John Degenkolb (16th place / Giant-Alpecin) and André Greipel (18th place / Lotto Soudal) rode after the finish of the German Championships towards the doping control together. Both had missed their target.

Neither defending champion Greipel nor co-favorite Degenkolb could prevent the only 22-year-old neo-pro Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Argon 18) from making a coup by winning the coveted white jersey with the black, red and gold stripes.

"As people from Hessen like to say: life goes on. Even if I'm disappointed,  Ican't compain when I think about what I have already achieved this spring," the Giant-Alpecin captain told Radsport-news.com

Also Greipel was relaxed: "I am very happy with the race. I rode  very aggressively and until 75 kilometers to go I was in a group. I know that I cannot ride with the best on the climbs. But I rode at my pace and  fought. Seven kilometers before the finish we were back together."

"As a team Giant-Alpecin always delivered a good performance. We were represented in all groups and were rewarded with second place for Nikias Arndt. Of course we wanted to win the championships. But under these conditions, we got the optimal result," Degenkolb added.

Degenkolb and Greipel had the same problem: nobody wanted to go to the finish with them.

"Of course, when John and I are  in the group, there will be attacks until we are no longer there. That was the case. Whenever John and I attacked, we had no help from the others. "

Also Degenkolb had no idea about ​​what he could have done better. 

"Coming to the finishing straight with André would not have made any difference. In the last two years he has beaten me. That's why I had my own tactics. I think I've just did too much in the beginning.

He had to brdige gaps on his own twice.

"In the beginning I had a mechanical and had to wait for a long time," he said. "There was no neutral service car behind our group. I had to use a lot of energy to get back. In the next lap, a group was gone and I had to bridge across again. That costa  lot of strength for the finale."

When Buchmann made the decisive move, none of them were there.

"A smaller group of six or seven had formed and Buchmann attacked from that move. We had no influence on it," Greipel said.

Despite the missed opportunity, both are confident for the Tour.

"I have proved that my shape is not bad. Actually it is very good," Degenkolb said. Greipel agreed: "I feel fit, the Tour can start."