Cycling: The speculation is over. The German team Bora – hansgrohe will go to the 2021 Tour de France with Peter Sagan but without Pascal Ackermann. Emanuel Buchmann is also there.
Ackermann is deeply disappointed
Pascal Ackermann was certain that he would tackle his first Tour de France on June 26th in Brest. With just over 10 days to go before the Grand Depart, however, the German sprinter has to accept that, even at the age of 27, he won't be contesting his first Tour of France. His team boss Ralph Denk informed him of this on Tuesday - even though Pascal Ackermann was promised around three years ago that he would be allowed to ride the Tour de France for Bora - hansgrohe within these three years. Now his contract expires at the end of the season and further cooperation seems to be almost impossible after this ejection. Understandably, Pascal Ackermann expressed his deep disappointment to radsport-news.com.
Pascal Ackerman:
“I was about to go to motor training and get the finishing touches for the tour when Ralph called me. Until then, I assumed that I would drive the Tour. But then I stopped first, and you can guess the rest..."
Bora – hansgrohe relies on Sagan
From a purely sporting point of view, the decision by Ralph Denk and Bora - hansgrohe seems to be understandable. After all, Pascal Ackermann has not been able to convince so far this season. The German finished third in 5 stages. A win didn't come out of it. If you had nominated him, you would have had to take his approach drivers with you as well - and therefore three or four drivers from the current squad would have had to be eliminated. In the Sprinter's current form, this wouldn't have made much sense. Instead, Ralph Denk is once again backing Peter Sagan, who is still the top favorite for the green jersey.
Pascal Ackerman:
"I'm more than disappointed, I have to say. Ralph was always a man who kept his word. But this time he definitely didn't. It was said that I would drive the tour in the three years. And I was always told not to worry about it. Without this promise I would not have signed the contract at the time. You have to see that too. That's why I'm extremely disappointed."
Ralph Denk:
"In the end we decided against Pascal because we think he's just not in the right shape to make a successful tour premiere."
@Ackes171 will not be making his #TourdeFrance debut this year either . The @BORAhansgrohe sprinter made no secret of his huge disappointment in an interview with us – https://t.co/blvv6Ar6Qa pic.twitter.com/veHLrTHUK1
— Cycling News (@RadsportNewscom) June 16, 2021
Buchmann goes hunting for stages
Daniel Oss, Lukas Pöstlberger and Nils Politt will be the main supporters of Peter Sagan. Wilco Kelderman will go for a good result in the general classification. Emanuel Buchmann, on the other hand – who had to retire after a fall at the Giro d'Italia – will compete in the Tour de France as a stage hunter. Patrick Konrad and Ide Schelling can help in the mountains. Either way, every rider in the squad is capable of winning a leg of the Tour of France.
The Bora – hansgrohe tour line-up:
- Emmanuel Buchman
- wilco kelderman
- Patrick Conrad
- Daniel Oss
- Peter Sagan
- Lukas Postlberger
- Nils Politt
- Ide Schelling
BREAKING: @W1lcokelderman and @petosagan lead #BORAhansgrohe @LeTour 2021. Read more here: https://t.co/RfC0Sb0roM pic.twitter.com/XYNYHNuKQb
— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) June 15, 2021