Eschborn-Frankfurt, Jenthe Biermans 13th
More muscular as announced, Eschborn-Frankfurt didn’t give the sprinters the chance to win. It was a breakaway that won. Jenthe Biermans, 3rd in the bunch sprint, finishes 13th in Germany.
Photo Arkéa-Samsic/ Thomas Maheux
On the line
“The race was hard, with a big tempo in all the climbs to try to eliminate as many sprinters as possible. I stayed all day with Kristoff and Lie. After the last climb I was in a third group because of the breaks. But Laurent Pichon with the support of Lotto-Dstny and Cofidis managed to bridge up to the peloton. Matîs Louvel placed me very well at the beginning of the sprint. I finished 3rd in the bunch sprint, 13th in this classic. It was my first race back after Roubaix, the feeling was good, but it can still improve in the next days. I was confident about the sprint and it worked well. And that bodes well for the future”.
The debrief’
“This classic had a total difference in altitude of 3100 meters. The crash of Nacer and Alan made us change our plans, of course. But the team was able to refocus on Jenthe. He finished 3rd in the bunch sprint, and 13th at the finish, in his comeback race after Paris-Roubaix. Matîs Louvel placed him perfectly, as well as Clément Russo and him on the approach of the line. And Laurent Pichon did a great job so that the group that Jenthe was in after the climb of the last climb could join the peloton. Nacer has a big pigeon’s egg on his shin as a result of the crash, and Alan has abrasions on his right knee”.