🚴🇩🇪 | Na een dappere vluchtpoging van Jan Christen gaan we toch sprinten met een uitgedund groepje. Het is Maxim van Gils die nog maar eens laat zien prima in vorm te zijn. 👏🇧🇪 #EschbornFrankfurt 👀 📺 Koers kijk je via discovery+
Maximum effort from Van Gils! Young Belgian impressively sprints to WorldTour victory at Eschborn-Frankfurt
CyclingWednesday, 01 May 2024 at 10:30
Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Dstny) masterfully controlled the 2024 Eschborn-Frankfurt on a warm day in Germany. After a fiercely contested race, he emerged victorious following a frantic circuit around the German city. Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) found himself boxed in during the sprint and thus couldn't compete at full strength, finishing in fourteenth place.
Whether regarded as a spring classic or not, this edition of Eschborn-Frankfurt certainly left its mark on the season. On May 1st, Labor Day in Germany, the riders faced five hours and two hundred kilometers under the sun. For many, it was either a splendid extension of the spring season or a great start to a new block of racing, as well as a fine interlude.
At 12:05 PM, the riders set off in Eschborn for their race, and immediately, three men successfully broke away: surprisingly including John Degenkolb, normally the lead man for DSM-Firmenich PostNL. Jacopo Mosca (Lidl-Trek teammate of Thibau Nys) and Warre Vangheluwe (Soudal Quick-Step) also joined the local favorite in the breakaway, to which the peloton seemed content to let go.
The trio quickly gained a seven-minute lead, prompting several teams to finally band together: Lotto-Dstny (Van Gils), Alpecin-Deceuninck (Kragh Andersen and Laurance), and UAE-Team Emirates (Hirschi and Politt) each placed a rider at the front of the main group as they approached the hilly zone, including the Mannolshein and Feldberg.
Eenkhoorn and Bax play crucial roles in supporting their leaders Van Gils and Hirschi
While Degenkolb continued to lead, his teammate Kevin Vermaerke – who will also be riding in the Giro – decided to launch an initial probing attack from the back. The remainder of the peloton let the American go, but he soon realized the futility of his attempt. UAE-Team Emirates and Lotto-Dstny then maintained the pace for their leaders, which naturally thinned out the group on the Feldberg.
The first attack on this decisive climb was launched by UAE's young rider Jan Christen, with Emanuel Buchmann, not selected for the Giro, also proving to be very alert. Eventually, a group of about thirty riders crested the top of the Feldberg, after which the race dynamics reset in the long descent from the hill.
In the end, it was Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) who made a move, along with Buchmann. The German and Irish champions worked well together, while their teammates behind did their part to block any chases. However, Sjoerd Bax managed to neutralize their effort with a strong pull at the front.
Christen proves strongest on the climbs
On the Mannolshein, the Dutchman's efforts were not in vain: Christen immediately broke away, while his teammate Marc Hirschi controlled any counterattacks. Consequently, Christen passed the summit with a lead of about fifteen seconds, which he quickly extended to half a minute. In the chasing group of around twenty riders, several teams attempted to close the gap.
As they entered Frankfurt, the 19-year-old's lead visibly diminished, but he persisted. Thus, his lead hovered around a slim ten seconds for a while, but in the last three kilometers, he finally had to yield. From that point, the race was set for a sprint finish with a select group.
Van Gils followed the other teams and surged past competitors Alex Aranburu and Marc Hirschi in the final stretch, securing his victory in Frankfurt. Aranburu finished second for Movistar, ahead of Israel-Premier Tech rider Rhiley Sheehan.
Results Eschborn-Frankfurt 2024
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
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Latest Comments
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024