ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg: Rory Townsend holds off peloton by tiny margin from early breakaway for biggest victory of his career

Rory Townsend (Q36.5) took the biggest victory of his career in dramatic fashion at the ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg, surviving from the early breakaway to beat the charging peloton by just a bike length after a breathless chase.

The Irish champion was one of three remaining escapees who made it into the final kilometre with a 10-second lead over the rapidly closing peloton, having been out in front for almost 200km, and was the only one able to launch a final sprint around the last bend.