Professional cyclist Lennard Kämna will start the 106th Giro d'Italia on Saturday with the goal of finishing in the top ten. "If I manage that, it would be an absolute success for me personally," the former junior world champion told the German Press Agency.
In the past, the 26-year-old has made a name for himself as a stage hunter. The North German took stage wins at the Tour de France (2020) and the Giro (2022). Now he wants to concentrate on the overall classification for the first time.
However, Kämna is not aiming for the pink jersey. "If I were to act as a breakaway rider now, I might be able to snatch it somewhere. But as a contender for the overall classification, it will be very difficult for me to ride into the pink jersey. That's not my first goal either," he said. "If I get the chance and it works out that way somewhere, then definitely, but that's not my expectation."
Kämna prepared for the Giro in two altitude training camps in Tenerife and the Sierra Nevada. He has also lost "one and a half or two kilos" in weight. "I would say that I'm already in top condition by my standards," said the pro from the Bora-hansgrohe team.
For Kämna, three-time Vuelta winner Primoz Roglic (Slovenia) and road world champion Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) are the top favourites. "We'll see how big the gap to Roglic or Evenepoel is. I hope that it's very small and that I'll be able to play a bit of a role in the Giro," explained Kämna.
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