One week out from the 2016 Tour de France, Andre Greipel fired a warning shot to his sprint rivals with a dominant performance in the German national championships to secure a third title. The Lotto Soudal rider beat Giant-Alpecin neo-pro Max Walscheid and rival Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step) to add to his wins from 2013 and 2014.
The 33-year-old has been one the top sprinters in 2016 with three Giro d'Italia stage wins to go with stages at the Tour of Luxembourg and Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, and the one-day races Trofeo Felanitx and Trofeo Playa de Palma.
While the flat Erfurt course was suited to the sprinters and provided an ideal hit out for the fast men before Saturday's opening stage of the Tour, which is likely to conclude with a bunch gallop, Greipel explained he and teammate Marcel Sieberg were keen to shake up the race.
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"Despite the nature of the course you can never be sure it will end with a sprint, because the big teams could have other tactics. Sibi and I had decided to race attentively and join every big breakaway. And we succeeded in doing that. With 45 kilometres to go for example, we were part of a break, but Giant-Alpecin didn't have a rider in that group and that's why we didn't stand a chance," Greipel said. "Sibi made sure I was positioned perfectly for the sprint. John Degenkolb launched the sprint for his teammate Walscheid, I remained on his wheel. I started sprinting with two hundred metres to go and nobody could pass me. I've seen the images and the gap was rather big."
Greipel has won at least one stage in his last ten grand tours and will look to continue his run at the Tour, 12-months on from winning four stages at La Grande Boucle.
"Of course I am happy that I've become national champion for the third time ever. When it's this type of course, it's always a goal for me. I am proud to wear the jersey for a year and I am looking forward to show it in the Tour. This victory, my eighth of the season, is good for the confidence," added Greipel.
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