Always close, rarely winning: why it’s so hard for Max Kanter to take victory
Max Kanter finished second behind Arne Marit last Sunday in the Trofeo Palma. Another second place. The German sprinter was considered a major sprint talent during his U23 years at Development Team Sunweb, but as a pro, winning has proven very difficult for him. In the Alpecin Barbershop, he explains to Cyclingflash.com why confidence makes all the difference.
The 28-year-old rider from XDS Astana scored his first of two pro wins in 2024. That year, in the Tour of Turkey, and last season, in the Famenne Ardennes Classic, Kanter was the best. As an elite U23, he won stages in the Tour de l’Avenir, Olympia's Tour, and became German champion twice. But as a pro, that challenge has proven much tougher.
“It’s very difficult, to be honest. It takes a lot of time, you need a lot of experience, and you have to work hard for it. Especially in this era of cycling, the challenge to win is getting harder and harder.”
There was a huge relief when he finally took his first professional victory in 2024 – then still riding for Movistar. “It’s absolutely not easy to have to wait that long as a sprinter,” says the German, who turned pro in 2019 with Team Sunweb.
“You have to keep believing in it, but because it takes so much, the relief when the first win comes is huge. Of course, you need to start the season in good shape, but then you have to maintain a good rhythm and build confidence. That is especially important for sprinters.”
Over the last year and a half, Kanter has collected no fewer than eight second places alongside his two wins, the most recent being last Sunday in Mallorca. “My big ambition for 2026 is to turn some of those second places into victories,” says Kanter, who has never ridden the Tour de France.
“For every rider, that is a childhood dream. Hopefully, I will get the chance to ride it in the future. Whether that will happen this year, I still have to discuss with the team. After my start in Mallorca, the plan is to first focus on the classics. After that, we’ll see how it goes.”
