Cycling: As early as 2015, Felix Großschartner had serious hopes of soon becoming a member of a WorldTour team. At that time it did not work out with a permanent position in the highest class of cycling. In 2018, the now 24-year-old made the leap into the squad of Bora Hansgrohe. There he meets world-class drivers and many old acquaintances. His name was already known to most fans and experts. The likeable Austrian can finally prove himself. Velomotion will keep an eye on him in the coming months and follow his development.
Großschartner is looking forward to old acquaintances
The cycling world is small. It is much smaller than in football, ice hockey or basketball. In order to make the leap to the pros in cycling, you really have to belong to the extended world elite. That's why it's so difficult for the young drivers to get a professional contract. Felix Großschartner is one of many who have tried. Now he is one of the few who have made it. This season the Austrian will start for the WorldTour team Bora-hansgrohe. There he meets many companions. He is now driving alongside his compatriots Gregor Mühlberger and Lukas Pöstlberger, with whom he was traveling together at Felbermayr-Simplon Wels and Gourmetfein-Simplon. At the end of 2015 Großschartner got his first taste of WorldTour air when Tinkoff-Saxo gave him the chance as a stagiaire. From this station he knows his current teammates Maciej Bodnar, Rafal Majka, Jay McCarthy and of course the Sagan brothers.
ANNOUNCEMENT: @gro_felix joins #BORAhansgrohe read more here: https://t.co/dJupRPxQoo pic.twitter.com/EX8IqAIl3Z
- BORA - hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) September 27, 2017
Hard to miss in orange for the professional teams
As a stagiaire with the Tinkoff-Saxo team, Felix Großschartner could not recommend himself for a professional contract. Bjarne Riis - who always had an eye for great talent and a knack for developing it - had already been sacked. Oleg Tinkov was apparently not convinced. But as we know, the Russian didn't always make wise decisions in his not-so-glory career as head of a cycling team. So the Polish second division CCC Sprandi Polkowice grabbed the Austrian. A rise for Großschartner, who was now allowed to take part in more important races in this Professional Continental team. In this way, Großschartner was able to present itself at a higher level – and it succeeded. The Tour of Croatia in particular will be remembered as a springboard. There he drove in 2016 and 2017 in #4. His appearance at the Czech Cycling Tour, the Giro d'Italia and the Tour of Austria drew the attention of the professional teams to him again.
| Name | Felix Grossschartner | |
| Birthdays | 23 December 1993 | |
| Place of Birth | Catfish | |
| Nationality | Austria | |
| Size | 184 cm | |
| Weight | 64 kg | |
| Current team | Bora, hansgrohe | |
| Specialisations | Climber, puncheur, classification driver | |
| Active as an amateur | since 2011 | |
| Active as a professional | since 2012 | |
| previous teams | 2012-2015: Felbermayr-Simplon catfish Late 2015: Tinkoff-Saxo (Stagiaire) 2016-2017: CCC Sprandi Polkowice since 2018: Bora-hansgrohe |
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| Greatest successes | #1 Trophy PIVA 2015 #4 Tour of Croatia 2016 #7 Czech Cycling Tour 2016 #4 Tour of Croatia 2017 #4 Tour of Austria 2017 #10 Czech Cycling Tour 2017 |
The fans are particularly important to Felix Großschartner
While a professional team, Bora-hansgrohe, has only just secured the services of Felix Großschartner, the Austrian has long been popular with his fans. The 24-year-old is considered an extremely popular driver. This is not least due to the fact that he usually wears a smile on his lips. Whenever the cameras are rolling, the Wels-born cyclist makes a likeable impression. The fans can see for themselves year after year that this is not a mask that is put on, but apparently really the real Felix Großschartner. For several years he has been organizing the "Felix Großschartner fan trip". There he meets his fans in Marchtrenk at the end of the season and takes a leisurely stroll with them. At the end of the excursion there will be a stop and a chat. A real star you can touch - precisely because he doesn't see himself as a star at all. So his closeness to his home team has always remained.
Stage hunter or classification driver?
The paths are often mapped out early on for young professionals. Phil Bauhaus (Sunweb) for example, he has known for years that he will be a sprinter. For some drivers, however, it is unclear for a long time where the journey is going. At least Felix Großschartner knows that a sprinter won't be enough. Otherwise, the doors are open to him. Currently he has to be described as a good time trialist, puncher and climber. At the age of 24, these skills now need to be refined. Will he be more of a stage hunter and specialist for one-day races, or will Bora-hansgrohe develop him into a classification driver? On the team's website, Großschartner is classified as a climber, which does not rule out any theory. However, we tend to assume that Felix Großschartner can best play to his strengths on hilly terrain. A typical transfer stage at the Tour de France in the Massif Central would be something for him. Either way, 2018 will be an exciting year for him. In our 5 to watch he certainly deserves his place. And who knows, maybe he'll soon earn a spot in the Tour de France squad too? The cycling world is known to be very small.
We got that top 10 spot! Great job by @gro_felix, while Rolland wins the stage #twist100 pic.twitter.com/BrEMmQvMs1
— CCC SprandiPolkowice (@CCCProTeam) 24 May 2017
Source of the cover photo: © Bora-hansgrohe