Pogacar's helper
Großschartner starts 10th Grand Tour at the Giro
Felix Großschartner is one of four Austrians who will tackle the 107th Giro d'Italia in Venaria Reale on Saturday. As in last year's Tour de France, the 30-year-old Upper Austrian is an important helper in the UAE team of cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian is the clear favorite for victory. Großschartner is contesting his first Giro since 2021 and his tenth Grand Tour in total.
From a red-white-red perspective, Rainer Kepplinger (Bahrain), Tobias Bayer (Alpecin) and Patrick Gamper (Bora) are also taking part in the first of the three three-week national tours.
"I'm really looking forward to it"
For Großschartner, taking part in one of these Grand Tours is still something special, as he assured APA shortly before his departure for Italy. "Especially now with Tadej at the start. That makes it even more special because you have a top favorite with you. I'm really looking forward to it," said the Wels native.
As a good climber and classics rider, he should help top favorite Pogacar, as he did last year at the Tour de France. The latter is the clear favorite, also because several other stars have withdrawn. "On paper, we already know that. But three weeks are always long and a lot can happen," says Großschartner. One bad day or a fall in an unfavorable situation can ruin everything.
A good start is very important, especially on this year's course, believes Großschartner. Even the opening stage on Saturday is "not super easy", but already "very selective". And Sunday is the first mountain arrival." You have to go into the first stage with a certain amount of tension so that "you don't lose time pointlessly".
"Then you have to be able to grab it"
As always, the captain and his ambitions to win are at the heart of his personal goals. "That's certainly the biggest goal, and I'm one of his last people for the mountains. I hope that I'm in good enough shape, similar to the Tour, that I can really ride with the best." In his second season with UAE, the focus is on performance rather than results. "You never know what's going to happen in a Tour, and if an opportunity arises, you have to be able to grab it, but I don't think about that at all."
"Everything is very tactical"
In the event of Pogacar's early retirement, there is no real plan in the team. "It's all very tactical for the teams. They deliberately say that you don't need to go all out on the mountain at the end, but rather take it easy and recover for the other days." This was also the case for UAE in 2023 at the "Grand Loop". "And if you're already half an hour behind, it's difficult to reschedule."
Großschartner sees his season so far as somewhat mixed. "I was quite ill in two stupid situations with a stomach flu with a fever of 40 degrees for a few days in Mallorca, just before Paris-Nice, and I had a bacterial infection in the week between Paris-Nice and Catalonia," he said.
Of course, he also followed the many crashes of big stars in the spring. "The material is just getting better and faster, and with the disc brakes you can really brake at the last moment." Großschartner also sees another reason in digitalization and a special app with GPS called "veloviewer". "That didn't exist five years ago, for example: You can see exactly when the bend is coming, just like with a sat nav. Now everyone has it and you realize that everyone knows. A few years ago, there were teams that were better prepared and you knew there was an important left-hand bend."
He also arrived at the usual altitude training camp in the Sierra Nevada a week late due to poor blood values. The Giro dress rehearsal Tour de Romandie in the previous week should also be seen in this light. "It went well, the time trial was quite good," he recalled of his third place.
"You realize that every race is important"
In general, Großschartner believes that racing has become much more stressful. "You realize that every race is important." The density is also extremely high. "There are the three or four at the very front, which are in a league of their own. Then I would say that between fifth and 50th place, the density is so tight and really small nuances make a difference. That increases the pressure." This is also noticeable in smaller races such as the Tour of Austria.
Großschartner's further season plan includes the Tour de Suisse after the Giro, a break and then the Olympics if he is nominated. "We have two starting places, one for the time trial, two for the road, and the time trial rider also has to be there on the road. It doesn't look too bad for the time trial, but the ÖRV is lining it up," said the Upper Austrian.
Talks are already underway for an extension with UAE for 2025. "It looks positive. Basically everything fits. I feel completely at home in the team and have a great status. There's no reason for me to look for something else."
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