Schachmann conquers unprecedented hardships and effortlessly delivers the best quotes after crossing the finish line

This cycling season has already showcased some spectacular performances, and the first stage of the Giro d'Italia was no exception. Jhonatan Narváez outpaced Tadej Pogacar, but the second-place finish by Maximilian Schachmann also merits recognition. Just a few years ago, such an achievement by this standout cyclist would have been expected, but on Saturday, it was a monumental moment for the 30-year-old German of BORA-hansgrohe.

Immediately after the finish, most journalists rushed to Narváez and Pogacar, the stars of a thrilling showdown in Turin. The Ecuadorian surprisingly defeated the Slovenian of UAE-Team Emirates (unexpected by all except INEOS Grenadiers). Schachmann moved past the media somewhat unnoticed, until he paused in front of IDLProCycling.com. "You are back, man!" we called out. Schachmann smiled and responded emphatically: "Yeah, fuck yeah!"

This calls for some background, as Schachmann's journey has been longer and tougher than many might realize. It started back in the 2019 Tour de France, when he broke his hand. He managed an Italian campaign later that year but only returned to his best form in 2020. After a second place in the Tour of Algarve, he clinched a major win at Paris-Nice, one of the last races before COVID-19 hit like a bomb.

Upon the restart of a bizarre pandemic-affected year, Schachmann immediately placed third at Strade Bianche, but was then hit by a car during the Tour of Lombardy, breaking his collarbone. Remarkably, he still managed a seventh-place finish that day. He even recovered in time for the Tour de France, though he was slightly off his peak form. He also competed at the World Championships in Imola, finishing ninth despite the challenges.

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Schachmann "from one infection to another" at BORA-hansgrohe

After a strong start in 2021 defending his title at Paris-Nice (helped by a crash from Primoz Roglic on the final day) and earning a third place at Amstel and a ninth at Liège for a successful Ardennes spring, Schachmann was fourth in the Tour of Switzerland that summer. He followed this up with a German national road title and a tenth place at the Tokyo Olympics. However, his positive streak ended there. During the Vuelta a España, he withdrew due to fatigue, the same issue that made him drop out of the World Championships in Flanders.

He had a solid winter, but in January 2022, he caught COVID-19 for the first time. The illness then forced him to withdraw from Paris-Nice. He skipped the Ardennes season and did Romandie, followed by the Tour of Switzerland. There, he showed strong form and finished tenth, but just before the Tour de France, he was hit by a second COVID infection. He just made it to the Tour, where he naturally raced without much notice. After July, he promptly ended his season, saying, "I'm taking a step back, but I hope to come back stronger in 2023." That didn't happen. In 2023, he had to again withdraw from Paris-Nice due to illness and missed another spring season. He dropped out of the Tour of the Alps and the Sibiu Cycling Tour, and ultimately did not compete in any grand tour or World Championship.

With all this in mind, we know what Schachmann was reacting to when he exclaimed "Fuck yeah" after the finish. "He's really had a tough couple of years. Lots of illness, moving from one infection to another. His immune system was completely wrecked at one point, and it was tough for him. Not being at the expected level takes a mental toll too. So, I'm glad he's completely back," stated Ralph Denk, team manager at BORA-hansgrohe. "Second place is a missed opportunity for the pink jersey, so that's a bit disappointing. But looking at him, you should mainly feel positive and happy."

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Schachmann believes he is better than ever

Schachmann, who only showed signs of life this season in the Basque Country with a thirteenth place, couldn't suppress a smile despite missing out on the stage win. "I'm both happy and disappointed at the same time. I knew the sprint would be tough because Pogi can sprint like the best and Narváez is also very fast. I hate short sprints, so I launched an attack, but when I was caught, it was better to stay in the draft. Maybe then I had a small chance, and in the end, it was all very close. It was great to race against Pogi in such a race, haha!"

Asked if he is now fully back to his old form, he says: "Honestly, I think I'm better than before, otherwise I wouldn't be here. It was a tough race and Pogacar came at it like a rocket. But the fact that he eased up on the less challenging parts made me think he was also at his limit, just like Narváez. I nearly messed it up when I skidded out of a turn, but was lucky my wheel held up. Otherwise, I would've been heading home."

Another burst of laughter follows, Schachmann is clearly happy again! "Everyone worked hard to bring him back and Maximilian gave his all in recent months. This is the result, showing how talented he is. We didn't specify our plan at the start of the day, but we set him up for such stages. He is our stage hunter and he executed his job perfectly today," Denk praised his rider. The protagonist himself agreed. "UAE didn't push hard on the penultimate climb, so I thought they weren't aiming for pink. That's why I attacked, ending up in the front group. The ten-second lead at the last climb helped. From there, it was full throttle and ultimately a sprint."