Third at Strade Bianche and Flèche Wallone, Top10 at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Milano-Sanremo, winner of the Vuelta a Andalucia (time-trial) and now winner of
Eschborn-Frankfurt.
Maxim van Gils had an immensely successful spring and his last day of racing for a while ended in a surprising victory.
“It is my last race of this period and my spring was already incredible, but to end it with a WorldTour victory is an absolute dream,” the Belgian said in a post-race interview. . “I didn't feel great, but the team made the race very difficult to throw the sprinters overboard. That gave me confidence. I then just had to survive the last steep climb, the Mammolsheim." Although he was among the main favourites, the
Lotto Dstny rider couldn't make the difference on the climbs where he would hope a group such as last year's to emerge off the front of the race.