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Matthews triumphs at Rund um Köln

Australian tops Kittel, Nizzolo in field sprint finale

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2010 U23 world champion Michael Matthews (Rabobank) is making a fine transition to the elite ranks, taking his third victory of the season.

2010 U23 world champion Michael Matthews (Rabobank) is making a fine transition to the elite ranks, taking his third victory of the season. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Legendary German cyclist Rudi Altig was the starter at the Rund um Köln.

Legendary German cyclist Rudi Altig was the starter at the Rund um Köln. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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The peloton stretched out in the Rund um Köln.

The peloton stretched out in the Rund um Köln. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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The peloton in action during the Rund um Köln.

The peloton in action during the Rund um Köln. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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The main break of the day included (l-r) Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek), Cesare Benedetti (NetApp), Dominik Nerz (German National Team), Jarno Gmelich (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) and Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano).

The main break of the day included (l-r) Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek), Cesare Benedetti (NetApp), Dominik Nerz (German National Team), Jarno Gmelich (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) and Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano). (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Rund um Köln podium (l-r): Marcel Kittel (Skil - Shimano), Michael Matthews (Rabobank), Giacomo Nizzolo (Leopard Trek)

Rund um Köln podium (l-r): Marcel Kittel (Skil - Shimano), Michael Matthews (Rabobank), Giacomo Nizzolo (Leopard Trek) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Rund um Köln winner Michael Matthews (Rabobank)

Rund um Köln winner Michael Matthews (Rabobank) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek) on the attack as usual.

Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek) on the attack as usual. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Several German pros rode the Rund um Köln in German National Team kit, including Danilo Hondo.

Several German pros rode the Rund um Köln in German National Team kit, including Danilo Hondo. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Michael Matthews (Rabobank) powers to the finish line.

Michael Matthews (Rabobank) powers to the finish line. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Third-place finisher Giacomo Nizzolo (Leopard Trek) on the podium.

Third-place finisher Giacomo Nizzolo (Leopard Trek) on the podium. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Sebastian Körber (Nutrixxion Sparkasse) gets aero.

Sebastian Körber (Nutrixxion Sparkasse) gets aero. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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2011 Rund um Köln champion Michael Matthews (Rabobank) with his winner's hardware.

2011 Rund um Köln champion Michael Matthews (Rabobank) with his winner's hardware. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

2010 U23 world champion Michael Matthews (Rabobank) continues to impress in his first season as a ProTour rider as he sprinted to victory in Germany's Rund um Köln. The 20-year-old Australian topped Marcel Kittel (Skil-Shimano) and Giacomo Nizzolo (Leopard Trek) to take his third victory of the season.

"I did not expect to win, but I had good legs today," said Matthews. "And the team was good, so I just had to remain calm and stay out of trouble. This was really an easy day for me.

"It's been a while [since the team won a race] so it's a good win for the team and for myself. I look confidently ahead to the coming races."

The race was dominated by a five-man break comprised of Jens Voigt (Leopard Trek), Cesare Benedetti (NetApp), Dominik Nerz (German National Team), Jarno Gmelich (Cyclingteam Jo Piels) and Thierry Hupond (Skil-Shimano). The escapees at one point held a six-minute advantage over the peloton but chase efforts primarily undertaken by Vacansoleil-DCM and Rabobank ultimately neutralised the move with 50km remaining in the 203.5km race.

Rabobank, starting the minimum six-rider team, played a smart tactical game, albeit with some risk involved. "Jos van Emden and Coen Vermeltfoort together with Vacansoleil brought the break back, but that also meant that they were gone sixty kilometres from the finish line," said Rabobank team manager Frans Maassen.

The team still had three sprinters in its arsenal, Matthews, Graeme Brown and Theo Bos, but when Brown and Bos were dropped on the final climb Matthews became the primary sprinting option.

"We had the feeling that Matthews would be our man, but we would make our decision after the last climb," said Maassen. "Matthews had at the time only Tom Jelte Slagter to assist him, but fortunately Bos and Brown made it back and could help keep the peloton together."

Despite a number of attacks in the race's endgame, the teams of the sprinters ensured a field sprint finish in which Matthews proved the quickest on the streets of Cologne.

