After a set of strong seasons with BORA - hansgrohe, German puncheur Max Schachmann is having a very unlucky start to the 2022 season that has hindered him from performing until now, and now he will miss the Ardennes classics where he is yet to take a win because of preparation issues he's had this winter.
Schachmann has said in a team press release: "What can I say. Of course, it's very frustrating and completely not what I had imagined this spring. But you have to face the facts and it just doesn't make sense to race right now. After my Covid-19 infection in January, I was performing at a good level before Paris-Nice, but then the next setback followed."
The German suffered from Covid-19 in January, and then - like a significant portion of the peloton - suffered from a respiratory infection in March. He started his season in Paris-Nice but abandoned after the third stage and hasn't raced in the meantime: "I’ve been back doing regular training for a few days now. It would be nice if I could get back into the racing action soon, but one can't have too high expectations there either. It will certainly take some more weeks to reach my top form," he said.
The German national champion finished third in Amstel Gold Race last year, alongside Top10 finishes at Flèche Wallone and Liège - Bastogne - Liège.
Team head of performance Dan Lorang has expressed the same feeling of disappointment, as Schachmann's evolution in the last few years set a good path for success in the Ardennes: "After Max had Covid-19 at the end of January and was forced to drop out of Paris-Nice due to an infection, his return has unfortunately taken longer than expected. He hasn’t been able to train adequately for a longer period of time and accordingly we’ve had to postpone his return to regular preparation as well. He is currently feeling better from day to day, which gives us hope that he will be able to start again in May. However, this date depends on his development over the next few weeks in training. We will certainly not use Max in races again until he is suitably ready to participate."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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📝 TEAM NEWS: @MaxSchachmann to miss the Ardennes Classics Read more here: bit.ly/38wlS33 📸: @SprintCycling
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