There is one sentence that emanuel buchmann always likes to say. "I’m glad to have my rest."The rapid increase in media interest and publicity in the world’s most important cycling race means little or nothing to the 26-year-old professional, who prefers to concentrate on his job and ignore the hype.
A new german tour-de-france hopeful? "It’s great that the germans now have someone they can root for. But I’m concentrating on my race."
The ravensburg rider from the bora-hansgrohe team has been a pro for a few years, has already won the german championship and was overall 15 two years ago. At the tour de france. What is happening to him right now is nevertheless relatively new – and it is suspicious to him. His goal after strong preparation was the top 10. Naturally, it did not take long for this expectation to be diligently revised upwards by experts and journalists. "If someone writes that I should win the tour, I just ignore it," buchmann said.
The 24-percent climbing show of la planche des belles filles with the strong eighth place of buchmann on thursday nevertheless raises hopes of a new rough german round rider. But even this sporting exclamation mark, in which the german outdistanced the favorites egan bernal (colombia) and jakob fuglsang (denmark) among others, did not get buchmann emotionally excited. Satisfied and patient, he answered all questions, but there was no trace of pride or exuberant joy. On friday he said: "you can always dream, but the goal remains top 10"."
His environment knows the lightweight (62 kilograms) not so monosyllabic and reserved. Bora team boss ralph denk said: "he’s a quiet guy, but when the gates are closed, he can be very different."He said this was particularly evident during the contract negotiations, when buchmann arrived without a manager, but with great aplomb and some "basic knowledge of the law". Denk sees in his captain a man who has matured and evolved.
Even his girlfriend claudia eder knows buchmann very differently from the way he presents himself to the general public as germany’s new cycling hopefuls. "He is not so taciturn at home, otherwise it would be boring. If he knows people, he already talks a lot," said the ARD nutrition expert. Before the tour, the two were together in a high altitude training camp in livigno, italy. The couple enjoys cooking and hiking together. Buchmann says: "I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend and getting away from all the stress of cycling."
In sporting terms, he has become one of the best mountain riders in the world, and this year, thanks to great ambition and iron discipline, buchmann is reaping the rewards of his work. "He already has trouble falling asleep when he eats an ice cream," team boss denk reported. Despite the significant increase in performance, he prefers others to be the center of attention. Here’s what he had to say about cycling superstar and teammate peter sagan: "most of the pressure is on peter. He gets the most money, the most is expected of him. The others can stay a little in his slipstream." Buchmann is quite right.
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