display
Oudenaarde (dpa) - The aftermath of a corona infection, weakness in shape and a controversial quarantine: For Germany's model cycling team Bora-hansgrohe around Peter Sagan and the German specialist Nils Politt, the classic spring has been disappointing so far.
With the surprising victory of the Dane Kasper Asgreen in the Tour of Flanders, the team from Upper Bavaria with Sagan (15th) and Politt (22nd) fell well short of expectations.
"Today we were just not good enough, you don't have to talk about it," criticized sporting director Enrico Poitschke.
While the Dane Asgreen snatched the longed-for triumph in the destination Oudenaarde from the stars Mathieu van der Poel, Julian Alaphilippe and Wout van Aert on Sunday, Bora-hansgrohe has been dragging its way through the prestigious spring since Maximilian Schachmann's surprising Paris-Nice title.
display
At Milan-Sanremo it was barely enough to make it to the podium, after a positive test a team quarantine in Belgium followed, in which team boss Ralph Denk described the selection of people as “completely unclear” and “also arbitrary”.
And now the tough sporty defeat on the important "Ronde", the 254-kilometer torture with 19 short and crisp climbs.
“When the attacks started, I just couldn't keep up with my current form.
I have to keep working to reach the level I had before my Covid infection, "commented three-time world champion Sagan.
As the winner of the 2016 edition, he was considered a top contender for a coup in Flanders.
Politt's favorite classic Paris-Roubaix, in which he took second place in 2019, will not take place until the beginning of October this year due to the corona pandemic.
Asgreen in Flanders, the Belgian Jasper Stuyven near Milan-Sanremo and Schachmann near Paris-Nice: The highlights in spring have so far been more about insider tips than the top favorites around Alaphilippe (France), van Aert (Belgium) and cross-country world champion van der Poel (Netherlands), who this time lost the final sprint against Asgreen and after second place crouched on the podium with a black mask and a depressed expression.
display
“A sprint after 260 kilometers is not like one after 200. I realized that I was at the limit and it was really strong.
He's a deserved winner, ”said van der Poel, who would have overtaken his father with a successful title defense and the second Flanders title.
Adrie van der Poel won the race in 1986.
Asgreen commented casually: "I don't know if I was the best, but I had good legs."
In the finish area, the 26-year-old kissed his partner, the duped competition was still busy dealing with frustration.
The next chances are now waiting at the Amstel Gold Race on April 18th and at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 25th.
Paris-Roubaix and Eschborn-Frankfurt are set to become autumn classics in 2021 after they fell victim to the corona pandemic in the previous year.
display
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210405-99-88680 / 3
Information on the Tour of Flanders
Start list for the Tour of Flanders
Live ticker of the Tour of Flanders
Data on Wout van Aert
Data on Julian Alaphilippe
Data on Mathieu van der Poel
display
Data on Kasper Asgreen
Asgreen on Instagram
Homepage Bora-hansgrohe
Squad of Bora-hansgrohe
Result of the race in 2021