Most of the Lotto - Kern Haus riders feeling great this morning, especially Moritz Plambeck, Hermann Keller and Leslie Lührs fresh and motivated. Even though Noah is the team’s best cobbler, we will be are riding for Leslie, who has developed into a great sprinter over the last few month, as the cobbles is not that hard on this profile.

Ten riders forming todays breakaway, only one of them slightly dangerous FDJ Continental Team’s Lewis Askey, he was also last man standing but the breakaway was over with about 25 km left.

Lotto - Kern Haus decides to form two trains with so many riders having good legs, a little internal competition won’t harm anyone.

Manuel Porzner - Noah Takaima - Moritz Plambeck and Joshua Huppertz - Hermann Keller - Leslie Lührs. With less than 3 km left everything looking good, except for Moritz who has lost a few meters to Noah in a sharp left turn.

Leslie is really looking good hammering over the 300 meters of cobblestone leading to the finish line, but sadly Enzo Wouters from Tarteletto – Isorex is just that little faster and make it to the line first, winning the race.

Even though missing the win a fantastic race by Team Lotto - Kern Haus with Leslie Lührs 2nd, Moritz Plambeck 7th, Hermann Keller 8th and Noah Takaima 10th.

Editorial notes about possible storyline developments related to upcoming transfers:

(*) A top 12 result in “XXX� will open “winter training camp quest� in July. (sprint/cob upgrade if not signing with other teams and continue as “Stage Racer� for another year)
(**) Any Race (not stage) Podium in June or July will open “one CT transfer offer� in August. (not necessarily very lucrative due to transfer penalty)
(***) Any Race (not stage) Win in June or July will open “one PCT transfer offer� in August. (more lucrative than CT but still costly to transfer mid-contract)

A huge breakaway of 18 took of right from the start, Team Lotto - Kern Haus dedicated Jan Kuhn to the list of riders holding the break in a short line. The last rider caught with more than 30 km left.

The weather was quite bad and Frederik Raßmann was amongst those crashing on the wet stones, he was soon back on the bike without serious injuries.

Noah was able to sit with the best cobblers, until top favorite Dennis Jenné from NTT Continental Cycling Team attacked with 16 km left completely splitting the group leaving just 3 rider in front.

At predicted by sports journalists Dennis Jenné won the race, Omer Lahav Israel Cycling Academy 2nd in the same time and Niklas Märkl Development Team Sunweb 3rd losing 1’37�

Noah came in 8th losing 5’04� a testament to how hard this race was.

Leslie Lührs and Moritz Plambeck came in with the next group as 14th and 15th losing additional 35�

Expecting that the hill won’t be too much for the squads best sprinter we will work for Hermann Keller.

But as this might be a tricky race Kim Heiduk is sent into the breakaway just in case.

The breakaway originally 7 riders was expanded to 13 riders after a group joined up 142 km from the finish. They fought well but the last rider was caught just under the 10 km banner.

Kim Heiduk attacks with a group of 7 forming the original breakaway

The pace it very high over the last 10 km, we see some late attacks. The last and most dangerous was closed down by a brilliant counter from Simon Laib, able to reconnect with Noah and Hermann at wheel. Just 3.5 km left and this group had distanced the pack with 19�

At the last steep 300 meters up to the red kite Hermann Keller lost Noah’s wheel, on a very narrow section. Simon Laib did not notice still pacing hard.

Despite not getting a perfect lead-out Hermann Keller had a fantastic last 800 meter, but could not catch Korkut Gül from Tartu 2024 - Balticchaincycling.com who won the race.

Hermann Keller 2nd, Noah Takaima 5th, Simon Laib 7th, all in all another fine race for the team.