Lidl Deutschland Tour

A fast 3.1km test against the clock awaited the riders who lined out at the start of the Deutschland Tour, Germany’s oldest race, in Essen, now Ruhr’s second-largest city, founded in the ninth century.

The flat prologue was raced on road bikes, and Ilan Van Wilder was the first Soudal Quick-Step rider to roll down the ramp, setting the second-fastest provisional time. The Belgian remained in the top ten a long time before other riders made their way there. One of these was Pascal Eenkhoorn, who clocked a time of 3:36, enough for tenth place, just a few seconds behind Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility), who took the victory.

On Thursday, the race continues with a stage to Herford – which makes its Deutschland Tour debut – where the sprinters should fight for victory and the leader’s jersey, especially as the gaps are small at the moment.

Photo credit: ©Christian Kaspar-Bartke / Getty Images