Elisabeth Kappaurer, Daniel Ganahl and Anton Palzer swap winter sports on snow for frenzy on asphalt
Career, part 1: Daniel Ganahl at the World Cup in Madonna di Campiglio
It's a fashion trend this year: skiers who get on their bikes – full-time. Primoz Roglic has been making a name for himself in the world class for several years now (in 2007 he was ski jumping junior world champion with the Slovenian team, in 2019 and 2020 he won the Vuelta a España), but more and more are changing at the moment.
Elisabeth Kappaurer made the start. In autumn 2018 and autumn 2019, the giant slalom specialist broke her tibia and fibula, first left, then right. The Bregenzerwald native had her last race appearance on April 6, 2018. This year the now 26-year-old combined junior world champion of the year 2014 (who later became Olympic champion Michelle Gisin from Switzerland was fifth at the time) will be pedaling, including in the women's competition. Team of the Tyrol team. At the Bundesliga opener in Leonding, Kappaurer finished twelfth.
A long time ago: Elisabeth Kappaurer in Lienz in December 2017
Daniel Ganahl also comes from Vorarlberg, the 24-year-old has been successful in ski mountaineering so far. But because the Montafoner also achieved success on the racing bike, he has now been signed by the Vorarlberg team. “It has a real engine, especially on the mountain, as ski mountaineers have to constantly push their limits,” says manager Thomas Kofler, praising the newcomer. “He will still have a bit of work to do in terms of endurance and technique, but he has the best prerequisites.” Ganahl will make his debut at the end of April at the cherry blossom race in Wels.
Career, part 2: Daniel Ganahl preparing for asphalt
A colleague of Ganahls has been with the World Tour Team Bora-hansgrohe since April 1st: German Vice World Champion Anton Palzer , who is physically better than Miguel Indurain. The Spaniard, five-time winner of the Tour de France, had a VO₂ value of 88, Palzer is 92 (the number describes how many milliliters of oxygen the body can absorb per kilo of weight per minute).
Elisabeth Kappaurer's engagement, on the other hand, has an expiry date: The week before last, her nails, screws and plates were removed from her right leg. And in July she finally wants to be back on skis.
