Wout van Aert is undisputed one of the very big stars of this year’s Germany tour. Anton Schiffer, on the other hand, only know the most dipped cycling fans. The two will drive in the same team from autumn.
Anton Schiffer still has to go to the café if he has to go to the toilet before the race. Because the 25-year-old drives for the small Saarland team Bike Aid. And that does not travel as the whole big teams do with a luxury liner for the Germany tour. Instead, the campervan has to judge it. A toilet and other comfort? None.
However, you do not hear complaints. After all, the drivers of Bike Aid, the Continental team from the third division of professional cycling, share the parking lot with the best teams in the world every day. For Anton Schiffer, this time will soon be over, the almost 700 kilometers from Essen to Magdeburg are probably the last with his teammates.
Germany tour crowning glory
From October, Schiffer will also be traveling in one of these large luxury lines. And in none other than that of Team Visma-Lease A BikeSide by side with superstars like Wout van Aert, the two-time tour-de-france winner Jonas Vingegaard or Matthew Brennanwho won today’s stage from Essen to Herford. But first Schiffer wants to enjoy the last race with his old team. “It’s a special feeling”he admits in conversation with the sports show. “The Germany Tour is a crowning glory.”
The year has been impressive for skiers yet. In June he finished third at the German championship, in Greece he took second place in the overall classification at the Tour de Hellas and at the Sibiu Cycling Tour he celebrated his first international victory when he won the royal stage. No wonder that those responsible for the Visma Lease A Bike were listed. “We believe that he has great development potential in all areas”according to Grischa Niermann, sporting director of the team, according to the press release. “Despite a small team structure, he has already won his first professional victory.”
Schiffer one Cycling Spaetzter
Since his success on the Hellas Tour in April, Schiffer has been in contact with his new team, which provided him with a contract until 2027. He is most looking forward to being able to live like a real cycling professional for the first time. “It still feels incredible, I didn’t expect that. This is the dream of every Conti driver to make the leap at the top. I’m all the more pleased that it is now one of the best teams in the world.”
Schiffer fulfilled this dream within a very short time. The Cologne-based company has only been running seriously since 2023, previously he was active in the triathlon-a true cycling club. In addition to sport, he also completed a degree in sports sciences, his real passion. In his free time, he coaches and advises other athletes and carries out performance diagnostics with them. Unsurprisingly, the earlobes of his bike-AID teammates had to serve here and there.
A surreal feeling
From autumn, there will probably be less time from autumn. This is also aware of this. “Yes, I will have to go back a little now, but let it be right from now on, I don’t want to”says the future cycling professional. “Helping other athletes in this regard is simply my passion.” Now training and competitions are at the center of his life, which has also been the case before, he says.
Only this will soon take place in the same jersey as Vingegaard, Van Aert and Co. – this season alone Visma -Lease A Bike was already in 33 victories, including today’s success of Shooting Star Matthew Brennan. A surreal feeling, as the skipper finds. “But I will find myself in there”he is sure. “With the weeks and months that you go together, it will be normal at some point.”
Van Aert curiously about Schiffer
The team has already got to know Schiffer, whose great role model is marathon star Eliud Kipchoge. That was in the training camp. “Otherwise there were meetings and phone calls, of course. But I mainly had contact with the supervisory staff, less of the drivers”he says. And so a meeting, apart from the race, is still a long time coming with Wout van Aert, the great star of this Germany tour.
However, the Belgian is already looking forward to his new colleague. “He is a very interesting driver and we are all curious how he will develop with us”according to van Aert about skipper. But it is still a bit there until October, now the Germany tour is coming up. There, Schiffer would like to support his colleagues as much as possible and attack here and there. The mountain specialist in particular is the second and third stage. Who knows who will leave his future teammates behind.