Sauna sessions for the Tour Down Under

BSpecial tasks require special preparation measures. And Jonasrutsch’s job is to start his cycling season in the Australian summer. That’s why he, who actually prefers cool temperatures when exercising his job, has taken precautions in his native Odenwald. traction has its own small sauna in order to “be able to complete a special heat training for the body”, as he says. In the winter weeks before leaving, he regularly worked out on the roller trainer – but with the fan switched off.

Immediately afterwards we went to the sauna. That was good for him in the first days of training in Australia,uzz is convinced. Even if the difference between the Hessian winter and 40 degrees in the Australian south-west is “hard”, as Slip says on the phone. Especially since some European racing drivers have suffered sunburn and the Hessian pays meticulous attention to double and triple sun protection. And of course to start an important year of his professional career well.

Season 2022 failed in total

For two years, the traditional season opener at the Tour Down Under was canceled due to corona. At the last event in 2020,rutsch stood at the starting line as a rookie at WorldTour level – and was amazed. About the procedures when traveling with the new team. About the accumulation of class riders around him in the peloton. About the fact that he was able to keep up immediately, even picking up speed on some sections or driving in a breakaway group. About the fact that the dream actually came true and that a whole professional career lay ahead of him at that moment. Including all opportunities and imponderables. Of course, one of the imponderables was that the wheels, whichrutsch now wanted to drive with full enthusiasm and force, came to an abrupt standstill for two months: lockdown.

The 2022 season, Ruth’s third year as a pro, was the first where the pandemic didn’t dictate everything. It almost seemed like black humor that a corona infection at the wrong time for a classic driver like him was the main reason why it was an overall unsuccessful season. Jonasutsch now wants to leave all that behind when he restarts in 2023. The winter training went “perfectly”, the substance and basis were created. The predominantly mild temperatures in Rhein-Main also allowed for long trips at home. Also regularly in association with the Oberursel professional John Degenkolb (Team DSM) and the Darmstadt speed skater and speed skater Felix Rijhnen.

Year four in the professional wheelwork is supposed to mean a leap forward, to make the recognized development and abilities ofutsch not only visible as a helper in the races, but also concretely in the result lists. With “let the sow out” Ruth described his goals for the year. “The process and structure is geared towards Paris-Roubaix,” says the 24-year-old, i.e. the most prestigious and toughest classic, in which he impressed with eleventh place in 2021 and then also convinced in his Tour de France debut. “And now the Tour Down Under is really getting going.”

The five-day tour starts this Tuesday with a 5.5-kilometer prologue in the city of Adelaide. The final stage on Saturday, for example, offers a challenging route with various climbs. Last Saturday he pedaled under racing conditions for the first time. The criterion Schwalbe Classic in Adelaide is generally regarded as the hors d’oeuvre for the races Down Under.

After the Australian trip, the Erbacher will go to another team training camp in Girona before the classic season begins with the so-called “Opening Weekend”. There,uzz wants to be competitive at the start for his American team EF Education – Easy Post. By taking part in the Paris-Nice long-distance trip at the beginning of March,rutsch wants to get closer to his top form with the destination Paris-Roubaix on April 9th. He hopes that the third participation in a row in the Tour de France will follow.

This year, however, under changed conditions. The arrival of Ecuadorian cycling star Richard Carapaz at Equipe EF Education thanks to Easy Post. “If you have someone on the team who can win the tour, it changes the whole structure,” saiduzz. He wants to quickly find and maintain a good place in it – if necessary by doing a lot of work in the sauna at home.