The only German WorldTour race, Vattenfall Cyclassics, has been dealt a major blow. Main sponsor Vattenfall will stop its sponsorship after the 2015 edition of the race.

After 20 years, the energy company Vattenfall will stop its sponsorship of the Hamburg Cyclassics. "The Vattenfall Cyclassics has an impressive history of success that he have helped develop during the last 20 years," said Pieter Wasmuth, the plenipotentiary for Hamburg, at a press conference. "At the top of the success, it is now the time for us to set new goals. Therefore, we will not renew our commitment as title sponsor of this outstanding sporting event for the city beyond 2015."

The 20th edition of the Hamburg Vattenfall Cyclassics will be held on August 23, 2015 and features some route changes. The organizers of Germany's only WorldTour race announced that the anniversary edition will kick off from the deck of a ferry in Kiel harbor.

From the Schleswig-Holstein capital, the route leads back towards Plön and passes the Plöner See in as the race heads towards Bad Segeberg Kaltenkirchen and Pinnenberg. From there, the professionals again take on the famous Western loop with the usual four pssages of the Waseberg and two passages of the finish line. After 250 kilometers, the race will finish back in Hamburg on the Mönckebergstraße.