Sunday sees the 18th edition of the Vattenfall Cyclassics; the latest in a string of races to please the sprinters and classics specialists. It’s not the most prestigious race, but it nevertheless provides a valuable opportunity to pick up some WorldTour points and to get some hard racing into the legs before the World Championships.
It’s a race that always produces fast, aggressive riding, with the classics specialists looking to spoil the sprint teams’ fun.
John Degenkolb held off the charge of his compatriot, German national champion Andre Greipel, by a bike length to record the first home win in Germany’s only WorldTour event since Erik Zabel in 2001. Norwegian Alexander Kristoff rounded out the podium. Continue reading
The Vuelta a España might be underway but there are other WorldTour events taking place, including the one-day Vattenfall Cyclassics around the beautiful city of Hamburg. Indeed, it’s the only race of its kind at this level in Germany and, like a lot of the Classics-style races, is preceded by a number of amateur events for all age groups and abilities. Continue reading