The weight is at the lower limit, the form is at a top level and the anticipation is huge: Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) is ready for his big project, the Giro d'Italia 2023. The highly talented rider from Fischerhude wants to finish in the top ten for the first time in a Grand Tour at the 106th Tour of Italy, which starts on Saturday. Or is there much more in it? Maybe even the pink jersey? "If I get the chance and it works out somewhere like that, then definitely, but that's not my expectation," says Kämna in an interview with the German Press Agency before the start in Fossacesia Marina.
The former junior world champion, who has already won high mountain stages at the Tour de France (2020) and the Giro d'Italia (2022), does not want to put himself under pressure. After all, he has undergone a transformation this season, from stage hunter to classics rider. He wants to know what his body is capable of. Team boss Ralph Denk from Bora-Hansgrohe believes in the 26-year-old's huge potential. "He's a free spirit on the bike," said the Bavarian, who is very happy with Kämna: "He's doing very well. He is very focussed."
Lennard Kämna has already had to take two breaks
This was not always the case in the past. Twice in three years, Kämna had to take a longer mental break. "When you take a break and think about a few things, thoughts like "Are you going to stop doing sport?" come up. But not really. You're not done with it yet. You've never done this sport 100 per cent," Kämna recently reported in a documentary on NDR.
Since then, he has made some adjustments to his life. Kämna has moved to Lochau on Lake Constance, where he lives with his girlfriend Ria Schwendinger, a former figure skater. He has also sought the help of a psychologist. He now seems to be much more balanced.
Lennard Kämna: Many sacrifices for the Giro d'Italia 2023
This is also how Kämna coped with the many hardships during the long preparation for the Giro d'Italia 2023 - including two altitude training camps in Tenerife and in the Sierra Nevada. "I tried to enjoy the road to the Giro a little and see it as a kind of experience, as a good time. I was already aware that it's five months where you're not at home much, but you can make the time in the training camp nice," says Kämna, who is in the Bora-Hansgrohe team with the Russian Aleksandr Vlasov shares the captain's role.
This has already worked well in the smaller tours Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour of the Alps. Kämna, who weighs just under 65 kilograms at 1.81 metres tall, finished fourth and sixth in the overall standings. He also won a mountain stage in the Alps. What is still missing until Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) or a Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step), the two big favourites for overall victory in the Giro? A few per cent, says Kämna: "We'll see how big the gap is to Roglic or Evenepoel. I hope that it's very small and that I can play a bit of a role in the Giro."
Giro d'Italia 2023: More than 70 kilometres of individual time trials
Perhaps already at the start of his speciality discipline, the individual time trial. More than 70 kilometres against the clock in three time trials are to the taste of the German champion. However, the 2023 Giro d'Italia will be decided in the mountains with more than 50,000 metres of climbing. "The last week in particular is another real old-school Giro week with three very, very tough stages through the mountains."
Last year, Lennard Kämna went to the Tour after the Giro, where he caused a furore and only just missed out on a stage win and the yellow jersey. This year, the Tour is "normally" not on the programme. All focus is on the Giro d'Italia 2023.
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