Cycling Transfers: It has been hinted at for a long time. Now it's official. Peter Sagan and Pascal Ackermann will leave the German racing team Bora – hansgrohe at the end of the season.
Upheaval at Bora – hansgrohe
There were rumors last season that Peter Sagan was leaving. With Pascal Ackermann, speculation grew loud when he was not taken to this year's Tour de France. Now we know: Both the Slovak and the German will turn their backs on Bora – hansgrohe at the end of the season. This is tantamount to a major upheaval in the racing team, which is associated with Joao Almeida, among other things, and could therefore focus significantly more on mountain stages and overall ratings than before.
Ralph Denk:
“First of all, I would like to state that both drivers are important parts of our team and that we have been able to celebrate many successes together in recent years. I am grateful for that. There are various reasons why we are now parting ways. I am sure that these will be exciting years for Bora - hansgrohe, because we are now facing a major upheaval. We constantly question ourselves, because standing still means going backwards. We certainly weren't able to achieve all of our goals last year, for various reasons, but our aspirations are very high. That's why we have already started in the background to reposition ourselves for the future. More on that in the coming weeks. I would like to wish Peter and Pascal the very best for their sporting future, but first we will try to win one or the other for Bora – hansgrohe this year.”
Is Sagan moving to TotalEnergies?
The rumor mill has been buzzing around Peter Sagan for quite some time. In particular, the TotalEnergies and Deceuninck – Quick-Step teams are mentioned as potential employers. With the French he would be the undisputed captain, while with the Belgians he would have to fight for his role. The departure of his brother Juraj and possibly also of Daniel Oss is synonymous with his departure.
Peter Sagan:
"I would like to announce today that a trip is coming to an end and I will not be extending my contract with Bora - hansgrohe. I would like to thank Ralph Denk, Willi Bruckbauer, the team sponsors, my teammates and all employees at Bora - hansgrohe. Everyone has given me excellent support over the past few years and given me a lot of support and self-confidence, even in difficult times. We have always stuck together and we have achieved a lot together. We weren't just work colleagues, we were a big family. The last five years have undoubtedly been among the best of my career, with many special moments that I will always remember. I was the first driver to become world champion three times in a row. I won Paris – Roubaix. Celebrated my 100th pro win, 7th green jersey at the Tour de France and my first maglia ciclamino at the Giro.
Nevertheless, after long discussions with my management, I decided to leave the team and we made this decision in agreement with Ralph Denk. It's time for a new chapter and change is just part of life. I'm sure Bora - hansgrohe will continue on its successful path and I wish the entire team all the best in the years to come."
Ralph Denk:
“As for Peter, we were in negotiations until the very end. Of course I can't talk about the details, but both sides worked very constructively on solutions and in principle we both wanted to go into the future together. However, we have also developed as a team and we would like to continue to drive this development forward. We have already laid some strategic groundwork and in the end Peter decided for himself that there is another option that suits him better. I have full respect for that. Still, it's a shame because Peter is part of our success story and has contributed a lot to our development. All of us at Bora – hansgrohe will always be grateful for that.”
Ackermann to UAE? Is Bennett coming back?
It was unlikely that Pascal Ackermann would leave Bora – hansgrohe at the beginning of the season. Now, however, the decision seems logical. Despite the promise that he would be allowed to ride his first Tour de France at Bora - hansgrohe, he was not nominated for the Tour of France in 2021. The team management saw him in bad shape. The tablecloth was cut - and the change now is the logical consequence. It was a similar story with Sam Bennett recently. Ironically, this could now return - as the successor to Pascal Ackermann. The German, in turn, is associated with UAE Team Emirates. There he would currently have to share the sprinter role with Fernando Gaviria. And at the Tour de France, Tadej Pogacar will probably continue to drive for overall victory. It is therefore questionable whether Pascal Ackermann should be allowed to take part in the Tour de France in this team.
Pascal Ackerman:
“I am very grateful for the time I had with the team. It was the most formative of my young career as a professional cyclist. Above all, I am grateful that the team gave me the space to develop into a sprint captain. That is not a matter of course. I will especially remember the moments during the 2019 Giro, when I was able to win the Maglia Ciclamino. Also the victory at Eschborn – Frankfurt before: Moments that you won't forget. However, a professional cyclist's career is limited. And during this time I would like to gain new experiences and constantly develop myself further. That's why I decided to go a different way. This decision was anything but easy for me. I would like to thank the entire team, but above all my mates, who always believed in me. I wish you all the best."
Ralph Denk:
“Pascal also had an offer from us. He turned pro with us and I think we also did a lot to develop him into one of the best sprinters in the field. We would have loved to continue working with Pascal, but he decided it was time for something new. Sometimes a change of scenery is important, I can understand that, but I would have preferred him to tackle the coming years with us.
NEWS: changes at #BORAhansgrohe : @petosagan and @Ackes171 to leave the team at the end of the season. Read on here: https://t.co/CZFoPQgpft pic.twitter.com/1au69xxGQL
- BORA - hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) July 29, 2021