor in Raubling on 18 November. The German market is important to race organiser ASO. Negotiations are currently underway in the background regarding a possible live broadcast of the 2015 Tour of France on ARD.
The team's top performers for the coming season: Dominik Nerz, the strongest classification rider from Germany in recent years, has what it takes to finish in the top ten in France, according to Denk. The 25-year-old recently finished the Tour of Spain twice in the top 20 of the overall standings. In the sprints, Ireland's Sam Bennett will want to show that he can also keep up with the fastest riders in big races. Last season, the 24-year-old, who comes from Sean Kelly's junior team, won the Clasica Almeria, Rund um Köln as well as a stage and the sprint classification of the Tour of Bavaria.
Jan Barta, third in the individual time trial at the Tour de France last July and a founding member of the team in 2010, has extended his contract, as have the veterans Andreas Schillinger and Paul Voss. Denk has signed further German professionals: Björn Thurau, son of Didi Thurau, joins from Team Europcar. Cross specialist Christoph Pfingsten is set to strengthen the classics squad. Emanuel Buchmann is regarded as a promising climbing talent.
Leopold König, who had his greatest performances as seventh in the 2014 Tour de France and winner of a mountain stage at the 2013 Vuelta, is no longer with the team. The Czech will wear the jersey of the British Team Sky in future. Of last season's top riders, Tiago Machado (to Katjuscha) and David de la Cruz (to Team Etixx / previously under the name Omega Pharma) have also left Denk's team.
In issue 12 / 2015 of TOUR, you can read an interview with team captain Dominik Nerz - about his goals for the Tour de France and the special challenge of riding for a German professional team. The issue will be available in newsagents from 19 November.
The Bora - Argon 18 team for the 2015 season
Team manager: Ralph Denk
The sports directors:
- Enrico Poitschke (Conductor)
- Christian Pömer
- Steffen Radochla
- André Schulze
The racing drivers:
