After a horrible day on the bike weather-wise, the Argentinean still had the power to sprint to eighth place.
Newly-promoted to the World Tour, Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt – which this year was running its 52nd edition – turned into a race to forget for the riders, who had to face a cold and wet day, with sizzling rain, in addition to the eight categorized climbs which made up for a total of 2200 vertical meters. As a result, only 65 of the 180 riders who lined up at the start concluded the German event, all the others being forced to call it a day due to the harsh conditions.
A seven-man break got clear early, before the first ascent of the race, Feldberg. Taking advantage of the weather and of the bunch's unwillingness to chase, the escapees stretched out their advantage to ten minutes. Mammolshein, with its excruciating 26% maximum gradients, thinned out the peloton at every passing, and by the time the breakaway was reabsorbed, only 50 men were left in the group.
Several attempts of riders trying to give the pack the slip as Frankfurt was looming on the horizon followed, but the peloton remained attentive and reacted each time, nullifying these moves. As a result, the winner emerged after a reduced bunch sprint, and it was Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) the one who finished at the top, ahead of teammate Rick Zabel.
Maximiliano Richeze – who last year came runner-up in Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt – was Quick-Step Floors' best finisher at the end of this gruesome day, which the 34-year-old Argentinean concluded in eighth position, proving a fantastic fighting spirit which helped him overcome all the nasty hurdles and adding more points to the team's already impressive World Tour points tally.
Photo credit: ©BrakeThrough Media
