Simon Spilak (Katusha) won the 2013 edition of the Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn – Frankfurt, the traditional German May Day race, as he outsprinted the previous year’s winner, Moreno Moser (Cannondale) in a two-up sprint. The duo had escaped in the company of Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) as the peloton climbed the steep Mammolshain Berg for the fourth time, with just 35km to go, but dropped the Italian as they fought to hold off the sprinters’ teams on the way to the finish.
Pozzovivo was swept up in the closing kilometres, but Spilak and Moser managed to stay away to fight out the finish; André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) beating John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano) in the race for third just metres behind them.
“It wasn’t planned that I would take part to this race,” said Spilak afterwards. “But in the end we decided to take advantage of my shape; it turned out to be the best choice.
The Slovenian rider finished second overall in the recent Tour de Romandie, having won the snow-shortened stage to Les Diablerets, and he was able to carry his form into the Frankfurt race.
“It was a very hard race, but my teammates worked very well in order to keep the race under control,” he explained, “and on the last climb, when Pozzovivo and Moser attacked, I decided to follow them. Then we cooperated very well, and we were just able to hold off the chase.
“I’m very happy,” he added. “This is the end of the first part of the season for me, and I think I can be very satisfied with my improvements. I took some great results, now I’ll work hard in order to confirm in the next competition I will take part in.”
The 200.9km race saw a nine-rider group escape in the opening kilometres, consisting of Marcel Sieberg (Lotto-Belisol), Paul Voss (NetApp-Endura), Michael Mørkøv (Saxo-Tinkoff), Sébastien Reichenbach (IAM Cycling), Jan-Nicklas Droste (Heizomat), Tim Gebauer (Stölting), Georg Preidler (Argos-Shimano), and Michael Schweizer and Sven Forberger (both NSP-Ghost).
Omega Pharma-Quick Step and MTN-Qhubeka were leading the peloton behind the break and held it to a maximum of 3’50” over the top of the climb to Feldberg, after 61km, which was making its return to the race after a two-year absence due to resurfacing.
The break split on the first ascent of the Mammolshainer, with 93km to go, with Priedler, Voss, Sieberg, Reichenbach and Mørkøv leaving the others behind. Forberger was quickly swallowed by the peloton, which was now just 2’30” behind the leaders, but the three others managed to hold out for several more kilometres before also being caught.
With 60km to go, following the second climb of the Mammolshainer, the gap was down to 1’40” and, with Priedler and Reichenbach dropped, Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) attacked the next time over and jumped across the gap to the three remaining leaders.
The World time trial champion was adjudged to be too dangerous a rider to be allowed clear at this stage, however, and the break was shut down with 42km to go.
The final time up the Mammolshainer though, Spilak, Moser and Pozzovivo escaped. The trio was 40 seconds clear as they began the flat dash to the centre of Frankfurt, but this was steadily reduced by the combined efforts of Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Lotto-Belisol and Argos-Shimano.
Climber Pozzovivo was unable to stay with the two stronger riders as they attacked one another on the way to the finish, and was swallowed up by the speeding peloton, but the other two managed to hold off the chase. Moser attacked with 700 metres to go, but Spilak managed to close down the defending champion in the final 150 metres and outpaced him on the line.
Just metres behind the duo Greipel won the battle of the German sprinters, over Degenkolb and Milano-Sanremo winner Gerald Ciolek (MTN-Qhubeka).
Result
1. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha Team
2. Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
3. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
4. John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano
5. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka
6. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
7. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
8. Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
9. Alexei Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha Team
10. Ralf Matzka (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura