Anton Palzer opens up about tough transition from ski mountaineering to professional cycling: "After the first year I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue with it"
Cycling
In his Red Bull helmet, Anton Palzer inevitably stands out in the bunch. And his story as ski mountaineer turned professional cyclist adds up to the 'irregular' aura surrounding the 30-year-old rider. Talking with WielerFlits, he opens up about the step into unknown with BORA - hansgrohe and recording impressive VO2max values among others.
"It was a very tough transition, but I wanted to do something new," said the German climber. "After the first year I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue with it. It was a kick in the ass. These guys ride a bike so fast. But now I am very happy that I persevered, it is important to trust the process. And the process is still here, it's still getting better every month. I'm happy with my new life as a professional cyclist. I enjoy every minute with the team."
"I had to start from scratch, that was clear. But I did have a good dose of motivation. Sometimes you need some new challenges in your life to keep that motivation going and to be happy. And the most important thing in my life is to be happy. I don't know if I will ever win a race on the bike, but I believe in it and we will see what the future brings."
"Before I became a cyclist, I did five to six thousand kilometers a year, as training in the summer. But for the rest of the year I could only be found on the ski slopes. To suddenly ride more than 30,000 kilometers from one moment to the next is a major shock to the system. That is why those figures do not say everything," he refers to the impressive values he recorded at testing, and which got him offer from the German World Tour team.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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