In the women’s race, Liane Lippert secured the title for the second time after 2018. The 24-year-old from Friedrichshafen prevailed after 122 kilometers in the sprint of a five-man lead group in front of Ricarda Bauernfeind and Nadine Gill. “I put pressure on myself. It was mentally more difficult than in 2018, when nobody expected me,” added the driver of the DSM team.
The men’s race on the difficult course with around 3000 meters of altitude was almost like a elimination race. Politt and Arndt left the field early in a small group. But when it came down to it, fellow breakaways Simon Geschke and time trial champion Lennard Kämna could no longer keep up with the pace. Five kilometers from the finish, Politt continued alone with his powerful kick.
Bora dominated
The Bora team, with its many options, always had everything under control. For the sixth time since Emanuel Buchmann first won the title in Bensheim in 2015, the German championship jersey has gone to the team based in Raubling in Upper Bavaria. Only in 2016 (André Greipel) and 2020 (Marcel Meisen) did the team of team owner Ralph Denk not provide the national title holder.
“In the end I didn’t have my legs anymore, but as long as we have the champion’s jersey everything is fine,” said Kämna, who was a favorite after winning the time trial. Four minutes behind Politt, the Giro stage winner finally reached the finish line in eleventh place.
Politt is now going on tour with the black, red and gold breast ring. The man from Cologne has his ticket for Copenhagen safe, even if the Bora team has postponed the announcement of their squad. Kämna, who won the stage of the Tour of France in 2020, is still hoping for his tour ticket. “I hope it happens that way and that I’ll be there,” he said. The 109th Tour of France starts on Friday with a 13.2 kilometer individual time trial in the Danish capital.