“I don’t know any more friends in the last three kilometers”, says Phil Bauhaus. Obviously a successful credo, because the sprint specialist won more professional races in 2021 than any other German driver. There were seven, 18 in total in his career. Although he has been a professional for seven years, the fast-paced Bauhaus has almost never been allowed to take part in one of the three major state tours Giro d’Italia, Tour de France or Vuelta a Espana stand at the start.
His motivation is all the greater for the current one Giro d’Italia. Two sixth stage places – Bauhaus result of the first nine stages. Doesn’t sound that great yet, but when you look at the cast of the competingteams considered, a completely different picture emerges for his balance sheet.
Team tactics for overall ranking
Phil Bauhaus drives for that Bahrain Victorious Team that is primarily focused on getting the best possible result in the overall standings on major tours. Teammate Mikel Landa is one of the podium contenders, currently in seventh place, just 29 seconds behind the pink leadershirt. “Landa’s minimum goal is the podium. But I also think he’s capable of overall victory.”the German thinks highly of his team captain. “We’ve been in the same team for three years, I’ve never seen him so well trained and mentally ready.”
But Mikel Landa’s strength is also Phil Bauhaus’ sorrow. Because the Spaniard needs a lot of support, the team of eight is primarily geared towards him. Bauhaus has only one helper who is there for him in the mass sprints, Jasha Sütterlin from Freiburg. Actually, Heinrich Haussler should have been there as a regular starter, but the Australian had to have an operation on his knee in April and was therefore unable to start in Italy.
Duel two against eight
That’s why Bauhaus and Sütterlin sometimes duel on the way to the home straight with complete teams that have only one plan: to get their sprinter in a perfect starting position. A fight two against seven or eight. “Jasha is trying his best, but the pace is so high that he can do little against complete sprint trains”Bauhaus describes the difficulties. “Usually you try to lead out always be ahead of the competition, but for us it’s all about finding the right rear wheels”explains the 27-year-old: “While my competitors still have an attacker at their side for the last 300 – 400 meters, I’m all alone in between.”