Marc Hirschi and the great dream of a Swiss Tour winner

Marc Hirschi and the great dream of a Swiss Tour winner

Professional cyclist Marc Hirschi almost got a gold entry in the history book. The 22-year-old Bernese only missed the stage victory in the Tour de France by a very small margin. It was another proof of his great talent. One that makes you want more.

Switzerland is not one of the largest cycling nations. But it’s a very traditional one and one with legendary winners from the big tours of the field. Most fans only know about the heyday of Ferdy Kübler and Hugo Koblet in the 50s from stories, but the doping era of the 90s with Tony Rominger and Alex Zülle is still around for many. The four form the quartet of the best tour conductors the country has ever had. Apart from them, only Carlo Clerici managed to win a three-week tour, the 1954 Giro d’Italia.

Now hopes have a new name: Marc Hirschi. The Bernese, who, like Fabian Cancellara, comes from Ittigen near Bern, has just turned 22 and is already taking part in the big concerts. First participation in the Tour de France, 2nd stage, 2nd place. Main star Julian Alaphilippe attacked the last climb, Hirschi immediately sat on his rear wheel, showed strong nerves and was tactically flawless in the final snatch. Only the fact of having created a hole a few meters larger when Alaphilippe started before the finish prevented a sensation in Nice.

A special gift

Of course, a swallow still does not make a summer. There is a world of difference between fighting for victory in one of the 21 stages or taking the podium after three tough weeks in Paris. It is presumptuous to believe that Hirschi is now a candidate for the general classification after his feat. But it may be one for years to come.

Bicycle races are not only decided with the legs, but also with the head. And it is precisely here that Hirschi seems to have a special gift, difficult to learn. It has a sense for the development of careers, explained his manager Cancellara in the “Schweizer Illustrierte” and said: “That is exactly the difference between talent and super talent.” It has long been suggested that it is more likely the latter. National coach Daniel Gisiger has already praised Hirschi, who was 16 at the time: “You rarely have a driver with such potential.”

Instinct told Hirschi yesterday that it was okay to chase Alaphilippe. The attack by the French was one with announcement, but when it was serious, only Hirschi could or wanted to fight back immediately. “Marc knows what to do, even if the computer screen fails or the instructions can no longer be heard on the radio,” Cancellara describes one of the young man’s strengths. Anticipate what will happen and decide what to do in an instant.

The Crown breaks like a stroke of luck

Winning the world championship title in the U-23 category in Innsbruck in autumn 2018 was the first major career triumph for Hirschi, achieved at age 20. Then she went to the professionals from the beginning and caused a sensation in her first season with a third place in the Clásica de San Sebastián. Overall ranks 5 and 6 in the Benelux and the Tour of Germany were other valuable results from the neo-professional.

But when the current season began, Hirschi complained of severe hip pain. There was an operation in the room, but the corona pandemic and the associated ban on operations that are not absolutely necessary had positive effects on the young racing driver. “We approached the problem from scratch,” says Hirschi, who adjusted the seat position on the bike. At first he had trouble with it, but after a few weeks he realized he was on the right track. “Thanks to the new seat position, I now feel better on the bike than in the previous two or three years. So the inflammation had its good side, “he said shortly before the season began a month ago.

Before the start of the Tour de France, his first three-week tour of the country, Hirschi said he wanted to enjoy it first and foremost and, if possible, try something. He likes the fact that his team, Team Sunweb, does not have a driver for the general classification. This gives you a lot of freedom and allows you to drive on your own. The goal of the team is stage victories: Tiesj Benoot, sprinter Cees Bol, Sören Kragh Andersen or Nikias Arndt are all candidates.

“Give everything to defend the white shirt”

Now the priorities have changed a bit. Because thanks to her coup in Nice, Hirschi wears the special white jersey for the leader in the ranking of the best young professionals. “I will give everything to defend him,” promised the 22-year-old. It shouldn’t make it to Paris, after all, last year’s outright winner Egan Bernal, Tadej Pogacar and Enric Mas are among the candidates for victory in the junior category for drivers under 25 years old. Hirschi emphasized that he no longer had any pressure, he had already complied.

The really big dream color is not white, but yellow. Only six Swiss racers were able to slip into the Jaune Jersey in the long history of the Tour de France: Ferdy Kübler, Hugo Koblet, Erich Mächler, Alex Zülle, Rubens Bertogliati and, in six editions, Fabian Cancellara.

The big dream

Will Marc Hirschi also succeed in this feat one day? Currently in third place, he is just seven seconds behind Maillot Jaune. Will he even be able to win a big tour one day? “He can go in this direction,” believes his coach Luke Roberts in the NZZ. Manager Cancellara doesn’t want to look too far into the future. At the beginning of the season he highlighted that there were many young talents. “Whether this can be implemented at the highest level is decided exactly in the phase that Marc is in.”

Hirschi regards the 2020 season as another year of development. She wants to take the time she needs to be able to establish herself step by step among the best in the world: “The long-term goal is for me to grow with the challenges in the next two or three years and little by little take on a leadership role. ”

The decisive attack yesterday took place on the Col des Quatre Chemins. The future will tell if Marc Hirschi can find the right path to success. At only 22 years old, he still has enough time to reach the highest level.