He is one of the world’s best speedsters in cycling. Nils Politt has changed teams – at the Tour de France the Cologne native will be in the spotlight as a “noble helper”.
Nils Politt will never forget July 8, 2021. “I still get goosebumps when I think about it,” says the 29-year-old. At that time he rode the Tour de France in the jersey of the German team Bora-hansgrohe – and the Cologne native struck a big blow. Dared to try to break away from the large field of riders and at the end of the day he secured his triumph with an irresistible solo: stage victory in Nimes, the destination that afternoon.
“I am the stage winner of the Tour de France, that will be immortalized in my palmares forever,” says the Cologne native, aware of his cycling nobility. “It makes me proud – but it doesn’t make me a different person,” he says.
Down to earth and loyal to the team
Politt is a down-to-earth guy – and an outstanding team player and speedster in the cycling circus. All of these features have made him a popular part of the professional scene. And the fact that he is both a potential stage-winning rider and an excellent noble helper for big captains has now helped him win another big contract. Since the beginning of the year, after three years at Bora-hansgrohe, Politt has been driving for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – the team of the two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar.
“It’s an honor for me to be able to ride for such a mega-talent in cycling,” says Politt. He will do this in a very important role in the summer at the highlight of the year: Politt has already been sorted into an integral part of the UAE tour team. “I think we have a great team together. Our goal will clearly be to win the Tour,” says the “Giraffe”, as Politt is known in the cycling circus.
Part of the Cologne “Animal”training group”
He got his nickname in his Cologne training group, where Rick Zabel is one of his favorite colleagues. The two have known and liked each other for years, “Lion” Zabel is just as important a part of the Cologne training animals as “Giraffe” Politt.
Nils Politt together with Rick Zabel at the then Katusha-Alpecin team
Politt is really looking forward to his time in his new team – at Bora-hansgrohe he was never quite able to meet his expectations. After his second place in his favorite race Paris-Roubaix 2019, the boys around team manager Ralph Denk were hoping for classic triumphs from the Cologne native. “He didn’t quite live up to these expectations,” Denk recently revealed in the “Radsport-News” portal.
Most recently bad luck at Paris-Roubaix
Politt also admits this himself: “I’ve had a bit of bad luck in Roubaix in the last three years. In 2021 it was a mud race – that wasn’t my thing. In 2022 and ’23 I went into the race with poor health and it didn’t work out with a top result -Result.”
Now he wants to attack again in the classics – the driving style of his new team should suit him. “UAE is known for its offensive driving style. That suits me. Maybe my colleagues will put me in a slightly better starting position,” hopes Politt.
Full racing program
The racing program has been in Hürth for many years Cologne In any case, the resident Politt is packed: After the Algarve Tour and Paris-Nice there is a Belgium block with the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix as the highlight, before the tour preparation begins via the Dauphiné. The “giraffe” will have to keep track.
