Sprint discovery, team player
How are the German tour riders doing?
07/17/2023 2:43 p.m
The first two weeks of the tour are history, only six stages to complete. The German drivers have come close to the desired first day’s success for more than two years, but so far it has not been enough for a really big hit. The interim balance of the seven German professionals in the field.
The first two weeks of the tour are history, only six stages to complete. The German drivers have come close to the desired first day’s success for more than two years, but so far it has not been enough for a really big hit. The interim balance of the seven German professionals in the field.
Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe):
The 2019 tour fourth was not quite able to preserve his strong performances from the first week of the tour, but he drove quite well in week two. “He’s a super good team player and does a really great job,” praised Bora’s sporting director Rolf Aldag Buchmann. However, the 30-year-old was unable to prevent his captain Jai Hindley from slipping down to fifth place in the overall standings, which was probably also due to a fall. Buchmann himself is 15th, and he will probably have to put aside his own ambitions for a possible stage win while Hindley is still fighting for a place on the podium.
Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious):
The great German discovery of the early stages of the tour was also in impressive form in the second week. The men with the fast legs have only had one chance since the first day of rest – and Bauhaus used it to get their third top 3 place in the current tour. Even if it was not enough to win the stage, Bauhaus has finally arrived in the sprinter elite. Beating the outstanding Jasper Philipsen should be difficult, even with the up to three remaining mass sprint chances. But the dream is alive.
Georg Zimmermann (Intermarche Circus Wanty):
The all-rounder with strong climbing ability just missed out on a stage win even more narrowly than Bauhaus. On the tenth stage, Zimmermann impressed as part of a breakaway group and was only beaten by the strong Spaniard Pello Bilbao in the final sprint. The 25-year-old was only briefly annoyed that the dream fell so short. “My goal is to win a Tour de France stage in my career. If it’s only ten years away, then that’s good too,” said Zimmermann.
Nils Politt (Bora-hansgrohe):
Similar to Buchmann, Politt is fully committed to Captain Hindley’s service this year. In this role, the all-rounder presented himself strongly and was not disturbed by discussions about his impending departure from the German racing team. In the meantime, the German time trial champion, who is scheduled to ride alongside Tadej Pogacar in the UAE Team Emirates next year, tried it on his own. The last German stage winner to date did not really come close to repeating his coup from 2021.
Simon Geschke (Cofidis):
After his wild ride into the mountain jersey, which was snatched from him just before the end of the tour last year, the climbing specialist is taking it much easier this time. The 37-year-old, who did not start the race in top form due to the consequences of a corona disease, has to nibble on the difficult course of this year’s Tour of France. “I think I’m too old for the tour,” Geschke joked in an interview with “Cyclingmagazine”.
Nikias Arndt (Bahrain Victorious):
Bauhaus’ roommate and sidekick is a key helper on Team Bahrain Victorious. He wasn’t really able to put his announced ambitions of driving on his own account in the second week into practice. There wasn’t much to see from Arndt lately, but that’s nothing negative in his role.
John Degenkolb (Team dsm Firmenich):
The road captain of the DSM team continues to experience a largely unspectacular tour. The 34-year-old veteran is indispensable for his team – but the years in which an aggressive sword fight for stage wins are over.