Consistent sprinter David Kopp (Wiesenhof), who has been a regular visitor to the Cape Argus Pick ’n Pay Giro del Capo in recent years, completed a successful Easter weekend by winning the 90th edition of the Rund um Köln.
Following his fighting fourth place in the Prijs Vlaanderen, Kopp went on to beat Stefan Schumacher (Shimano-Memory Corp) and Spaniard David Canada Gracia (Saunier Duval-Prodir) by over half a minute, just two days later at the German classic. Other household names in European cycling such as Erik Zabel and Danilo Hondo finished well out of contention.
The 26 year old was in a three man break, along with Team Barloworld-Valsirs Tiaan Kannemeyer, when they were caught by a 13 strong group with a just a few kilometres to go.
The gritty Kopp attacked again, and went on to win alone. Team Barloworld-Valsir finished the race with two top fifteen positions, the stylish Roger Beuchat in seventh place and the tough Kannemeyer in fourteenth.
Results
1 David Kopp (Ger) Team Wiesenhof
2 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Shimano-Memory Corp
3 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
4 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC
5 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
6 Stuart O’grady (Aus) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone
7 Roger Beuchat (Swi) Team Barloworld-Valsir
8 Rolf Aldag (Ger) T-Mobile Team
9 Robert Retschke (Ger) Team Comnet-Senges
10 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
11 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Domina Vacanze
12 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
13 Jens Heppner (Ger) Team Wiesenhof
14 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Team Barloworld-Valsir
15 Björn Papstein (Ger) Team Lamonta
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