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Pascal Ackermann

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Earns1985

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Zinoviev Letter said:
This guy could have a very strange season. He’s doing pretty well and looking very fast. He has six wins already. But it’s entirely possible that he doesn’t get to race anything more prestigious than Tirreno-Adriatico. Or at least nothing he would be considered a contender for, unless he shows a very surprising cobbled classic level or something.

Not picked for Tour, Giro, Milan San Remo, no WCRR for obvious parcours reasons. Those are the four most prestigious things for a sprinter. Whether the Vuelta goes ahead is far from clear. If it doesn’t, he will have a year of small races. And I don’t think there are too many smaller stage races left for him to ride after Binckbank. He will win some there though as I think all of the other high level sprinters won’t be there.

I don’t know how much it will really matter for a sprinter to do no GT for a year. But if I had his speed and had to waste a year on small races I’d be quite frustrated.

Fingers crossed for the Vuelta.
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Well there are several circumstances that lead to the racing schedule of Ackermann this year.

1.) Sagan wanted to ride Tour and Giro this year.
2.) Tour and Giro route have less flat stages this year
3.) They also want(ed) to ride for GC in both Giro and Tour
4.) Ackermann prefers to ride with his sprint train

For next year Denk already confirmed him that he can ride the tour.
 
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BlueRoads

BlueRoads

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Earns1985 said:
Well there are several circumstances that lead to the racing schedule of Ackermann this year.

1.) Sagan wanted to ride Tour and Giro this year.
2.) Tour and Giro route have less flat stages this year
3.) They also want(ed) to ride for GC in both Giro and Tour
4.) Ackermann prefers to ride with his sprint train

For next year Denk already confirmed him that he can ride the tour.
Click to expand...

The reasons that led to this are understandable, but I agree that I would be a bit frustrated nonetheless. A top sprinter often does not have that many years at absolute peak. Well, he knew what he's in with Sagan. I just hope he will have the same form next year.
 
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Zinoviev Letter

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Earns1985 said:
Well there are several circumstances that lead to the racing schedule of Ackermann this year.

1.) Sagan wanted to ride Tour and Giro this year.
2.) Tour and Giro route have less flat stages this year
3.) They also want(ed) to ride for GC in both Giro and Tour
4.) Ackermann prefers to ride with his sprint train

For next year Denk already confirmed him that he can ride the tour.
Click to expand...

I hadn’t heard that a Tour ride next year was confirmed. That’s interesting because the same reasons that stopped him riding the Tour this year should in theory still apply, ie Sagan and a GC attempt. I wonder which has changed? Sagan + Ackermann + a tilt at GC is still a lot to pack into an 8 rider team, particularly as Ackermann is the kind of sprinter who needs support - his speed is better than his ability to position himself. No more sprints for Sagan anyway?

i agree with Blueroads point that the reasons for a division of races can make sense for a team and the result can still be frustrating for a rider. If you are one of the four or five sprinters of the year and you don’t get to use your speed in any race bigger than a couple of one week stage races, it would be hard not to be frustrated. Their division of races last year also made perfect sense from the point of view of the team, and was spectacularly successful in terms of number of wins, but was also very obviously going to cause insurmountable resentments.

But, if he’s definitely going to the Tour next year, swallowing frustration is the best course of action for him. Once he gets the Tour sprinter role, Bora are unlikely to ever displace him from it again in any circumstances short of a serious attempt to win Yellow.
 
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Zinoviev Letter

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richwallone said:
Denk and Bora are set to promote Ackermann into a top sprinter position for the next year... Bora wants at the Tour in 2021... Sagan better start looking for another team...

www.t-online.de

Ex-Radweltmeister - Bora-Teamchef Denk zu Sagan: Immer "Platz im Tour-Team"

Raubling (dpa) - Der dreimalige Straßenrad-Weltmeister Peter Sagan hat beim deutschen Radrennstall Bora-hansgrohe eine …
www.t-online.de www.t-online.de
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a strange article. It doesn’t confirm Ackermann to the Tour but does suggest it’s on the cards. The comments about Sagan, that he’s slowing down with age and might get a helper’s role seem very blunt though. As I understand it Specialized basically pay Sagan’s salary as part of their team sponsorship and I can’t see them being keen on paying for the worlds most expensive domestique.
 
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Earns1985

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Zinoviev Letter said:
a strange article. It doesn’t confirm Ackermann to the Tour but does suggest it’s on the cards. The comments about Sagan, that he’s slowing down with age and might get a helper’s role seem very blunt though. As I understand it Specialized basically pay Sagan’s salary as part of their team sponsorship and I can’t see them being keen on paying for the worlds most expensive domestique.
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Ackermann as well as Denk confirmed Ackermanns participation for the next tour several times during the live coverage of the tour in german television. Also before the tour I heard about the deal.. it's because Ackermann's contract ends at the end of 2021 and Denk assured Ackermann that he will ride the tour for Bora during bis contract time...
 
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tobydawq

tobydawq

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yaco said:
What is stopping Ackermann from ridng the Vuelta - There are a few sprint opportunities and will give him a base for 2021 - You balance that against Schelderpris and Gent Wevelgem which are the other options.
Click to expand...

Nothing IF the race goes ahead. But as Zinoviev said, things are not looking too bright in Spain at the moment.

I think it will go ahead, though.
 
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yaco

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Hugo Koblet

Hugo Koblet

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Ackermann had covid in the fall. Of course he could have gotten it again, but it's less likely. I think he crashed pretty hard in Etoile de Besseges and he has already crashed 3 or 4 times this season, so his body probably needs some rest and recovery. Disappointing start of the season for him for sure.
 
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