Bayern Rundfahrt

31-05-2009 16:25:51

Linus Gerdemann won the Internationale Bayern Rundfahrt (May 27-31/UCI category 2.HC) and given his team its second overall win in the race after Christian Knees won it last year.  The 26-year-old used a finish in the main field to defend his ten-second lead over Maxime Monfort (Columbia) and to take his first overall victory in this important German stage race.

Gerdemann's teammate Gerald Ciolek sprinted to fourth place in the closing stage after 166 kilometers between Friedberg and Gunzenhausen.  The day's victory went to Andre Greipel (Columbia).

„I am overjoyed to have won such an important race for us.  I thank my teammates, who worked very hard for five days for our mutual success,“ said a happy Linus Gerdemann after the winner's ceremony.  „I would also like to race organizer Ewald Strohmeier for the perfect organization.“

„This Bayern Rundfahrt had a very strong field.  We didn't make any tactical errors and so were able to fight for the win,“ said Christian Henn, MILRAM's Directeur Sportif.  „Linus Gerdemann is just gettng better and better and deserved to win this race.  He is on the right way with an improving form.“

Gerry van Gerwen, manager of the German ProTour team, said, „Our main goal was the overall title in Bayern.  The team around Gerdemann did that very well.  You can see the development within Team Milram.  The Tour de Suisse is now the next step towards the Tour de France.“

Two riders dominated the last stage of the 30th running of the Internationalen Bayern Rundfahrt.  After the first intermediate sprint at km 23, Grischa Janorschke of Team Nutrixxion broke away.  During the stage he was joined by Florian Volk of the Bavarian junior team Heizomat-Mapei.  The pair had a lead of up to four minutes.  Near the end of the stage the lead fell to one minute at the first crossing of the finish line as the big teams took charge.    About ten kilometers before the finish in Gunzenhausen, the escape was finished and the mass sprint was set up