Per Strand Hagenes wins Sparkassen Munsterland Giro, crossing the line without knowing the race was finished

Jumbo-Visma dominated another race, they used their strength in numbers to win the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro with Per Strand Hagenes, who was completely unaware he had won the race when he crossed the finish line.

The rainy and windy conditions made for a difficult race right from the start, the German race was anything but traditional or easy. A 29-ride group split off the front including some of the main favourites for the race, but also many other riders who just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Into the final kilometers nine riders survived. Over the day there had been plenty riders attacking and slowly the group lost riders, both in the climbers and final flat roads. Laporte, Affini and Hagenes of Jumbo-Visma, Planckaert and Groves of Alpecin-Deceuninck, van Poppel, Politt and Koch of BORA - hansgrohe and then isolated riders in Mads Pedersen, Nils Eekhoff and Soren Waerenskjold.

The strong chase in the peloton forced it to be a fatiguing race for anyone in front. Christophe Laporte and Nils Eekhoff attacked with 5 kilometers to go in what seemed to be the decisive move, but Edward Planckaert cancelled the gap shortly after. Having responded to other attacks, there weren't the legs and organization in the group to close the next attack that was to come.

Per Strand Hagenes attacked with 2.5 kilometers to go and the sprinters on the group did not react, the triumph was certain. The Norwegian was then the strongest in the finale and won the race, even though he kept riding through the finish line, completely unaware that it was the final lap of the race.

Kaden Groves sprinted to second place behind whilst Mads Pedersen rode to third on the day, heading an elite chasing group.

Results powered by FirstCycling.com