Jannik Steimle Races GP Denain with Number One

“I never expected to win the race before we started, to be honest,”Jannik reflects. “I ended up in the break where I had really good legs. We had a headwind for most of the day, but in the last 70 kilometers, it turned into a tailwind, making the break harder to catch. I raced technically well, saved my legs on the cobbles, and pushed hard in the intermediate sectors. I avoided crashes and punctures and managed to win the sprint from a group of three in Denain—it was a great feeling.”

Line-up for GP Denain:

🇮🇹 Giacomo Nizzolo
🇩🇪 Jannik Steimle
🇪🇸 David González
🇮🇹 Matteo Moschetti
🇵🇱 Kamil Małecki
🇮🇹 Nicoló Parisini
🇮🇪 Rory Townsend

Steimle knows that GP Denain is a special race, often described as a mini-Paris-Roubaix due to its rough terrain and iconic cobbled sectors.

“We do some of the same sectors as the big race, which makes it a great test for our equipment—our bikes, wheels, and tires. There will likely be some wind on Thursday, which will make the racing nervous and hectic, especially with so many strong riders in the field. Maybe I’ll try the breakaway again, but maybe they won’t let me go now that I have number one,” he adds with a smile.

This will be Jannik’s first race since the opening weekend on 1 and 2 March, and although he is eager to compete, he acknowledges some recent setbacks.

“Ten days ago, I came down with the flu, but I recovered well in training. Then on Monday, I crashed and hurt my leg. I also broke my Scott helmet, but luckily, it saved me, and my head is fine. Race day will be 50/50—I might still have some pain in my upper leg, or maybe everything goes well. I want to race because I need the kilometers before the big classics, and competing with number one on my back, alongside this team that is performing so well, is really motivating.”