- Kanter secures the second position during King's Germany Tour
Jonathan Milan clinched the pinnacle stage of the D-Tour, notching his third triumph in the process. The Italian outpaced Max Kanter in a thrilling finish at Villingen-Schwenningen. Following a grueling 211.1 kilometers across the Swabian Alb, Belgian rider Jordi Meeus claimed the third spot.
In the standings, Milan's teammate Mads Pedersen preserved his position. The Danish ex-world champion holds a 12-second edge over Norwegian Tobias Johannessen and a 19-second cushion over Dutch competitor Danny van Poppel. No German expert cracks the top ten prior to the concluding stage.
Mayrhofer spearheads breakaway
On the toughest stage of the competition, with 3,000 meters of ascent, a five-man breakaway materialized beyond the 20-kilometer mark. The final quartet, including German up-and-comer Marius Mayrhofer, amassed a maximum lead of around six minutes on the hilly terrain of the Black Forest.
In the peloton, Pedersen's team, Lidl-Trek, assumed the majority of the tempo, while Red Bull lent its support. The leader's stamina waned, and the four professionals were reeled in with approximately 10 kilometers left to race. Despite repeated bid attempts for the breakaway, the event ended in a sprint, with Milan once again triumphing. The 23-year-old had previously won the prologue and the opening stage.
Titles decided in Saarbrücken
The ultimate verdict on the championship will be announced on Sunday's final stage to Saarbrücken. The 182.7 kilometers are marginally less daunting than Saturday's stage, but a bonus seconds sprint at around the 4-kilometer mark could influence the general classification.
Despite no German rider making it to the top ten before the final stage, Marius Mayrhofer from Germany showed promising performance by leading a breakaway on the toughest stage of the competition. Despite their best efforts, the breakaway group, including Mayrhofer, was reeled in before the final sprint, allowing Jonathan Milan to clinch another victory.
