U23
Sauerlandrundfahrt: Max Bock wins the second stage ahead of Paul Fietzke
The Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies also dominated the second stage of the Tour of the Sauerland. Max Bock won solo, whilst Paul Fietzke sprinted to second place – and took the overall lead.
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Whilst the leader’s jersey at the Tour de France is yellow, at the Sauerland Round it is pink. It was precisely this pink jersey that played the leading role in the Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies’ race during the second stage from Brilon to Siedlinghausen. This was because the team had already started the day as the overall leaders: Ben Zwiehoff, a guest rider from the WorldTeam, had won the opening time trial the day before and had consequently started the second stage in the pink jersey. At the finish of the second stage, the jersey was still within their own ranks – just on different shoulders.
“This is my first victory in the U23 category – I’m just absolutely delighted.”
Over the 122.9 undulating kilometres through the Sauerland, the team consistently capitalised on its strength. All six riders repeatedly worked their way to the front of the field, gradually breaking up the peloton. In the final stretch around Siedlinghausen, the Rookies then made perfect use of their numerical superiority: Max Bock broke away from the leading group and rode solo to victory in 3:05:48 hours. Behind him, Paul Fietzke broke away with two riders from the Picnic PostNL Development Team and won the sprint for second place. The result: Fietzke now leads the general classification ahead of Bock (+0:27) and Finn O’Brien (Picnic PostNL Development Team, +0:30). Zwiehoff is in fifth place (+0:33).
Ben Zwiehoff started in the pink jersey.
© Werner Müller-Schell
“This is my first win in the U23 category – I’m just absolutely delighted,” said Bock at the finish. “The team supported me brilliantly. In the end, we had the perfect race situation and I’m glad I saw it through to the end.” The German is also confident ahead of Saturday’s third stage: “I’ve ridden this course many times before; it used to be a national race. It’ll be even tougher than today – but I’m ready.”
A brilliant day for our team.
Fietzke, who took over the leader’s jersey from his team-mate Zwiehoff, highlighted the team’s united effort: “A brilliant day for our team. After Ben won the time trial yesterday, we finished first and second today, and I got to pull on the pink jersey as the new overall leader. A big thank you to the lads, who controlled the peloton from the start and kept the breakaway small – and to Ben, who gave us the chance to go for the stage win with Max.”
The Rookies are celebrating at the finish line.
© Werner Müller-Schell
“Second stage, second win – it doesn’t get much better than that,” summed up Gregor Gazvoda, Sports Director of the Rookies. “Tomorrow we face the toughest stage, followed by the mountain finish on Sunday. We’ve got two really tough days ahead of us. Now we’re focusing on defending the jersey and bringing it home.”
Paul Fietzke in the pink jersey of the overall leader.
© Werner Müller-Schell
The Sauerland Tour continues on Saturday with the race’s toughest stage around Wenholthausen (122 kilometres and 3,000 metres of climbing), before the final mountain finish in Winterberg takes place on Sunday.
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