Not many fingers will be needed to count the number of German participants in the 2023 Tour de France: Only seven professional cyclists will be at the start in Bilbao on Saturday, fewer than 28 years ago.
The German riders at the Tour de France 2023
- Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe)
- Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe)
- Simon Geschke (Cofidis)
- Nikias Arndt (Bahrain-Victorious)
- Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious)
- John Degenkolb (DSM-Firmenich)
- Georg Zimmermann (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty)
"You have to say, if you look at the participants in the Tour - that's an indicator. Then the difficult times have already arrived," former pro Tony Martin told the German Press Agency. "I'm definitely worried." There was never such a small squad in his active days.
Germans at the Tour de France: Downward trend is drastic
In 1995, only six Germans took part in the world's most important cycling race; the last time there were seven starters was in 2002. The downward trend is drastic. In 2017, there were 16 starters, possibly the zenith of the boom times triggered by Jan Ullrich. Last year, the number was back in single figures for the first time in decades, with nine pros rolling off the ramp at the time trial opener in Copenhagen.
It is not only the cycling nations such as France, Belgium or the Netherlands that have more riders in the Grand Loop. Even Australia has twelve starters who are only helpers. Jai Hindley leads the German top team Bora-Hansgrohe as captain and wants to be on the podium on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. The same applies to Ben O'Connor, while Caleb Ewan and Sam Welfsford, who is rumoured to be riding for Bora in the future, are among the best sprinters in the peloton.
No room for Pascal Ackermann
"There used to be more of them," said Nils Politt succinctly about the German riders at the Tour de France 2023, followed by an explanation: "Perhaps Germany is missing that top sprinter right now. That's a negative trend." Sprinters like André Greipel and Marcel Kittel have dominated the headlines in the past decade. This year Phil Bauhaus is taking part for the first time, but a lot would have to come together for a stage win. Pascal Ackermann showed his old strength at the Giro with his stage win, but at the Tour Tadej Pogacar has all the support of the team. There was simply no room for the Palatinate rider without a built-in guarantee of victory.
Buchmann helper for Hindley
Alongside Politt, team-mate Emanuel Buchmann, Simon Geschke (Cofidis), Nikias Arndt and Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious), John Degenkolb (DSM-Firmenich) and Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) have been nominated for the 2023 Tour de France. Buchmann is scheduled to help Hindley in the mountains, while Politt is likely to seek his chance as a breakaway rider. The rider from Cologne was already successful in this role in 2021. The best chance of a stage win this year is likely to be Zimmermann, who is well prepared for the mountains. The rider from Augsburg has often been in breakaway groups in the past, has the necessary punch at the end and has gained enough experience in his third Tour de France participation.
The podium, on the other hand, is almost light years away. Not only because of the distribution of roles, but above all because of the stars Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. The duo have decided victory between themselves in the past two years. There is also no German rider in the extended circle of favourites.
Denk: "Many talents unrecognised"
The lack of quality is ultimately reflected in the number of participants. "It looks like this is the current level of performance," Bora-Hansgrohe boss Ralph Denk told dpa. In his view, the problems lie at the root. "We have far too few races in the children's and youth sector to develop talent. In Germany, many talents remain unrecognised," he criticised. The lack of road races is also linked to a poor cycle path network in Germany. "Parents are more likely to send their children to the football pitch or perhaps to mountain biking than to road training alone," Denk added.
The 51-year-old also suspects a connection with the doping revelations at the beginning of the 2000s: "Maybe some people didn't even start in the first place. It's probably a combination of several things, but it's definitely not nice." He sincerely hopes that the German squad will improve again: "There are glimmers of hope, but there is a lack of breadth."
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