Tour de France - Mäder's death touches Geschke: Hard to digest

Even a good two weeks after the death of professional cyclist Gino Mäder, the tragedy still affects veteran Simon Geschke. "It doesn't leave you cold, especially if you were there live at the Tour de Suisse. It's a difficult thing to digest when you were still talking to someone the day before," the 37-year-old told the German Press Agency before the start of the 110th Tour de France in Bilbao on Saturday.

In the middle of the month, the Swiss rider Mäder crashed into a ravine on a rapid descent during the Tour de Suisse and later died in hospital. Geschke therefore rides with caution on the descents. "You can't ignore it. You know that there is always a risk of falling. I always ride carefully and with a high level of concentration," says the Berlin-born rider, who is about to take part in his eleventh Tour.

"Risk will always remain"

Geschke remains realistic when it comes to the safety debate in cycling. "Cycling is always dangerous. It's fast, we don't have many crumple zones. The descents are super fast, but so are the flat stages. A lot has already been done with the route, but the risk will always remain. You can't make cycling 100 per cent safe," said the Cofidis pro.

Last year, Geschke rode nine days in the Tour in the mountain jersey. He cannot yet say whether there will be another attack on the dotted jersey. Also because there is still a question mark over his Tour form. It was only in the spring that Geschke was set back considerably by a coronavirus illness. That "unfortunately took a very, very long time". In any case, Geschke is fed up with coronavirus, as he had already been stuck in a quarantine hotel in Tokyo for days during the 2021 Olympic Games after testing positive.

Geschke cannot say whether he will tackle the Tour again next year and complete the dozen. "I'm not at the Tour to break any records. If this is the last one, then so be it."

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