For the first time in its history, the Rund um Köln, the German classic that this year reached its 108th edition, speaks New Zealand. The winner of the race that started and finished in Cologne after 191 kilometers was indeed Laurence Pithie (Red Bull BORA hansgrohe) who, having escaped together with the Pinarello-Q36.5 duo Fred Wright and Aimé De Gendt just under 50 kilometers from the finish, had no problems overtaking his two adventure companions in the sprint and thus returning to victory after 840 days.

THE RACE

The hostilities were opened after the start by Paul Voß (Germany), Robin Orins (Lotto–Intermarché), Ole Jablonski (Lotto Kern-Haus Outlet Montabaur), Luca Martin (MRT Racing Team), Paul-Felix Petry (REMBE | rad-net), Paul Keller (Team Storck - MRW Bau), Chiel Schulten (EEW-VDK Cyclingteam) and Michael Boroš (Kasper crypto4me): the eight, however, did not gain much and after just twenty kilometers they were caught by the main group.

Shortly after, Silas Koech (Lotto Kern-Haus Outlet Montabaur), Ole Theiler (REMBE | rad-net), Joshua Gudnitz (Team ColoQuick), Rik van der Wal (EEW–VDK Cycling Team) and Michael Kukrle (Kasper crypto4me) set off, who had better luck than the previous group since, with a maximum advantage close to three minutes, they remained in the lead until 63 kilometers from the finish when the peloton, driven and thinned out in the meantime due to attacks from several riders including Marco Haller (Tudor) and Jordi Meeus (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe), caught up with them.

In counterattack, Louis Barrè (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development) then attacked but his attempt lasted less than ten kilometers and essentially paved the way for the much more decisive attack produced 47 kilometers from the finish by Laurence Pithie (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) and Fred Wright (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) to whom his teammate Aimé De Gendt soon joined.

In pursuit of the three, Robbe Dhondt (Team Picnic PostNL) first launched a solo attack and then the usual Barrè but neither of them succeeded and like them, subsequently, neither did Ashlin Barry (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development), Brem Deman and Milan Lanhove (Team Flanders Baloise). These too were brought back into the ranks by a peloton that, having regrouped and back in force, passed under the finish line banner with 10 kilometers to go with 22 seconds to make up.

Despite the intense efforts made by the men from Tudor, TotalEnergies and Unibet, the three in the lead effectively repelled the comeback of the pursuers and, maintaining twenty seconds on the attack in the final 5000 meters and then 12" at the last kilometer, arrived to contest the sprint for a victory that Pithie, equipped with a better sprint than those of De Gendt and Wright, took quite easily.

The twenty-three-year-old New Zealander thus returns to celebrate after more than two years, breaking a drought that had lasted since the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in January 2024 (his last professional victory before today) and signing the first personal success in Red Bull BORA hansgrohe colors, a team that today, as the icing on the cake, saw one of its most talented prospects, Alessio Magagnotti, achieve with 9th place his third top ten finish of the season in .1 races.

FINISHING ORDER

1. Laurence Pithie (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe)

2. Fred Wright (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team)

3. Aimé De Gendt (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team)

4. Jordi Meeus (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe)

5. Tobias Müller (Unibet Rose Rockets)

6. Gerben Thijssen (Alpecin – Premier Tech)

7. Jason Tesson (TotalEnergies)

8. Jermaine Zemke (REMBE | rad-net)

9. Alessio Magagnotti (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe)

10. Ashlin Barry (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development)