French rider Magnier wins Hamburg Cyclassics mass sprint as amateur rider dies
Paul Magnier claimed the 29th Hamburg Cyclassics in a mass sprint over 205.3 km, as a 70-year-old amateur rider died during the supporting events.
Race summary
Paul Magnier won the 29th edition of the Hamburg Cyclassics on Sunday afternoon, prevailing in a mass sprint after 205.3 kilometres. The 22-year-old French rider for the Belgian team Soudal Quick-Step crossed the finish line in the Mönckebergstraße in Hamburg's city centre in 4 hours, 17 minutes and 55 seconds, where thousands of fans greeted the riders. Magnier, born in the United States, had already claimed three stage wins at this year's Giro d'Italia. He raised both arms and thrust a fist in the air as he celebrated his victory. He benefited from the fact that top sprinters such as Jonathan Milan of Italy (Lidl-Trek) did not contest the final sprint. As in the previous year, the professional race started in Buxtehude in Lower Saxony, with the peloton heading towards the northern metropolis over the Köhlbrandbrücke.
Podium and German result
Dutch rider Mike Teunissen (XDS Astana) finished second behind Magnier, with Australian Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) taking third place. The best German finisher was Henri Uhlig from Regensburg (Alpecin-Premier-Tech) in fifth. The race is primarily oriented towards sprinters, and several of cycling's biggest names were absent from Hamburg. Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar from Slovenia and Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard did not start. German rider Florian Lipowitz, who crashed at this year's Tour de France, also sat out the event.
- Professional race begins in Buxtehude, Lower Saxony
- Two riders crash out, including Michael Matthews (four TDF stage wins)
- Isaac del Toro falls while collecting feed bag, continues
- Six-rider breakaway caught before final Waseberg crossing
- Paul Magnier wins mass sprint in 4:17:55 over 205.3 km
Crashes and the Waseberg
The Waseberg in western Hamburg, with an average gradient of 9.4 percent over 0.7 kilometres, was crossed five times during the race, making the finale more demanding. Before the six-rider breakaway group featuring German professionals Jonas Rutsch and Niklas Behrens approached the first of the five Waseberg ascents, two riders had already crashed out. Among them was Australian Michael Matthews, winner of four Tour de France stages. Isaac del Toro of Mexico, who finished third in this year's Tour de France, briefly fell while collecting a feed bag but was able to continue quickly. The breakaway group was caught approximately 15 kilometres before the finish and the final Waseberg crossing.
- Magnier
- 1 position
- Teunissen
- 2 position
- Pithie
- 3 position
- Uhlig
- 5 position
Tragedy in the amateur races
A 70-year-old participant died during the amateur races held before the professional event on the same course. According to police, responding to an inquiry from the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, the man suffered a medical emergency on the course. He was resuscitated during the race and later died in hospital. The organisers stated that no other major accidents occurred during the amateur events. Traffic restrictions were in place across the city, particularly in the city centre where the professional finish was located.
Tributes and upcoming races
Before the professional race began, a minute of silence was held for Finlay Tarling, a 19-year-old Welsh rider who had died a few days earlier. Tarling had been struck by a vehicle not involved in the race during the Tour of Portugal. The cycling season is nearing its end. On Wednesday, the next edition of the Deutschland Tour begins in southwest Germany with a prologue. A few days later, the Vuelta a España starts in Monaco as the last of the three Grand Tours of the year.
