Preview: European Championships. Pure sprinter battle in Munich set to decide European stripes

On the 14th of August the peloton will be in Munich to despite the once-a-year European championships, where the riders will have a sprinter-friendly route which will see the fast men enter a furious battle over the European colours for a whole year.

The route will be 208 kilometers long and designed for the sprinters. However, it does leave the possibilities open for a hotly contested race. Without the normal team organization and with a very important title to be given, it may lead to aggressive tactics from some teams, which can be stimulated in the two small climbs during the first half of the day (5.1Km at 4.9%; 1.0Km at 10.1% respectively).

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Profile European Championships men's Elite Road Race

The race should be decided in the final circuit however with little doubt however. It will be in the center of the German city that the finish will be positioned, at the end of five laps of a 13-kilometer long circuit. The final straight will be just over 1.5 kilometers long, and it will be a pan-flat finish in a relatively wide straight with good pavement. You could not ask for a more simple finish, the fastest man should be able to win.

The preliminary startlist includes sprinters such as: Pascal Ackermann, Phil Bauhaus, Sam Bennett, Alexander Kristoff, Mads Pedersen, Arnaud Démare, Rudy Barbier, Bryan Coquard, Hugo Hofstetter, Tim Merlier, Alberto Dainese, Jon Aberasturi, Ivan García Cortina, Stanislaw Aniolkowski, Fabio Jakobsen and Itamar Einhorn.

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Final startlist European Championships with Jakobsen, Merlier, Bennett, Pedersen, Kristoff and Démare

CyclingUpToDate prediction:

**** Fabio Jakobsen

*** Tim Merlier, Mads Pedersen

** Arnaud Démare, Phil Bauhaus, Pascal Ackermann

* Alexander Kristoff, Alberto Dainese, Sam Bennett, Luka Mezgec

European Championships: Murnau am Staffelsee - Munich, 208 kilometers