Wagner wins the sprint

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Robert Wagner of Leopard Trek is the new German road champion after winning the mass sprint after 208 kilometers. He easily beat Gerald Ciolek (Quick Step) and John Degenkolb (HTC-Highroad).

“I only wantted to do a good race here,” Wagner told Radsport-News.de. “That I ended up being the first over the finish line is as unbelieveable for me as it is for everyone else. In light of the many injuries and crashes that I had the last few months, I am simply overwhelmed that I won here.”

The race covered 13 rounds of a 16km circuit course, and was a hard-fought one. Many riders tried to break out, with Leopard Trek's Jens Voigt being especially active. However, a group of 73 entered the final lap, and a closed field headed into the final kilometer. Wagner opened the sprint, with Ciolek following, and they stayed in those positions as they crossed the finish line.

In the first lap, the trio of little-known riders Dani Westmattelmann (Team Eddy Merckx-Indeland), Yannick Bok (TT Raiko Argon 18) and Kim Lachmann (for you e.V.-Radsport) got away and held on to about a one minte lead. In the sixth lap, Bok dropped out of the group and abandoned the race, and the other two were soon back in the peloton.

The next group to establish itself consisted of Dominic Klemme (Leopard Trek), Nils Plötner (Team Heizomat) and Michael Weicht (LKT Team Brandenburg). They too were unable to hold their one-minute lead. From there, attack followed attack, but the field didn't let anyone get away.

Jens Voigt tried several times to get away, but was ultimately unsuccessful and eventually fell out of the large lead group. The field held together until the end, with Wagner winning ahead of such better-known sprinters as Degenkolb and Andre Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto).

Full Results