Politt has no chance - New Zealander Pithie wins around Cologne

Hopes of a second home victory for Nils Politt in the classic Rund um Köln cycling race were dashed, with New Zealander Laurence Pithie taking the win on the Rhine instead. After 191 kilometres with start and finish in Cologne, the Red Bull pro came out on top in a three-man lead group ahead of Brit Fred Wright and Belgian Aimé de Gendt in the sprint.

Cologne-based Politt, who had won the race in 2022 and thus ensured the only German victory in the last 20 years, put himself in the limelight several times on the loop through the Bergisches Land. However, when the decisive group was formed a good 20 kilometres before the finish, he was not there. The best German in the 108th edition was Tobias Müller in fifth place.

Politt in the national jersey

Politt had started as a member of the German national team, as his UAE team had not registered for the race in the cathedral city. Rund um Köln is not part of the WorldTour, so there is no obligation for the professional teams to take part.

The 23-year-old Pithie is one of the great talents in the Red Bull team. This year, he has already impressed with podium finishes at the Tour Down Under and Paris-Nice.

Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved