Felix Engelhardt Crowned German Champion in Bad Liebenstein
By Guido Scholl
Felix Engelhardt (Jayco – AlUla) has become the German Champion in Bad Liebenstein. | Photo: Christian Heilwagen
28.06.2026 | (rsn) – Felix Engelhardt (Jayco – AlUla) secured his first title at the German Road Championships. The second place finisher from last year triumphed after a grueling 191.6 kilometers in Bad Liebenstein, finishing the sprint among a five-rider breakaway ahead of Lennart Jasch (Tudor) and Nico Denz (Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe). Engelhardt had initially been dropped but managed to rejoin his competitors within the final kilometer.
Post-Race Reflections
Behind time trial champion Nils Politt (UAE – Emirates – XRG), defending champion Georg Zimmermann (Lotto – Intermarché) finished in fifth place. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Lidl – Trek) was sixth, 52 seconds behind, followed by Maximilian Schachmann (Soudal – Quick-Step) and Lennard Kämna (Lidl – Trek) in seventh and eighth, respectively.
“It’s an incredibly beautiful feeling; everyone dreams of racing in the champion’s jersey, especially when it leads to the Tour,” Engelhardt shared in a post-race interview with MDR.
The Race Dynamics
The race unfolded under extreme heat, making it a fierce competition right from the start. Early on, riders like Max Walscheid (Lidl – Trek) and Miguel Heidemann (Rembe – rad-net) formed part of a six-man breakaway. By the beginning of the third of seven laps, 135 kilometers from the finish, Georg Steinhauser (EF Education – EasyPost) and Marco Brenner (Tudor) had also made their move forward, while Engelhardt helped bring a larger group back into contention.
Two riders, Schachmann and Brenner, broke away from this initial field. Politt, Heidemann, Jonas Rutsch (Intermarché – Lotto), and Teutenberg chased after them. They managed to unite 117 kilometers from the finish line. However, midway through the fourth lap, Rutsch faced mechanical issues that set him back behind the main group.
Strategic Moves and Breakaways
Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe played a crucial role in controlling the race dynamics, ensuring that the leading group’s gap did not grow past 1:10 minutes. With 65 kilometers remaining, Ben Zwiehoff accelerated uphill, fracturing the main peloton into several segments. This led to a sizable chasing pack forming behind the leading quartet of Politt, Schachmann, Brenner, and Teutenberg.
Kämna initiated another round of selection, only leaving Zimmermann, Denz, Jasch, Jermaine Zemke (Rembe – rad-net), and Engelhardt behind. This group caught up to the leaders 41 kilometers from the finish and quickly increased their lead over the chasing group.
The Final Showdown
As they approached the final climb, Zimmermann, Engelhardt, Politt, Jasch, and Denz distanced themselves yet again. Politt initiated an attack 10 kilometers from the finish line, which briefly dropped Engelhardt. However, he regained momentum shortly afterward. Entering the final 1,000 meters, the five riders were neck-and-neck. Politt launched the sprint early, but Engelhardt, who had started in last position, surged past to secure a clear victory, with Jasch finishing close behind for second.
