Another flat route for the national championships! This time, we’re in Germany. Will we finally see a mass sprint? Or will superstar Herklotz go alone and crush everyone? The favorites has to be Degenkolb though, with his four wins in the last Vuelta a Espana. He’s been better as a leader than as Ewan’s support in ISA’s roster.
Not to big a break today, with only 3 amateurs allowed to go out.
They even are brought back very quickly, and the favourites’teams put up a fast pace at the front of the peloton, fast enough to fend off any attack.
7 km from the line, and Mager leads a grouped peloton. The sprinters are coming to the front. We can see here Seilig, Steimle, Ackermann, Degenkolb, Reinhardt. Gros, Schädlich or Herklotz are here too.
Reinhardt was perfectly led out to the flamme rouge, and he begins his sprint early on.
Steimle, Kanter, Degenkolb, Gross, Walscheid and Ackermann are around.
300Â m. Reinhard is still resisting, but that might not be for long. Gross and Degenkolb are the fastest.
He does resist! Thanks to a well set up train, Reinhardt is the German road race champion! Ahead of Kanter and Steimle.
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
Sütterlin is the biggest favourite of the day, but the veteran Kittel, or younger riders like Politt or Kämna could disturb his plans. Also, Herklotz.
Weinstein is the better time-trialist of the beginners, and he obviously holds the hot seat for quite some time. Even Herklotz is 44 seconds off at the second intermediate chrono.
But then, the favourites are coming in to kill his hopes. Politt, Kämna, Kittel and Sütterlin are faster at the 1st intermediate chrono. The Los Pollos rider is already 13’’ ahead of his opponents. That becomes 22’’ on the second.
Nothing should stop him on his race to victory. And indeed, Sütterlin crushes the opposition. He’s 40 seconds fastest that Kämna, who has a solid race but in the end simply is weaker.
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
