Road cycling DM - metres in altitude like Tour mountain stage: Zabel considers abandoning DM

For professional cyclist Rick Zabel, the route profile of the road race at the German championships in Sauerland on Sunday is a little too much of a good thing, despite his local ties.

"You can easily cover over 3000 metres in altitude. My heart says yes to a start, but realistically it doesn't make sense for me from a sporting point of view. I'm just too heavy for that," the 28-year-old from Cologne told the "Westfalenpost" newspaper, adding: "That's the same altitude metres as a tough Tour de France mountain stage."

The professional from the Israeli Israel PremierTech team would have to tackle the 189-kilometre ride from Arnsberg-Neheim to Kahlen Asten at an altitude of 838 metres as an individual starter. "Unless I get a flash of inspiration, I won't be competing in the German championships," explained Zabel. The son of former top sprinter Erik Zabel knows the Sauerland from numerous training rides.

At the Giro d'Italia in May, Zabel wore the blue jersey of the best climber for two days, which he had won on the second stage of the time trial in Budapest. However, after the mountain finish on the fourth day on Mount Etna, Zabel had to pass the jersey on to his compatriot and stage winner Lennard Kämna.

Copyright 2022, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved