27-year-old world champion Peter Sagan will start the 56th edition of Eschborn-Frankfurt, spearheading the German Bora–Hansgrohe WorldTour team on its home turf. It will be the first time Sagan takes part in the “Rund um den Finanzplatz”. The eleven UCI WorldTeams on the start list already made it the strongest field in the recent history of the event, but it is now clear that these teams are coming with their big guns. The presence of ITT world champion Tony Martin, who lived in Eschborn for a long time, and road world champion Peter Sagan means that both reigning world champions will take part.
The race on 1st May is not just your first participation in Eschborn-Frankfurt, but also your first competition in Germany as the leader of a German team. Does this make Eschborn-Frankfurt a special race in your calendar?
For sure it will be special for the whole team, but also for myself, to race in front of our German fans. I hope it will be a big cycling party which won’t be the only cycling party this year, because we also have the Grand Depart in Düsseldorf ahead of us.
The 800,000 fans along the roads are delighted with a star-studded field that includes, among other big names. Eschborn-Frankfurt is your first race after a three-week break. Do you have the legs to fight for the win?
We will have a strong line-up and several cards to play. The most important thing is, that one of our team gets the opportunity to fight for the win in front of our home crowd.
The peculiarities of Eschborn-Frankfurt, such as the tremendously steep Mammolshainer Berg (a 200 m climb at a gradient of 23%) and the criterium-style finishing laps, guarantee a lively race for spectators. Whether there is an early selection or a group sprint, you seem to thrive in all situations. What is your dream scenario for 1 May?
Cycling is not about pick and choose. You have to adapt to any kind of race situation, that’s the key for success.
Eschborn-Frankfurt is the only event in the world that holds 18 competitions on the same day. From training-wheel races for the youngest and children’s races to inclusive races for young people with intellectual disabilities. What would you say to these young and grown-up German fans for the race on 1st May?
My message is that cycling is great. Everybody needs something to find motivation in. For me, cycling gave me a lot. That’s why I support young people, who love cycling, in my cycling academy.
You have known Germany and the Germans for a while now. Is there anything about Germany that you particularly enjoy and, on the contrary, anything that you believe takes some getting used to?
I like Germany a lot and I find Germans very nice. You can always be certain that Germans get things done, efficiently. I adapted myself quite easily and fast and I can’t think of anything that stands out that needed more time to get used to.
Bora–Hansgrohe team manager Ralph Denk: “I already said that we’ll be racing for the win in Frankfurt this year. We’re fielding a very strong team with Peter at the helm because, as a German team, the first German race of the season stands out in our calendar. It’s what our sponsors and fans want. If the world champion races for a German team, German spectators should obviously get to see him live. The best way to do this is to win.”
