Germany’s greatest tour talent Marco Brenner draws attention to himself at the Vuelta Tour of Spain.
Three times escape group, once a cold, once a birthday – this is the balance sheet of the grand tourdebutant Marco Brenner. The 20-year-old, who has been around for a few days, is considered one of the most promising tour drivers in Germany. His first appearance in a three-week tour is therefore of greater importance.
After two weeks it can be stated: Brenner likes the constant stress and he is doing well. He made it into the breakaway group of the day three times and even finished fifth on the 12th stage.
Big names like Olympic champion Richard Carapaz and the current Vuelta mountain king Jay Vine were in the group. “That gave me a lot of self-confidence, because to be up there for so long. It was a super good feeling.”he tells the sports show.
Clever driving thanks to Degenkolb
Roommate John Degenkolb is also impressed by Brenner’s achievements. “He’s doing very well and selling well at this Vuelta”he says veteran the sports show. He takes special care of the youngster. “We talk a lot about how to behave in a race like this, how to save grains in particular”according to Degenkolb. “I enjoy supporting him because I see how motivated he is.”
The fact that Brenner is not captured by the cameras every day at this Vuelta and appears at the top of the result lists has to do with team tactics on the one hand and the careful structure on the other. “We didn’t want him to burn all his grains at the beginning of a grand tour”, explains Degenkolb. Only on stage six in the Basque Country did Brenner get his first taste of air from the front in a breakaway group. Back then, accelerations by the favorites dashed the hopes of the escapees.
What’s more: in addition to his own learning processes, Brenner also has to take care of the leader of Team DSM, the Dutchman Thymen Arensman, who is almost three years his senior. It’s in the top 10 overallclassification. He also clinched the day’s victory from a breakaway group on Sunday – and took a lot of pressure off the Dutch racing team.
Good future prospects
Arensman also thinks a lot of young talent Brenner. The Dutchman saw the abilities of his young team-mate shine through in the high-altitude training camp. And now he notices with joy how Degenkolb the youngsters takes under his wing. “It’s nice to see how the two Germans help each other”according to Arensman.
Pressure from the other young talents
Of course, one also has to classify Brenner’s achievements. Remco Evenepoel, who is only two years older, leads the Tour of Spain. His shape curve is flattening out a bit. But he holds his ground in his only second Grand tour ahead of triple winner Primoz Roglic. Along with Brenner, the 21-year-old Spaniard Carlos Rodriguez and the still 19-year-old Juan Ayuso, two other great talents from his age group are celebrating at this tour of Spain grand tour-Debut.
Ayuso is currently fourth overall, Rodriguez fifth. Brenner knows that these drivers are already a step further in their development. “For me, I always have a day when I show my potential. But the consistency isn’t quite there yet.”he openly admits.
This reflective approach will also be important in the future. Because it’s also about not being impressed by peers who are already doing better. And it also means continuing to withstand the pressure of being considered Germany’s greatest tour talent at the moment.
New accents for the third week
Brenner doesn’t seem to be bothered by any of this. “I’m already looking forward to the third week,” he says. And also Road Captain Degenkolb still expects a lot from Brenner. “He’s in good shape and I think he’ll be able to do some more in the third week.”
Marco Brenner is in the process of completing a further development step in his still very young and promising career.