Jos Van Emden (Belkin)repeated his 2007 win in one of the few remaining big German one-day races when the Dutchman won the Münsterland Giro in solo fashion. Having made it into the right 5-rider group, he attacked his companions inside the final few kilometres and held off Tom Veelers (Argos-Shimano) and Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) who completed the podium.

Jos Van Emden is known as a tireless worker and time trial specialist for Belkin but the Dutchman rareply gets the chance to go for personal glory in road races. For some reason, however, he has a love story with the German one-day race Münsterland Giro which he won with a strong solo attack in 2007.

Today he repeated that feat when he doubled his tally of road race wins by taking his second win in the German race. He arrived at the finish on his own and held off Tom Veelers by 6 seconds to take his first win for more than 2 years.

Van Emden made it into the right 5-rider move which escaped inside the final hour of the race after a very aggressive and fast race that was dominated by strong crosswinds. The fierce pace and hard selection made it impossible for the sprint teams to keep things together and Van Emden's quintet profited from the situation.

Being up against fast sprinters like Veelers and Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen), Van Emden knew that he had to attack. When he launched his acceleration inside the final few kilometres, no one responded and the Dutchman took a huge solo win.

The race marks the end of the German cycling season and for many of the riders, it was the final race of the year. However, racing in Northern Europe continues for a few more weeks with Paris-Tours being the final big highlight.

A flat race

The 205km race started in Beckum and finished with 3 laps on a 4,8km circuit in Münster. Despite two categorized climbs along the race, the course was mostly flat and the race is mostly decided in as bunch sprint. The race started off without 2011 and 2012 winner Marcel Kittel who had to cancel his participation and end his season due to a cold.

That didn't dampen the attacking spirit and the race was off to a fast start in the fierce wind that dominated the race. Early on, an 11-rider group was formed but it was deemed too dangerous and quickly reeled in.

Tony Martin attacks

A little later world TT champion Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Albert Timmer (Argos-Shimano) attacked and the duo later got company from an 11-rider group. Patrick Gretsch (Argos-Shimano), Thomas Leezer (Belkin), Preben van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen), Christian Knees (Germany), Steven Lammertink (Jo Piels), Julian Hellmann (Quantec), Sven Forberger (NSP), Jan-Niklas Droste (Heizomat), Nils Politt (Stölting), Daniel Westmattelman (Quantec) and Carl Soballa (LKT Team Brandenburg) made the junction and a 13-rider group had formed.

The peloton refused to let the group go and the fast pace to stay clear was too much for Soballa and Hellmann who fell back to the peloton. The gap gradually started to grow and when it reached a little more than a minute, it seemed that the elastic had finally snapped.

The break splits up

However, Lotto Belisol had missed the move and the Belgian team started to close the gap. They were joined by NetApp-Endura and soon after, the advantage was down to 30 seconds.

The break had to go fast to stay clear and shed Gretsch, Politt, Westmattelman und Forberger out the back. A little later, Droste and Lammertink also fell off the pace, leaving just 5 riders in the escape. Knees was the next to get dropped but a few moments later, it was all back together when Belkin accelerated in the crosswinds.

Belkin attacks

The pace slowed down a bit and this allowed Bert Grabsch (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Klaas Sys (Crelan) and Jonas Koch (LKT Team Brandenburg) to attack. The trio stayed away for a little before being joined by Dylan Van Baarle (Rabobank) and Tom Vermeer (Jo Piels).

Belkin once again attacked in the crosswinds and the peloton split into pieces. The first group consisted of  Albert Timmer (Argos-Shimano), Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Robert Wagner (Belkin), Paul Martens (Belkin), Lars Boom (Belkin), Moreno Hofland (Belkin), Wilco Kelderman (Belkin), Thomas Leezer (Belkin), Mark Renshaw (Belkin), Jos Van Emden (Belkin), Jasper Bovenhuis (Rabobank Development), Maarten Van Trijp (Rabobank Development) and Jan Dieteren (Team Stölting) and those riders bridged across to the front quintet.

Martin attacks again

That move was neutralized and this set the scene for new attacks. Albert Timmer (Argos-Shimano), Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Moreno Hofland (Belkin), Wesley Kreder (Vacansoleil), Martijn Tusveld (Rabobank) and Fabian Schormair (Heizomat) escaped and stayed away for some time before being reeled in by the peloton under the impetus of Topsport Vlaanderen.

With less than 40km to go, it was all back together but attacks kept being launched in both sides of the roads. Finally, Tom Veelers (Argos-Shimano), Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Jos van Emden (Belkim) and Michael van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaaderen) got clear and they were later joined by Dylan Van Baarle (Rabobank).

Wegmann unsuccessful

The peloton now seemed to have used up its final energy and the group was quickly allowed to build up a gap of more than 5 minutes. Fabian Wegmann (Germany) tried to bridge across but never succeeded in his mission.

Inside the final 20km, the gap was still more than 20 minutes and it now appeared likely that the front quintet would decide the race. Timo Roosen (Rabobank), Stefan Poutsma (Jo Piels) and Sergej Fuchs (NSP) and later Klaas Sys (Crelan) and Matthias Friedemann (Germany) tried to bridge across but with one 4,8km lap to go, it was clear that the escapees would make up the top 5.

Van Emden makes his move

Inside the final kilometres, Van Emden attacked. Veelers set off in pursuit but never closed the gap and so the Belkin rider doubled his taller in Münster. Veelers held on to take 2nd while Keisse beat Van Staeyen and Van Baarle in the sprint for 3rd.

Late in the race Albert Timmer (Argos-Shimano), Jasha Sütterlin (Germany), Oliver Hofstetter (Leopard Trek KT), Sjors Roosen (Cycling Team Jo Piels) and Tim Gebauer (Team Stölting) escaped from the peloton and Timmer managed to stay clear to the line to take 6th. Rick Zabel (Rabobank) won the sprint of the peloton to take 7th.

Result:

1. Jos Van Emden 4.21.37

2. Tom Veelers +0.06

3. Iljo Keisse +0.11

4. Michael Van Staeyen +0.12

5. Dylan Van Baarle

6. Albert Timmer +2.10

7. Rick Zabel +2.22

8. Moreno Hofland

9. Jan Dieteren

10. Theo Reinhardt