Riders often raise their arms in a victory salute but Fabian Wegmann of Gerolsteiner topped that after winning the German championships Sunday. Crossing the line he screamed out loud, before quickly jumping off his bike, dancing around the finishing area, hugging all and everyone, including the man he just beat, Patrik Sinkewitz, and joyously giving a hard tap to the lead car that followed the duo for almost three laps on the tough circuit.
"I have always done well at the German championships, so to finally have won is great. I promised my girlfriend to take the jersey this year so she can better recognize me in the Tour," a very emotional Wegmann revealed right after the finish.
As he already mentioned in his diary a couple of days ago, he has been "feeling well all season, just the results weren't coming in." He now has the first win of the season and also won the first German championships for his team.
Markus Eichler, sole rider of Unibet.com, was disappointed that the race "was over after five kilometres. 24 man up front, with most teams in there. There was nothing I could do on my own."
Wegmann confirmed that "all the major teams had at least three riders in the break, so it was clear the race was over for the rest." His directeur sportif, Christian Henn, was a bit worried "when Sinkewitz didn't lead for the past ten kilometres," but is now happy that it finally worked out.
Wegmann for his part was a bit nervous with having to ride from the front the last ten kilometres, but confirmed that "I wanted to delay the sprint as long as possible as I knew that in the last two hundred metres I have the stronger kick. And that is how I did it."
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