Mountain king Simon Geschke enjoyed the view of the Alpine panorama from the hotel "Le Castellan" and took it easy on the rest day of the Tour de France.
Geschke wants to keep the mountain jersey for a long time
The 36-year-old got on his bike for a good hour, his helmet and trousers already sporting the design of the famous white jersey with the red dots. "The day off was necessary. Now I'm trying to keep the jersey for as long as possible," Geschke told the dpa. The Berlin will receive his mountain jersey on Tuesday morning. On the stage to Megève, it should be possible to retain the lead in the mountain classification.
At home in Freiburg, people are now in full Tour de France fever. Geschke's dog Jimi, a French bulldog, posed for a photo in the garden wearing a mountain jersey. "I don't even know if they bought a jersey specially. The picture came from my mother-in-law," said Geschke.
Geschke's dog known on social media
His dog had already become a minor celebrity on social media two years ago with a video in which he gave Geschke an exuberant welcome at the railway station after his Olympic Games in Tokyo were spoilt by a coronavirus quarantine.
Due to its own history and the corona outbreak of his captain Guillaume Martin Geschke certainly had respect for the Tour's mandatory tests. On Monday morning, the veteran received his negative result. "The relief was huge. I was sitting next to Guillaume on the bus, so I was worried. We are now in good spirits thanks to the result," said Geschke.
Geschke has free ride at Tour de France
The focus can therefore shift away from the fear of coronavirus and towards the defence of the mountain jersey. The captain's retirement is even an advantage for this. "We will defend the jersey passionately, which is a very good challenge," said Cofidis-Sports Director Alain Deloeuil.
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Geschke himself considers it utopian that he will wear the jersey all the way to Paris. "I think only ten per cent of the mountain points have been awarded. I have my limits in the high mountains, that has to be said clearly. Especially over 2000 metres," explained Geschke. The really high altitudes are on the Wednesday and Thursday on the two difficult Alpine stages.
Mountain jersey one of the highlights for Geschke
Geschke's career is not short of highlights. Taking the mountains jersey is one of the top shelf successes. "My stage win at the Tour is of course the biggest," said Geschke about his success in Pra-Loup in 2015. "At the Tour, the mountain jersey comes straight after that." Looking back on his entire career, Geschke ranks third place at the Tour de Romandie this year or third place at the Tour Down Under 2020 even higher in sporting terms. Perhaps that will change the longer he wears the mountain jersey.
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