BORA duo Kämna and Denz enter challenging final week of Giro d'Italia in high spirits: "Schlagers are cool"

"I do like Schlager music, but not as much as Nico," Kämna laughs, while Denz playfully nudges him and adds a catchy quote. "It's really simple - schlagers are cool! If you're not familiar with it, you should look into it."

"For me, it's mostly about hanging on," Kämna states on a serious note, also referring to the grueling final week and the uphill time trial. "We will quickly see how the legs feel after the rest day, and then we can determine whether or not we're going to try something. For example, I haven't done recon for the time trial, so I will only be able to assess if it suited me after the fact."

Kämna also delves deeper into his role. For the German rider, this is his first Grand Tour as a contender for the overall classification. "The first weeks could be described as quite special. So far, the Giro has been characterized by bad weather and little action among the GC contenders. Everyone was watching each other and didn't want to lose time. I expected a bit more action, but I think the final week held everyone back a bit. My body feels reasonably good, and I hope to have a strong final week. A spectacle seems virtually guaranteed."

"João Almeida, Primoz Roglic and Geraint Thomas are the ones who impress me the most," Kämna continues his story. "I'm very disappointed that Tao Geoghegan Hart had to withdraw because he seemed to be the strongest rider in the race up until that point. If you ask me, Almeida is the favorite to win the Giro."

For Denz, this Giro is also special, but for entirely different reasons. Kämna's compatriot has won two stages and is thriving in the Italian rain. "I continue to do what I have always done. In the past, I was often part of breakaway attempts, and I also derive a lot of satisfaction from helping Lennard. In this Giro, I've been able to seize opportunities when they presented themselves."

But how does it feel to win two stages? "It all took me by surprise. After the first victory, a lot of emotions came up. I didn't even know how I was feeling myself. I was so happy. I didn't expect this at all, and it will probably take me a few weeks to fully realize it all," Denz concludes.