Top sprinter Caleb Ewan won the first stage of the Deutschland Tour over 172 kilometers from Weimar to Meiningen in the Werratal.
The Australian from Team Lotto-Soudal won on Thursday (08/25/2022) after a spectacular stage, which was characterized by the great atmosphere of the cycling fans along the route. Max Kanter (Movistar) and Felix Groß (UAE Team Emirates) in third and fourth made for a great result from a German perspective, second place went to Italy’s Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious).
“A Very Sweet Victory”
Caleb Ewan said after his win on the sports show: “It was a very sweet win after an average few months. My team never lost faith in me.”
His teammate Roger Kluge also made a significant contribution to Ewan’s success. The track specialist kept the 28-year-old out of the wind for a long time. “In the end we wanted to be as fresh as possible. We managed that well.”said Kluge. “He then sat with Kristoff on the rear wheel in a headwind, was able to wait a long time and won. A good day for us.”
Strong breakaway trio
For a long time, a trio of breakaways had shaped the day, which in the meantime even had hopes of being able to decide the stage victory among themselves.
Michiel Stockmann (SKS Sauerland), Jakob Geßner (Lotto-Kern Haus + 24) – who ultimately secured the mountain jersey – and Roman Duckert (Dauner-Akkon) had left shortly after the start in the Goethe and Schiller city of Weimar and in the meantime gained a lead of around four minutes.
In the end Duckert was left
On the last 20 kilometers, 20-year-old Duckert pulled away from the leading trio, but his courageous escape ended ten kilometers from the finish.
The peloton – driven by Team Lotto-Soudal, who ultimately succeeded – had put on so much pressure in this phase that not even the Dutch European Champion Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team) could follow and fell back decisively. Intermarché also pushed the pace to get their top man Alexander Kristoff in position.
Politt tests Ganna
Nils Politt (Bora-hansgrohe), who had just missed out on winning the day before in the prologue, pedaled a little harder 15 kilometers before the finish line in order to gain the bonus seconds for the jump into the red jersey of the overall leader with a possible stage win conquer. But prologue winner and time trial world champion Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) reacted immediately and even briefly countered with his own attack.
Ganna continues to lead in the overall standings. The time trial world champion is two seconds ahead of Dutchman Bauke Mollema and three seconds ahead of Milan and defending champion Politt.
Friday we go to Marburg
On Friday the second stage continues over 201 kilometers from Meiningen to Marburg. The subsequent royal stage with the mountain finish on the Schauinsland then broadcasts the first again.