"I want to return to the Tour": Lennard Kämna hopes to put a cherry on top of his miraculous recovery

Lennard Kämna's career has taken a sharp turn in 2024 when he was hit by a car during training. The damage was quite severe and the 29-year-old's career was on the line for a long time. Fortunately, at Lidl-Trek, they believed in his full recovery and offered Kämna to restart his career with the German-American formation. 

Between 2020 and 2023, Kämna won a stage at each of the three Grand Tours (Tour 2020, Giro 2022, Vuelta 2023), showcasing his ability to succeed in the hardest mountain stages. Before completing the collection, the German climber has also taken a shot at the GC work, finishing 9th overall at the 2023 Giro d'Italia.

Although with BORA's (his then team) GC ambitions growing faster than the German's performances after recruitments of Primoz Roglic and Daniel Felipe Martínez in 2024, the German could still hope to aim for a potentialy top-5 in the future. Until the disaster struck. An entire year had passed between his last start at Tirreno-Adriatico in early March 2024 and comeback at the Volta a Catalunya at the end of March 2025.

Since then, he has made a return to racing in the Lidl-Trek jersey, clocking in 47 race days this season. In particular the summer has been successful for Kämna with 6th places overall at the Tour de Suisse, and two weeks later also at the Tour of Austria (2.1). The Vuelta a Espana was then on his menu, but unfortunately a Covid infection halted those plans.

What followed was a two-month pause from racing and then a modest conclusion of the year with bleak performances in UK, Luxmebourg, and finally at the European Championships in Ardeche. But the eyes were already set on 2026 at that moment. After all, Kämna has already proven to himself that it's possible - to ride with the best again.

But in his comments, he sounded much more modest when speaking about his goals. "For me, it would be a great success if I could achieve some good results here and there," he opened in an inteview for SID. "But if, overall, I have a good, consistent season, that would also be a real success for me."

It's been the block of racing around June/July that gave the German the much-needed confirmation that he can return to his former strength. "I'm actually very pleased to have managed, around the middle of the year, to get back to peak form and show that I'm as strong as before."

Speaking of future goals, it doesn't seem like contesting general classifications at Grand Tours will be Kämna's objective anymore. Rather, he would prefer to revive his offensive style of racing. And perhaps win another Grand Tour stage. "I really want to win a race again and be at the start of the Tour de France."

After all, Lidl-Trek has for more promising GC prospects in Juan Ayuso and Mattias Skjelmose. And then there are the rumours of Derek Gee's arrival. With Jonathan Milan, Mads Pedersen or Giulio Ciccone all hunting stage wins at Grand Tours, it won't be easy for Kämna to assert himself in this competition.