For the second time in a row, Georg Zimmermann finished among the five best riders in the final classification of the Deutschland Tour, returning home with the white jersey of the best young rider after five stages.
This closing stage started well for Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux when a group of around ten riders escaped in the hilly beginning, because Laurens Huys and Barnabás Peák ensured the team’s presence in the front.
But the peloton never gave an advantage of more than one minute to the leading group, which split in two later. Hungarian rider Peák was one of the seven riders remaining in the lead and starting the three local laps in Stuttgart, each of them containing the Herdweg climb.
Barnabás Peák stayed in the lead until the final lap, during which he was caught by a group of around ten strong riders including Georg Zimmermann and Sven Erik Bystrom. This group eventually sprinted for the victory.
Zimmermann became third in the sprint, winning one position in the general classification thanks to the bonus seconds. Thanks to his fourth place in GC, he also became the best young rider and best German rider of the event.
« All week long I enjoyed racing in my home country, because this is one of the few chances to do it. The encouragements of the fans were amazing. We showed them an exciting battle, because for the final classification it came down to the bonus seconds. I’m happy to finish with the white jersey for best young rider for a second time in a row. I want to thank my teammates for the great teamspirit. We had everything under control and were represented in each dangerous move. »
