Hamburg, Sunday 8 September 2024
Olav Kooij (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) has won the BEMER Cyclassics Hamburg 2024. The Dutchman won the expected bunch sprint on Mönckebergstraße ahead of Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty). Behind them were Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility).
A six-man breakaway group broke away shortly after the start of the race and dominated the majority of the day. Michael Morkov (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty), Stefan de Bod (EF Education EasyPost), Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), Remi Cavagna (Soudal Quick-Step) and Cyrus Monk (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) had a lead of more than seven minutes at one point.
At the first crossing of the Waseberg 63 kilometers before the finish, there were still around three minutes left, before the second crossing they were caught. There, the new leading duo of Alex Aranburu (Movistar Team) and Fabio Christen (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) formed up and built up a lead of around half a minute. The third time over the Waseberg only Aranburu was left at the front, but twelve kilometers before the end, he was also done. Everything was now ready for the bunch sprint.
