Kristoff wins fourth straight Eschborn-Frankfurt
Matthews second, Naesen third
European champion Alexander Kristoff muscled his way to a repeat victory in the Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt on Tuesday. The UAE Team Emirates rider out-paced Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) and Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale) in the sprint finish.
Kristoff benefitted from a premature effort by Quick-Step Floors' Fernando Gaviria, who appeared to misjudge the final turn.
"I was lucky because Gaviria went wrong in the last corner," Kristoff said. "He had a small gap so it would have been hard to close. Luck was on my side and in the end, I managed to take it so I'm really happy."
The Eschborn-Frankfurt was given a makeover for its 2018 edition, with a hillier route designed to give the non-sprinters more of a chance of victory.
The remaining riders from a breakaway that went clear on the penultimate climb were only reeled in with 3km to go, and the strain of the 211km race showed on Kristoff's face as the peloton worked to bring the leaders back.
"I did not really feel strong," Kristoff admitted. "On the second lap I was dropped, but luckily I managed to recover and got better. The last two times I felt better and managed to stay in the group."
It's Kristoff's fourth straight victory in the race.
How it unfolded
Beautiful sunshine greeted the riders as they headed out of Eschborn for 211km of racing. The first point of interest came in Bad Homburg with a sprint after 31km before the race headed into the hills. The first climb, the Feldberg (12.6km, averaging 4.7 per cent) came 52km into the race.
The day's early breakaway included Aleksejs Saramotins (Bora-Hansgrohe), Floris Gerts (Roompot), Daniel Teklehaimanot (Cofidis), Antoine Warnier (WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect), Aaron Gate (Aqua Blue Sport), Yukiya Arashiro (Bahrain-Merida), and David Tanner (Veranda's Willems-Crelan), and they were given a lead of a few minutes as the peloton saved its forces over the lumpy long loop.
The course traversed several testing ascents on the loop. The 1.3km Ruppertshain, averaging 8.5 per cent, was a particular leg breaker and, together with the 3km Mammolshain (6.7 per cent), punished the peloton three times. The 3.1km Billtalhohe (6.1 per cent) was tackled twice, with an additional trip over the Mammolshain thrown in before the flat run-in to Frankfurt.
By the time the leaders reached the Ruppertshain with 79km to go, the peloton was within half a minute, and three riders leapt clear to bridge across to the group; Michael Gogl (Trek-Segafredo), Gregor Muhlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Bjorg Lambrecht (Lotto Soudal) made the breakaway 10-strong, but soon Teklehaimanot was left behind.
The remaining group of nine shattered over the Mammolshain, with Gogl, Lambrecht, and Muhlberger leaving the rest behind as the peloton kept them at arm's length, just 20 seconds ahead.
With 50km to go, Arashiro was put back to work chasing the trio for teammate Grega Bole from a front peloton that split over the Mammolshain. Also in the group were Nils Politt and Simon Spilak (Katusha-Alpecin), Laurens De Plus (Quick-Step Floors), Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), and Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo). The group soon reeled in the trio ahead, while the peloton was shedding sprinters behind the pace of Team Sunweb, 45 seconds behind.
On the final ascent of the Mammolshain, the last climb of the race, the peloton was closing in, 35 seconds in arrears as the breakaway began to lose the early attackers. Arashiro was first to go, followed by Politt, leaving eight riders in the lead.
Behind, attacks flew on the climb from Michael Matthews (Sunweb) and Dimension Data's Merhawi Kudus, and they were joined over the top by a CCC's Jan Tratnik, Pieter Weening (Roompot), Marco Canola (Nippo-Vini Fantini) and Nils Politt (Katusha-Alpecin).
This second group slowly clawed its way up to the leaders, sitting midway between the reduced peloton and the head of the race at 20 seconds with 33 largely flat kilometres to go. Riding in his first race since being hit by a car in South Africa and fracturing his pelvis and sacrum, De Plus mostly tail-gunned the leading group while the rest kept a steady rotation, holding off the Matthews group.
