Kristoff wins Eschborn-Frankfurt
Katusha rider wins for the third time
Alexander Kristoff powered to his third career Eschborn-Frankfurt victory Monday, led out so well in the finishing sprint that his Katusha-Alpecin teammate Rick Zabel claimed a convincing second. Trek-Segafredo's John Degenkolb rounded out the podium in third.
It was left to a much-reduced peloton to contest the finale on a cold, wet day in Germany. A number of aggressors tried to deny the surviving sprinters their shot at the win with attempted escapes in the last 30 kilometres, but none managed to stay clear, setting up a sprint on rain-slicked urban roads.
Katusha led the race into the last few hundred metres and Zabel and defending champion Kristoff even managed to put a gap of several bike lengths into those behind as they wound up to speed. Kristoff pulled in front as the line approached to take a commanding WorldTour win.
"I was a little bit dropped on the last climb but I had a strong team around me to pull me back," Kristoff said. "Without them I would have had no chance. We came back just before the laps and Rick was guiding me through the corners at the end and he did a perfect lead out for me and ended up second himself. Luckily he was my teammate in those last few k's because otherwise I think he would have won the race!
"Earlier Tony Martin and Angel Vicioso and also team Bora Hansgrohe were working with us. Then at the end Nils Politt and Zabel took over. It was a big team effort to get back on the front that enabled me to sprint for the victory. We are really happy and it was a great performance," said Kristoff.
An eight-man break formed over the lumpy early goings of the day as the race took on a succession of climbs on the outskirts of Frankfurt. Peter Koning (Aqua Blue Sport), Antoine Warnier (WB Veranclassic Aqua Project), Carl Soballa (Germany), Jens Wallays (Sport-Vlaanderen Baloise), Twan Castelijns (LottoNL-Jumbo), Brian van Goethem (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij), Dries De Bondt (Vérandas Willems-Crelan) and Nikolay Trusov (Gazprom-Rusvelo) comprised the move, whose advantage topped out at around five and a half minutes before the pack began shortening the leash.
Nasty weather saw the likes of Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) and Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) all pull out of the race before the racing really heated up.
The early break was caught with some 45 kilometres left to go. The regrouping spurred multiple attempts to form a new, stable escape, but none succeeded in opening a significant gap for more than a few minutes.
A strong selection of just under 20 riders – including Degenkolb – led the race into the final 30 kilometres but a peloton live to danger was sure not to give them too much breathing room. They were rejoined by the chasing pack 15 kilometres later.
Van Goethem and Pim Ligthart (Roompot-Nederlandse lotterij) made a last-ditch attempt to escape in the finale but were brought to heel to set up a sprint, where Katusha-Alpecin delivered Kristoff to perfection and a dominant victory.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin | 5:29:32 |
2 | Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Quick-Step Floors | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Ben Swift (GBr) UAE Team Emirates | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Alex Kirsch (Lux) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Francisco Ventoso (Spa) BMC Racing Team | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:00:06 |
18 | Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Gaetan Bille (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Rúben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-Segafredo | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:00:15 |
27 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00:16 |
29 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Adam James Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:19 |
31 | Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:23 |
32 | Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Jan Tratnik (Slo) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:00:27 |
34 | Floris De Tier (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:00:35 |
35 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:40 |
40 | Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00:43 |
41 | Thomas Scully (NZl) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:00:57 |
42 | Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | 0:01:05 |
43 | Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:19 |
44 | Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:01:25 |
45 | Petr Vakoc (Cze) Quick-Step Floors | 0:01:36 |
46 | Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:48 |
47 | Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | 0:01:50 |
48 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Ángel Vicioso (Spa) Katusha-Alpecin | 0:02:38 |
50 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Aaron Gate (NZl) Aqua Blue Sport | 0:03:55 |
52 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Peter Koning (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Michal Paluta (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Olivier Pardini (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Raymond Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:04:05 |
DNF | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marco Mathis (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Quick-Step Floors | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fernando Gaviria (Col) Quick-Step Floors | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Erik Baska (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
DNF | André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Enzo Wouters (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Sunweb | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Sunweb | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marko Kump (Slo) UAE Team Emirates | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yousif Mirza Alhammadi (UAE) UAE Team Emirates | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Federico Zurlo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ruben Pols (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jens Wallays (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Loïc Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Raffael Freienstein (Ger) German National Team | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christopher Hatz (Ger) German National Team | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nikodemus Holler (Ger) German National Team | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Georg Loef (Ger) German National Team | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christian Mager (Ger) German National Team | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonas Rapp (Ger) German National Team | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Carl Soballa (Ger) German National Team | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Georg Zimmermann (Ger) German National Team | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ryan Mullen (Irl) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Daan Olivier (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevyn Ista (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Deruette (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gregory Habeaux (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christophe Masson (Fra) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Antoine Warnier (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Leigh Howard (Aus) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stefan Denifl (Aut) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martyn Irvine (Irl) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Calvin Watson (Aus) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martijn Budding (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Berden De Vries (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jens Mouris (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sander Cordeel (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Huub Duijn (Ned) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Timothy Dupont (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 147 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 148 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 149 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 150 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 151 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Artem Nych (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 152 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ivan Savitskiy (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 153 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Aleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 154 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 155 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 156 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Leszek Plucinski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 157 - Cell 2 |
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