Steegmans, Cucinotta, Duque, Abakoumov, and Rizza are your favourites heading to the start line. Die Berg has to feel pretty confident as 3 of the 5 favourites are riding for them.
The first attack comes a few minutes after the gun by Schachmann. He is followed by Taubel and come across the gap shortly after are Hasnaoui and Waeytens.
The peloton is happy with this group of 4 allowing them to pull out a couple of minutes in 10 kilometers.
A few kilometers later the breakaway meets the finish line where they hope 186kms from now they will have outsmarted the peloton for a sensational victory.
The first stop on the their long journey is the climb up Feldberg. Their advantage continues to grow and is now at 4'45" while BCR has taken up the chase in the peloton.
It's a rather gentle climb as the gradient is constantly between 3-6%.
At least the spectators are having fun, Guillen and Keough get to see their names going up the climb as they suffer through the pain.
At the top the roads kick up to over 9%, the sprinters are starting to questions why their managers are putting them through this.
The peloton gets over the top in one piece as the breakaway's lead has drop to 3'30". Now time for a very technically descent with 50kms in the books.
Fast-forward to the next major climb, the first time up Mammolshain, with 105kms to go. The breakaway holds a five minute lead. And just looking at the picture tells you how steep the road is, especially when you can look back and see the peloton even with a 5 minute gap. And for those who wanting the direct percentages, about 8-10% the entire way up. And they will have to face it two more times to come in this loop circuit.
89kms to go as we head back down. BCR has chased all day and hasn't asked for help yet and is doing a great job as the breakaway has lost a minute off their lead, 4'00".
We have finally reached the "M" in the road with 60kms to go. Two final inclines up Mammolshain with a quick descent between them. The breakaway is still going strong at 4 minutes but the peloton is still at full force since nobody has got dropped yet.
1 trip up complete, 1 to go. Punchuers like Mehr-Wenige need to make their move on the final climb otherwise the sprinters have an easy flat run-in towards the finish back in Frankfurt.
It's the third and finally time up Mammolshain, but there are still 50kms to go.
Up and over, no attacks, nobody dropped... well that was anticlimactic.
The last piece of business for the peloton is to catch these guys. 30kms to go, 2 minute lead, not looking good for them.
Also not looking good back in the peloton as BCR has picked up the tempo, but also so has the wind. It's getting stretched out, will the peloton snap in two? Looks like the wind earlier in the day from the first stage of Giro has now reached Germany.
Just 11kms to go now and the breakaway is making their last ditch attacks as BCR is closing in. And amazingly the peloton is still holding strong even with the wind pounding away.
And it's all over for the breakaway as Taubel is the last man caught.
5kms to go and there is an attack! Stoltz is trying to ruin what looked to be a clear bunch sprint finish. Following him is Ostergaard who should probably leading out their sprinters instead? Either way, finally some interesting action at the front!
Well... that last for about 800 meters before the BCR train steamrolled right past them. At least they tried, I guess.
It's Guillen opening up the sprint with 2800 meters to go as he is leading out Steegmans. Probably one of the few times this will happen all season. Behind them are Belletti, Rizza, Dekkers, Keough, Cucinotta, Demare, Havik, and Golas.
Quickly tacking themselves into this group are Speirs and Irvine. Anybody else not mentioned are pretty much out of it now as this group has opened up a little gap.
Now it is starting to look like a 4 man race as Guillen starts to pull off with 1700 meters to go. Leaving Steegmans with Belletti, Rizza, and Keough on his wheel.
Rizza makes the first move out of the four as they make the turn heading towards the line, it's clear that Guillen has torn the other sprinters apart making 1 of these 4 our winner.
800 meters left, Steegmans is starting to fade. Opening the door open for Belletti and Rizza. Keough is just out of the picture.
Behind the 4 leaders is Dekkers racing with Cucinotta for what looks to be the battle for a top 5. While Guillen has already slipped back to Golas, Irvine, and Demare.
500 meters from the line. Steegmans is holding strong but is still fading while Belletti and Rizza are fighting for the lead. And Keough is starting to look for that extra gear. Also behind Golas has moved up to challenge Dekkers and Cucinotta for 5th.
Belletti is inching in front of Rizza, while Keough is closing in on Steegmans.
Rizza can't match Belletti and is now fighting to hold onto 2nd.
Belletti gets the win for Magna in a well contested bunch sprint!
Rizza just holds ahead of Steegmans and Keough.
Cucinotti secures a top 5 for PCT Rothaus. Golas with a great sprint jumps from potentially finishing with the riders below in the next picture to overtake Dekkers for 6th.
8th to Speirs, 9th for Irvine, and a top 10 for Demare who is celebrating the win by his teammate Belletti.
A few lengths back is Havik leading in the rest of the peloton. The pair of Vattenfall sprinters take 12th and 13th. Guillen slips all the way back to 18th after leading out Steegmans. Dietmar Mehr-Wenige finishes 21st, so not a total lost for sending him here but surely he could have picked up more points elsewhere. The hills took to much out of Hochmann as he finished 38th and teammate Dunque doesn't live up to his pre-race favourite nomination by finishing 40th.