With 25km to go, the eight leaders enjoyed a 53-second lead over the chasers and it looked as if the new formula had indeed turned the race on its head. Soon the chasers threw in the towel and were picked up by the peloton, led by UAE Team Emirates for Kristoff, Quick-Step Floors, and CCC Sprandi Polkowice, who were left with a gap of 1:20 to make up over the final 20km.
Quick-Step, knowing that De Plus was out-powered in the lead group, started to pour on the power in the chase, and slashed the advantage of the leaders to just 35 seconds as they wound through Frankfurt with 17km to go. With the peloton bearing down, there was an attack with 10.7km to go from Bernard, with Spilak and Bole latching on. Buchmann and Lambrecht fought to rejoin the leaders but only the Bora-Hansgrohe rider made it across. Now only four-strong, the lead group held a lead of 15 seconds on the peloton with 8km to go. With four to go, the gap was down to five seconds.
However, the Quick-Step Floors team had the quartet in its sights as they led the peloton through the finishing chute with 6km to go, but let the four leaders dangle, finally sweeping past with 3km to go. UAE Team Emirates sent Aleksandr Riabushenko off the front with 2.5km to go in an attempt to foil the script. Several counter-attacks followed, but the sprint was inevitable.
Quick-Step had the lead-out in its hand, and Gaviria looked to have stolen a march on his rivals, only to misjudge the final bend and bash his handlebars in frustration. In the long subsequent drag to the line, Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale) opened up the sprint, but Kristoff mowed him down, holding off Matthews to take a repeat win.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates | 5:13:24 |
2 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Jan Tratnik (Slo) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Nippo-Vini Fantini-Europa Ovini | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Dion Smith (NZl) Wanty-Groupe Gobert | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Casper Pedersen (Den) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:07 |
22 | Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr) UAE Team Emirates | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Fernando Gaviria (Col) Quick-Step Floors | 0:00:10 |
26 | Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | 0:00:18 |
27 | Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin | 0:00:28 |
28 | Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 0:00:44 |
29 | Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini-Europa Ovini | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Julien Mortier (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Bjorg Lambrecht (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Huub Duijn (Ned) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Artem Nych (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | James Shaw (GBr) Lotto Soudal | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:49 |
38 | Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Marco Tizza (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini-Europa Ovini | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Patryk Stosz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:01:12 |
42 | Simone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Dimension Data | 0:01:26 |
44 | Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Aqua Blue Sport | 0:01:37 |
45 | Dmitriy Kozontchuk (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension Data | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) UAE Team Emirates | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Davide Martinelli (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Amaro Antunes (Por) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Ildar Arslanov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Sergey Firsanov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension Data | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:01:43 |
59 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bahrain-Merida | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Roberto Ferrari (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Nicola Conci (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Laurens De Plus (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert | 0:03:33 |
66 | Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 0:03:52 |
67 | Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Fortuneo-Samsic | 0:04:11 |
68 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Aaron Gate (NZl) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Amael Moinard (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Matteo Bono (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Steff Cras (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marco Mathis (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Lotto Soudal | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lawrence Naesen (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Enzo Wouters (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Edward Theuns (Bel) Team Sunweb | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Quick-Step Floors | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Quick-Step Floors | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolas Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jay Thomson (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gregory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-Segafredo | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-Segafredo | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alex Frame (NZl) Trek-Segafredo | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eduard Michael Grosu (Rom) Nippo-Vini Fantini-Europa Ovini | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sho Hatsuyama (Jpn) Nippo-Vini Fantini-Europa Ovini | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marino Kobayashi (Jpn) Nippo-Vini Fantini-Europa Ovini | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini-Europa Ovini | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ivan Garcia (Spa) Bahrain-Merida | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Meiyin Wang (Chn) Bahrain-Merida | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Floris Gerts (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jeroen Meijers (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sjoerd van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Brian van Goethem (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michel Kreder (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Peter Koning (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simon Antonini (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty-Groupe Gobert | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Aaron Verwilst (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Brice Feillu (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Justin Jules (Fra) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Deruette (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alex Kirsch (Lux) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lukas Spengler (Swi) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Antoine Warnier (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marko Kump (Slo) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michal Paluta (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Arjen Livyns (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stijn Steels (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
DNF | David Tanner (Aus) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Veranda's Willems Crelan | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
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Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.
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