Pascal Ackermann sprinted to his third WorldTour victory of the season today at the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic (1.UWT).
The young German Champion crashed with 80 kilometres to go, but his BORA – hansgrohe team mates worked hard to get Ackermann into an optimum position, and in the finale, he waited until the perfect moment to open his sprint and take the win ahead of Elia Viviani (Quick Step Floors).
The 187-kilometre course which started and finished in London included five intermediate sprints and five categorised climbs and BORA – hansgrohe went into the race with the aim of supporting Ackermann.
In the opening kilometres of racing six riders – Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott), Aaron Verwilst (SportVI – Baloise), Pawel Cielslik (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r La Mondiale), Manuele Boaro and Agnoli Valerio (Bahrain-Merida) – pulled away and formed the breakaway of the day.
With 50km to go Peter Kennaugh and Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe), Chris Juul-Jensen (Mitchelton-Scott), Owain Doull (Team Sky), Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) and Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin) launched an attack and formed a new breakaway.
However, it came all back together with 10 kilometres to go. The BORA – hansgrohe train started to form for their leader Pascal Ackermann. Rudi Selig and Christoph Pfingsten brought the German Champion into a perfect position, Ackermann waited for the perfect moment and started his sprint to take his third WorldTour victory in this season. Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) was second with Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek – Segafredo) in third.
“Today was a hard race, the rain made the course really dangerous I crashed with 80 kilometres to go and had to change my bike,” explained Ackermann. “As we came into the finale, Rudi and Pfingsti bought me into a perfect position, I waited and started my sprint and finished it off with my third WorldTour victory in this season. I am more than happy.”