Full Results
1Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team4:50:50
2Marcel Kittel (Ger) Skil - Shimano
3Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Leopard Trek
4David Kopp (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
5Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet
6Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
7Andreas Dietziker (Swi) Team Netapp
8Blaz Jarc (Slo) Adria Mobil
9Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Leopard Trek
10Dries Hollanders (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
11Silvan Dillier (Swi) Team Vorarlberg
12Kasper Jebjerg (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO
13Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly
14Michaël Baer (Swi) Team Netapp
15Joeri Stallaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
16Robert Förster (Ger) German National Team
17Sylwester Janiszewski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
18Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
19Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet
20Kenny Terweduwe (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
21Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
22Jacob Fiedler (Ger) Team NSP
23Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly
24Blazej Janiaczyk (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
25Martin Hunal (Cze) AC Sparta Praha
26Danilo Hondo (Ger) German National Team
27Andreas Hofer (Aut) Tyrol Team
28Roy Curvers (Ned) Skil - Shimano
29Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team Netapp
30Markus Eichler (Ger) Team NSP
31Jasper Hamelink (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels
32Stefan Ganser (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
33Alexander Schmitt (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
34Ricardo Van Der Velde (Ned) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly
35Stefan Kirchmair (Aut) Tyrol Team
36Michaël Vanderaerden (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly
37Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post - Sean Kelly
38Julian Hellmann (Ger) Team Heizomat
39Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
40Luc Hagenaars (Ned) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
41Pim De Beer (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels
42Emmanuel Van Ruitenbeek (Ned) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
43Mark McNally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly
44Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels
45Christian Knees (Ger) German National Team
46Robert Retschke (Ger) Team Netapp
47Tomas Okrouhlicky (Cze) AC Sparta Praha
48Michal Golas (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
49Marco Haller (Aut) Adria Mobil
50Alexander Gottfried (Ger) Team Netapp
51Arne Hassink (Ned) TT Raiko Argon 18
52Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
53Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
54Kristjan Fajt (Slo) Adria Mobil
55Alexander Nordhoff (Ger) Seven Stones
56Björn Schröder (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
57James Spragg (GBr) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly
58Jan Oelerich (Ger) TT Raiko Argon 18
59Primoz Segina (Slo) Adria Mobil
60Patrick Bercz (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
61Bart Dockx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
62Harald Totschnig (Aut) Tyrol Team
63Edwig Cammaerts (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
64Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly
65Sergej Fuchs (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
66Björn Thurau (Ger) Team NSP
67Thierry Hupond (Fra) Skil - Shimano
68Mario Schoibl (Aut) Tyrol Team
69Mario Vogt (Ger) Team Heizomat
70Norbert Durauer (Aut) Tyrol Team
71Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek
72Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels
73Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek
74Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Leopard Trek0:00:16
75Brian Megens (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels
76Stefan Poll (Aut) Team Vorarlberg0:00:18
77Tomaz Nose (Slo) Adria Mobil
78Troels Ronning Vinther (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO0:00:19
79Ladislav Fabisovsky (Cze) AC Sparta Praha0:00:20
80Maxim Belkov (Rus) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
81Kajetan Fricke (Ger) Team Vorarlberg0:00:22
82René Obst (Ger) Team NSP
83Lucas Schädlich (Ger) Team NSP
84Steffen Radochla (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
85Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
86Christopher Roth (Ger) Seven Stones
87Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) German National Team
88Andreas Klier (Ger) German National Team
89Matthias Bertling (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
90Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Team Netapp
91Stefan Van Winden (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels
92Jarno Gmelich (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels
93Pawel Charucki (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
94Mitja Mahoric (Slo) Adria Mobil
95Martin Pedersen (Den) Leopard Trek
96Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
97Dirk Müller (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
98Tom Stubbe (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly
99William Clarke (Aus) Leopard Trek0:00:27
100Marcus Burghardt (Ger) German National Team0:00:28
101Huub Duyn (Ned) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly
102Cheng Ji (Chn) Skil - Shimano0:00:31
103Jan Deutschmann (Ger) TT Raiko Argon 18
104Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:00:35
105Nils Plötner (Ger) Team Heizomat
106Mitchell Docker (Aus) Skil - Shimano0:00:38
107Mathias Belka (Ger) TT Raiko Argon 180:00:46
108Roger Kluge (Ger) Skil - Shimano
109Dominic Klemme (Ger) Leopard Trek
110Martin Reimer (Ger) Skil - Shimano0:00:49
111Blaz Furdi (Slo) Adria Mobil0:00:51
112Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet0:01:01
DNFJos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNFCoen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNFJens Mouris (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNFFrederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNFDominik Nerz (Ger) German National Team
DNFJonathan Breyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNFHans Dekkers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet
DNFMichael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team Netapp
DNFMateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNFAndré Schulze (Ger) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNFTomas Smolen (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
DNFSebastian Forke (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
DNFSebastian Körber (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
DNFMichael Schweizer (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
DNFFlorian Monreal (Ger) Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland
DNFSven Forberger (Ger) Team NSP
DNFMarkus Fothen (Ger) Team NSP
DNFTimo Thömel (Ger) Team NSP
DNFJan Van Puyvelde (Ger) TT Raiko Argon 18
DNFDominik Ivo (Ger) TT Raiko Argon 18
DNFDavid Charles Brown (RSA) TT Raiko Argon 18
DNFJoachim Tolles (Ger) TT Raiko Argon 18
DNFChristian Mager (Ger) Team Heizomat
DNFMarius Jessenberge (Ger) Team Heizomat
DNFAlexander Krieger (Ger) Team Heizomat
DNFHans Joachim Benning (Ger) Seven Stones
DNFMichael Hümbert Jr (Ger) Seven Stones
DNFRon Pfeifer (Ger) Seven Stones
DNFDominik Brändle (Aut) Team Vorarlberg
DNFMatic Strgar (Slo) Team Vorarlberg
DNFRené Weissinger (Ger) Team Vorarlberg
DNFMarc Obkircher (Aut) Tyrol Team
DNFDaniel Rinner (Lie) Tyrol Team
DNFMartin Weiss (Aut) Tyrol Team
DNFSander Helven (Bel) Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly
DNFTomas Holub (Cze) AC Sparta Praha
DNFVaclav Hlavac (Cze) AC Sparta Praha
DNFTomas Hruby (Cze) AC Sparta Praha
DNFRostislav Krotky (Cze) AC Sparta Praha
DNFJiri Nesveda (Cze) AC Sparta Praha
DNFMathias Gade Jacobsen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO
DNFKasper Linde Jorgensen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO
DNFMichael Berling (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO
DNFChristian Moberg Jörgensen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO
DNFJelle Posthuma (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels
DNFMatej Gnezda (Slo) Adria Mobil

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