At the World Championships, German cycling experts display their indomitable will to win
On the last day of the European Cycling Road Championships, the German cycling pros drew a blank. Despite putting in a solid performance, the German Cycling Federation (BDR) squad couldn't clinch a victory in the finals. Riders Nils Politt and Jonas Rutsch were the standouts. The Germans performed exceptionally well in the junior and under-23 categories.
Politt tore through the Belgian cobblestones, Rutsch teamed up with reigning world champion Mathieu van der Poel in a breakaway, and John Degenkolb gave his all in a sprint at the finish line: The German cycling pros gave it their all at the conclusion of the European Cycling Road Championships in Belgium, but their efforts went unnoticed. Despite an impressive and commendable performance, the BDR team completed the 222.9 km race between Heusden-Zolder and Hasselt without any medals. The win went to Belgian rider Tim Merlier in a chaotic mass sprint, edging out Dutchman Olav Kooij and Estonian Madis Mihkels. Max Walscheid was the highest-placed German, finishing 12th.
The 31-year-old Merlier, a two-time Belgian champion, was overjoyed with his first European Championship title: "I had a good day, and I grew more confident in the win as the race progressed. It means a lot to me, I'm very pleased."
Triumph in junior and under-23 categories
The German team had an eventful race, often spearheading the pack with Politt taking the lead over a cobblestone section, or Rutsch joining a breakaway. Approximately 50 km before the finish, Rutsch joined the top contenders, including van der Poel, in a breakaway. However, like several previous attempts, this one also fell short. The Italians, led by Jonathan Milan, thwarted the breakaway and pushed for a sprint finish. Belgium played their cards smartly and claimed their targeted victory.
For the BDR, the championship races were particularly successful in the junior and under-23 categories. On Sunday, Messane Bräutigam claimed her second silver medal in the junior women's road race, placing second to Dutch rider Puck Langenbarg. Earlier in the week, Bräutigam also won silver in the mixed relay. On top of that, Antonia Niedermaier (U23 time trial) and Niklas Behrens (U23 road race) both bagged silver medals. The German mixed relay team, featuring Politt, also finished second. In the junior men's time trial, talent Paul Fietzke secured a bronze medal.
Despite the German cycling pros failing to secure a victory in the elite category, their juniors and under-23 counterparts triumphed. Messane Braüttigam and Paul Fietzke both claimed silver and bronze medals respectively in their respective categories, adding to the German Cycling Federation's (BDR) overall success in the European Cycling Road Championships.
The success in the junior and under-23 categories serve as a testament to the qualitative strength and promising future of German sports in cycling.
