Cycling-Basque Country Routing: The suffering of Maximilian Schachmann

Maximilian Schachmann can finally be found again among the racing drivers. After three years of suffering, the native Berlin Gearde is in the middle of the fight for victories and placements. The success in the opening time of the Basque Land tour and dayplace Three on the third stage even led to it that he was able to decorate himself for several days with the jersey of the overall leader. This has the yellow color in the northern part of Spain, as with the Tour de France. Or as on the long-distance journey Paris-Nizza, which Schachmann has won twice. So he knows how yellow feels.

Body and mind

For a long time, Schachmann had to doubt that it has ever come to this level. Diseases and injuries made him difficult. In his six-year time at the German Bora racing team, which now wants to attack very big with sponsor Red Bull, he was therefore only able to use his great potential. As soon as he is back at Soudal Quick Step, the team in which he received his first professional contract in 2017, it also works with the results. The physical condition is right. And Schachmann, who used to be characterized by a good tactical understanding, also seems mentally to be the old again. On the third stage he played his cards brilliantly. He left the leadership work over long distances to the strong delegations of the Red Bull and Uae Emirates teams. In the final he took his chance and even got bonus customers.

You can tell from the now 31-year-old that he was finally able to complete a preparation time without major health problems. “I went through well, was in the altitude training camp and apart from a short break break, I was able to complete all training blocks,” Schachmann looks back on the winter. “It’s fun again and I am satisfied where I stand,” is his optimistic view.

Quiet in the racing team

He feels comfortable in the new, old team. “What impressed me the most is the calm in the team. Even with hard setbacks, work is continued calmly and professionally, «he says. There is a quiet criticism of the atmosphere from the former employer. But Schachmann holds back with announcements. This also affects his own sporting goals. He has the potential for stage victories in all three large tours and also for podium places in the classics. However, he can only hope for the captain’s role or free roles in races, where the top star in his team, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel, is not at the start. As the main goal for this season, he himself formulated: “I want to recommend myself with good performance for a starting place on the tour so that I can then help Remco in top form.”

In this way, Schachmann has now taken the first major steps. This is good for German cycling. Likewise, the fact that the most dangerous rival for the Berliner in the Basque Country in addition to the Portuguese Joao Almeida is the Swabian talent Florian Lipowitz. The decision about the overall victory in the traditional race should be made at the royal stage next Saturday.

When he returned to the result zones of road bike sports, Schachmann also found that a lot has changed both in width and at the top. He may now be close to his best condition, but the field of favorites has moved even further in the time of its involuntary absence. “I can classify myself well compared to the top of the world,” he says realistically. In order to put on a good career, he has to shine in races like this Basque Land tour.