Schachmann's new start at the Tour Down Under

Temperatures of over 30 degrees, beautiful beaches and encounters with the odd koala on the training rides - Maximilian Schachmann from Bora-Hansgrohe could certainly have chosen worse places for a new start in cycling than Australia.

Tour Down Under with Maximilian Schachmann

After a year to forget with two corona illnesses and an exhaustion syndrome, the two-time German champion will return to racing at the Tour Down Under on Tuesday after a good six-month break.

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"It was important for me to do a reset and not drag it out into the next season because I had the feeling that there wasn't much left to save," Schachmann recently reported from the training camp. "Sometimes it's better to take a step back and take a run-up and then make another jump." Jumps were no longer an option in 2022 for the Berlin-born rider, who had actually always reliably delivered top results for his Bora-hansgrohe team.

Schachmann speaks out

A coronavirus infection in winter was followed by a protracted infection. And when Schachmann finally regained his form in June, the next coronavirus test was positive. A crash at the Tour de France added to this, and by the end of July, nothing was working for the 29-year-old. So the doubts remained. You hear a lot in the media, including about Long Covid. "Then you start to wonder and think: Is the old thing coming back or is that it? The doctors say: don't worry, it will come back with rest. But I know that nobody knows for sure."

64th place in criterium before Tour Down Under

He is currently feeling good again, but: "Training is one thing, racing is another. They are two different things." In the warm-up on Saturday, a criterium in Adelaide, he crossed the finish line in 64th place. At least it was a start. However, Australia is not his goal for the season anyway. "If I can't ride at the very top, it's not the end of the world. After that, there are many races in Europe that I'm focussing on," said Schachmann.

The traditional Tour of Paris-Nice, for example, which he won in 2020 and 2021, or the super-difficult spring classics Milan-Sanremo and Tour of Flanders. "For him, it's all about coming back. You don't win one-day races by questioning yourself. You have to be fully focussed. To prove it via Australia and Paris-Nice: I'm back, a permanent fixture in cycling," is how sports director Rolf Aldag formulated the short-term goals.

Schachmann enjoys a high reputation at Bora-Hansgrohe

A possible conversion to a rider for the grand tours such as the Tour and Giro is off the table for Schachmann for the time being. The team management doesn't think so either. "He would have to give up a lot for the three-week tours in order to develop there. I think we should rather develop the skills he has before pursuing completely new goals," said team boss Ralph Denk, who has many good cyclists in his team anyway.

The fact that Schachmann still enjoys great respect in the team is shown by the fact that his race requests were accepted without discussion. "I submitted my calendar request. And then they called me and said: Yep, that's fine." In addition to the major classics in the spring, the Tour de France and the World Championships in Scotland are also on the agenda - provided his health plays ball.

Return to the top of the world?

However, Schachmann does have great personal feelings about 2022. His daughter Emma was born in September. "It was good timing for me and a special moment. The three of us have settled in quite well. It's a new life task that has come along," reported Schachmann. The only thing missing is a return to the top of the cycling world.

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