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August 26, 2023
Deutschland Tour 2023 – Stage 3 🇩🇪 – Arnsberg – Essen : 173,8 km
The Deutschland Tour is one of the oldest stage-races in the world,
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August 26, 2023
Deutschland Tour 2023 – Stage 3 🇩🇪 – Arnsberg – Essen : 173,8 km
The Deutschland Tour is one of the oldest stage-races in the world, starting its life back in 1911, but it has struggled to establish itself on the racing calendar, experiencing several long hiatuses throughout the 20th and early 21st century. The race was picked up by Tour de France organisers ASO in 2018, however, and since then we’ve seen three revitalised editions of the Deutschland Tour. With the new races following a four-day format, rather than the old nine-day format, the battle for the general classification rages throughout, making for one thrilling and action-packed race. This year the race will feature five stages, starting in Saarland and finishing in Bremen. A 2.2km prologue kicks off the race in Sankt Wendel, followed by a series of hilly stages and finishing with a flatter stage 4 for the sprinters. Like in previous years, these hilly stages will likely be ridden like one-day races with the most consistent finisher across them all taking the overall title.
Madis Mihkels (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) exploded to the front of a bunch sprint to win stage 3 of the Deutschland Tour in Essen.
Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe) recovered from a crash with 9km to go and clawed his way back to the front group for second place. Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck) completed the podium in third, pushing ahead of Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) and Ethan Vernon (Soudal-QuickStep).
“I’m not going to lie, I’m super happy, and a little bit surprised also,” the 20-year-old Estonian said about his first pro career win. “I knew this stage could suit me. The level here is super high and I’m just surprised that I won.”
Race leader Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal-Quick Step) retained his 11-second lead in the general classification ahead of Felix Großschartner (UAE Team Emirates) and a 13-second advantage ahead of Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers).
With his runner-up finish, Van Poppel moved up two spots in the GC to fourth, 16 seconds back. Pello Bilbao finished in 33rd position in the main front group, but dropped to 11th on GC.
Bora-Hansgrohe led out the bunch sprint, and Mihkels understood he had work to do.
“Actually, 1k to go I was still a little bit too far,” he said following the race finish. “Then I decided the only way is to come alone to the win because at this moment I didn’t have anybody from my team. I took a risk and I just accelerated behind Bora. Luckily I had legs to outsprint them.
“This is my biggest victory ever and I feel so relieved now.”
The sun came back for stage 3, which featured 173.8km with 1,520 metres of elevation gain, a day of constant rolling hills. The finale in Essen is approached from the south, after a first pass of the finish line in front of the Stadtgarten before completing a circuit.
The first attacks came just 4km from the start in Arnsberg, but all efforts were thwarted by an active peloton. After passing the 1.1km climb of Eule Frondenberg, and more attacks did not stick, three riders finally got separation – Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies), Juri Hollman (Movistar) and Frank van den Broek (Team dsm-firmenich).
The trio stayed away for just over 93km, Bora-Hansgohe working at the front of the peloton. With under 66km to go, Michael Gogl (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Fabien Grellier (TotalEnergies) accelerated and stole away.
With 50km to go, Michael Gogl and Fabien Grellier had a 30-second advantage, and 13km later both riders were back in the peloton.
Closing on the final 30km, TotalEnergies’ Anthony Turgis launched a solo attack. He gained time on the peloton and held only a 12-second lead on the final two circuits of the race with 14km to go.
On the first of the two circuits, several riders went down in a corner 2km from the final lap, including Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe), who was sitting sixth overall, and Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), eighth overall, both working to get back into the peloton with 4km to go in the race.
The long finish straight provided a playground for the first bunch sprint finish of the stage race.
Results :
 exploded to the front of a bunch sprint to win stage 3 of the Deutschland Tour in Essen.
Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe) recovered from a crash with 9km to go and clawed his way back to the front group for second place. Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck) completed the podium in third, pushing ahead of Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) and Ethan Vernon (Soudal-QuickStep).
“I’m not going to lie, I’m super happy, and a little bit surprised also,” the 20-year-old Estonian said about his first pro career win. “I knew this stage could suit me. The level here is super high and I’m just surprised that I won.”
Race leader Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal-Quick Step) retained his 11-second lead in the general classification ahead of Felix Großschartner (UAE Team Emirates) and a 13-second advantage ahead of Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers).
With his runner-up finish, Van Poppel moved up two spots in the GC to fourth, 16 seconds back. Pello Bilbao finished in 33rd position in the main front group, but dropped to 11th on GC.
Bora-Hansgrohe led out the bunch sprint, and Mihkels understood he had work to do.
“Actually, 1k to go I was still a little bit too far," he said following the race finish. "Then I decided the only way is to come alone to the win because at this moment I didn’t have anybody from my team. I took a risk and I just accelerated behind Bora. Luckily I had legs to outsprint them.
“This is my biggest victory ever and I feel so relieved now.”
The sun came back for stage 3, which featured 173.8km with 1,520 metres of elevation gain, a day of constant rolling hills. The finale in Essen is approached from the south, after a first pass of the finish line in front of the Stadtgarten before completing a circuit.
The first attacks came just 4km from the start in Arnsberg, but all efforts were thwarted by an active peloton. After passing the 1.1km climb of Eule Frondenberg, and more attacks did not stick, three riders finally got separation - Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies), Juri Hollman (Movistar) and Frank van den Broek (Team dsm-firmenich).
The trio stayed away for just over 93km, Bora-Hansgohe working at the front of the peloton. With under 66km to go, Michael Gogl (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Fabien Grellier (TotalEnergies) accelerated and stole away.
With 50km to go, Michael Gogl and Fabien Grellier had a 30-second advantage, and 13km later both riders were back in the peloton.
Closing on the final 30km, TotalEnergies’ Anthony Turgis launched a solo attack. He gained time on the peloton and held only a 12-second lead on the final two circuits of the race with 14km to go.
On the first of the two circuits, several riders went down in a corner 2km from the final lap, including Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe), who was sitting sixth overall, and Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), eighth overall, both working to get back into the peloton with 4km to go in the race.
The long finish straight provided a playground for the first bunch sprint finish of the stage race.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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