John Degenkolb of the HTC-Highroad team sprinted to victory in the traditional race in Frankfurt on German Labor Day. Degenkolb outwitted Jerome Baugnies (Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator) and Michael Matthews (Rabobank) on a perfectly sunny day in the banker's capital, setting of the "Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt", as the race is offically known now.
It was Degenkolb's third victory of the season. "This is undescribable," he said after the race. "It was the 50th edition of the race, perfect weather and a great atmosphere. It is one of the best events in Germany and that I was able to win it is the absolute crowning."
Degenkolb was boxed in on the left hand side for a long time, but Baugnies made a crucial mistake. "With 50 meters to go I saw that I could win it, because Baugnies moved to the left." Degenkolb didn't do the same mistake, stayed in his line next to the barrier and prevented Matthews from passing. The two battled hard in Geelong for the U23 road title, with Matthews besting Degenkolb then. They have a bet going on on who would win more races this season. With his victory today, Degenkolb tied the score; both have won three races so far. Matthews was the first one to congratulate Degenkolb.
Another person to congratulate Degenkolb very early was Laura Lange, who is involved with the race - and also Degenkolb's girlfriend. "I am part of the organizing committee and this is just amazing," she said.
For Degenkolb, the believe of victory came late in the race. "When we went up the final hill, I didn't feel very good. I think I was the next to last rider coming up the Mammolshainer Berg. When I rolled back up to the peloton I realized that only two riders were gone and they only had 20 seconds," Degenkolb said. He was confident that his team could bring it back to a sprint.
Due to the timing, the German was a bit surprised with his victory at home. "I am coming off a break and I only trained three, four or five times," he explained. This may have given him the mental and physical freshness needed to win a bike race.
The junior race was was won by Rik Zabel, son of former sprint star Erik. Zabel coaches the HTC sprinters and was thus overjoyed with the double victory. He had won the race three times in his career, but his son already did something that Erik Zabel never achieved. "I never won Frankfurt and Köln in the same year," Zabel said after the junior's race. Rik Zabel took the win in Cologne on Easter Monday. Unlike his father's sprints, Rik won today's race solo.
Ten KOMs in the way before the sprint
Attacks started early, with Lars Boom going from the gun. But the teams were very attentive and subsequent moves from other riders were reeled in as quickly as Boom. A four-man break built after 28 kilometers, just ahead of the first (of ten) KOMs. Markus Fothen (NSP) was in that group, which never gained more than a handful of seconds.
That led to several counters and a new six-man group at kilometer 48. Dominik Nerz (Liguigas, but riding for a German National team), Jan Bakelants (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Michael Matthews (Rabobank) were in that group. But it didn't take long for the peloton top bring them back and a new moved to develop: Pieter Serry (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator), Hubert Dupont (Ag2r), Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank), Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil), Carlos Alberto Betancurt (Aqua & Sapone) and Jan Bakelants (Omega Pharma-Lotto) built a 30-second gap by km 60.
Leopard-Trek missed the move and was forced to chase hard behind. As the group went over the Ruppertshainer hill, the break had 1'20 over the peloton. With Fabian Wegmann making the pace ahead, the gap dropped down to 30 seconds at kilometer 82.
As the group was caught, Hoogerland escaped off the front and continued solo. He was caught on the Mammolshainer hill, with Johan Lebon (Bretagne Schuller) the next to jump. The Frenchman made his move on the Billtalhöhe (km 122). The 21-year-old gained 25 seconds maximum. He was caught by a group of eight that included Wegmann (km 141).
A new bad development for Leopard Trek was the catching of the Wegmann group and a new 12-man move developing. A six-man chase merged up to make it an 18-man front group. The break contained four Vacansoleil riders - and only Jens Voigt for Leopard-Trek.
On the second time up the Mammolshainer hill, the final KOM of the day, the very active Hoogerland attacked again, followed by Paul Martens (Rabobank). The two joined forces with 35km to go. Ten kilometers later, the duo was caught by a large group that was led by Voigt.
Tom Jelte Slagter of Rabobank countered but was brought back well before the final four-kilometer loop, to be done three times, was reached. Mostly German riders tried to attack in the end, but while a good bid for TV time, their gaps never became very large and the sprinters fought it out in the end.