By Tom Bachmann and Christoph Sicars, dpa
The big names have retired, the new hopefuls are off to chase stages. Following the retirements of Tony Martin and André Greipel, Nils Politt, Lennard Kämna and co. have finally become the protagonists in German cycling.
Quality instead of quantity
At the 109th Tour de France starting in Copenhagen on Friday, however, there will be a maximum of nine German professional cyclists at the start, the lowest number in the last 20 years. Quality instead of quantity.
"We are travelling to the Tour with our best eight riders. Whether that's one German or three, it doesn't matter. There are no requirements from the sponsors," says Ralph Denk, head of the best German team Bora-hansgrohe. In the German champion Politt, Kämna and Maximilian Schachmann, the Upper Bavarian has three professionals on board who can each win a stage.
And with only a single-digit number of riders, Germany is not necessarily in bad company. A cycling nation like the Netherlands is at the same level, and once-booming countries like Great Britain and the USA are probably even lower. And Denk doesn't necessarily want to draw conclusions about the status quo in German cycling from the number of Tour starters.
Denk worries about the future
But the manager is very concerned about the future. "In terms of volume, German cycling is not blessed. We have very small starting fields in junior road races," says the 48-year-old. Official regulations are making it increasingly difficult for clubs to organise races. "If we want high-performance sport and a Tour winner again one day, we need better regulations. Belgium and Italy show how it can be done better," emphasises Denk. Bora itself is now scouting for young talent in mountain biking because there is more talent at the start.
The public usually only realises such developments when it is too late. Namely when one day, as in the 1980s, fewer than five Germans start in the Tour. In order to prevent this, forces must be pooled. Authorities and clubs must create the framework conditions and the current Tour starters must ensure the necessary enthusiasm among young riders with their successes. Then the system could work fundamentally.
Hopeful Kämna
Kämna in particular is predestined to inspire with his riding style. On the tour, as with the Giro d'Italiawhen he won the stage on Mount Etna in outstanding style. The sensitive North German has rediscovered the joy of cycling after his sabbatical and is delivering consistent and impressive results.
In normal times, this is also due to Schachmann. But the Berlin native is still suffering from the coronavirus pandemic. He did not recover from an infection in winter for a long time. When the Tour de Suisse finally returned to form with tenth place in the overall standings, the next positive test came. It is unclear how fit Schachmann will be at the start.
Degenkolb happy about Tour de France start
John Degenkolb is a little further along. The former Roubaix winner caught the coronavirus a week earlier, so he was back on his bike a good ten days before the start of the Tour. "I recovered really well and was able to train hard again. I'm very happy to be part of the Tour squad," said the 33-year-old. For Degenkolb, the return to the big loop has immense significance. Two years ago he dropped out after the first stage following a crash, and last year his team decided not to include him. Of course, he is particularly focussed on the cobbled stage on Wednesday, especially as he took a stage win on almost identical terrain in 2018.
Simon Geschke is holding back on big thoughts. Precisely because of the cobblestones. "It's my tenth tour and I always say that you have to get through the first week unscathed first. Then you can make plans," said the 36-year-old. Geschke is not at all amused that the Tour organisers are chasing the peloton over the brutal cobblestones of northern France. For him, it's just an unnecessary spectacle. His time will come in the mountains and he is hoping for another day with diamond legs like his stage win in 2015.
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