View source for Hamburg Cyclassics

{{Short description|German one-day road cycling race}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox cycling race
| name          = Hamburg Cyclassics
| current_event = 2024 Hamburg Cyclassics
| image         = [[File:EuroEyes Cyclassics Logo.png|230px]]
| image_caption = EuroEyes sponsored the race between 2016 and 2020
| date          = Mid to late August
| region        = [[Hamburg]], Germany
| english       = 
| localnames    = 
| nickname      = 
| discipline    = [[Road bicycle racing|Road]]
| competition   = [[UCI World Tour]]
| type          = Single-day race
| organiser     = 
| director      = 
| first         = {{start date|1996}}
| number        = 27 (as of 2024)
| final         = 
| firstwinner   = {{flagathlete|[[Rossano Brasi]]|ITA}}
| mostwins      = {{flagathlete|[[Elia Viviani]]|ITA}} ''(3 wins)''
| mostrecent    = {{flagathlete|[[Olav Kooij]]|NED}}
}}
The '''Hamburg Cyclassics''' (currently known as the '''Bemer Cyclassics'''<ref name="2021 cancellation">{{cite news|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2021-tour-of-guangxi-tour-of-chongming-island-and-hamburg-cyclassics-cancelled-due-to-covid-19-pandemic/|title=2021 Tour of Guangxi, Tour of Chongming Island and Hamburg Cyclassics cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic|website=[[Cyclingnews.com]]|date=4 August 2021|accessdate=4 August 2021}}</ref> for sponsorship purposes) is an annual one-day professional and amateur [[road bicycle race|cycling race]] in and around [[Hamburg]], Germany. Although the route varies, its distance is always around 250&nbsp;km. The course's most significant difficulty is [[Waseberg]] hill in [[Blankenese]], which is addressed three times in the race finale.<ref name=preview2>{{cite web|last1=Axelgaard|first1=Emil|title=Vattenfall Cyclassics preview|url=http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/2015_vattenfall_cyclassics_preview/|website=cyclingquotes.com|access-date=12 September 2015|date=23 August 2015}}</ref>

Until 2016 it was Germany's only event on the [[UCI World Tour]] calendar, before the inclusion of [[Eschborn–Frankfurt – Rund um den Finanzplatz]] in 2017. The race is organized by IRONMAN Unlimited Events Germany GmbH, which also organizes the annual [[Velothon Berlin]].

An important part of the Cyclassics is the ''Jedermannrennen'' ("Everyman's race"), an amateur/cyclosportif event held on the same day and on the same roads as the professional race. Bike fanatics can participate in amateur tour races over 55&nbsp;km, 100&nbsp;km and 155&nbsp;km.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vattenfall Cyclassics|url=http://www.jedermanntermine.de/Termine-Hobby-und-Jedermannrennen/kalender.php?kal_Aktion=detail&kal_Nummer=845|website=Jedermanntermine|access-date=3 December 2015|language=de}}</ref> The number of participants is limited to 22.000 amateurs and tickets must be reserved months in advance.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mehr als 15 000 Jedermann-Fahrer in Hamburg|url=http://www.t-online.de/regionales/id_75159422/mehr-als-15-000-jedermann-fahrer-in-hamburg.html|website=T-Online|access-date=3 December 2015|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208135120/http://www.t-online.de/regionales/id_75159422/mehr-als-15-000-jedermann-fahrer-in-hamburg.html|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==

===HEW Cyclassics===
[[Image:Finale-HEW-Cyclassics-2005.jpg|thumb|left|Finishing straight of the [[2005 HEW Cyclassics|tenth edition]] in 2005, won by Italian [[Filippo Pozzato]].]]
The event was created in 1996 as a 1.5 race, the lowest classification of professional races. The first edition was its shortest ever, totaling just 160&nbsp;km, won by Italian [[Rossano Brasi]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Tour of Hamburg, Germany|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/archives/aug96/hamburg.html|work=CyclingNews|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> HEW, ''Hamburg's [[Electric power industry|Electricity Works]]'', served as the race's title sponsor. In 1997 [[Jan Ullrich]] won the second edition amid hordes of fans, two weeks after winning the [[Tour de France]], and the race gained prestige fast.<ref>{{cite web|title=HEW-Cyclassics Cup, Cat 1.5|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/archives/aug97/hew97.html|work=CyclingNews|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref>

With cycling's fast-growing popularity in Germany in the 1990s, the race became part of the [[UCI Road World Cup]] in 1998, cycling's ten highest-classified one-day races. It replaced the [[Wincanton Classic]], Britain's only [[classic cycle races|cycling classic]], as the seventh leg of the World Cup.<ref>{{cite web|title=HEW-Cyclassics Cup, World Cup round 7|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/1998/aug98/hew98.html|work=CyclingNews|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> Dutchman [[Léon van Bon]] outsprinted [[Michele Bartoli]] to win the third edition; the distance was increased to 253&nbsp;km.

[[Erik Zabel]] was the second German winner of the HEW Cyclassics in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jones|first1=Jeff|title=HEW-Cyclassics - CDM Hamburg, Germany, August 19, 2001|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/aug01/HEW/home.shtml|work=CyclingNews|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jones|first1=Jeff|title=Perfect finish for Zabel|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/aug01/HEW/results.shtml|work=CyclingNews|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> In 2002, Belgian [[classic cycle races|classics]] specialist [[Johan Museeuw]] won his eleventh and last World Cup race, leading out the sprint from a group of ten.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jones|first1=Jeff|title=News for August 5, 2002. HEW Cyclassics wrap up|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2002/aug02/aug05news|work=CyclingNews|access-date=26 November 2015}}</ref>
{{clear}}

===Vattenfall Cyclassics===
[[File:Greipel Cyclassics.jpg|thumb|right|[[André Greipel]] (in red) during the [[2015 Vattenfall Cyclassics]].]]
In 2002, race sponsor HEW was overtaken by Swedish electricity conglomerate [[Vattenfall]] and was renamed ''Vattenfall Europe Hamburg''. Vattenfall, Swedish for ''Waterfall'', became the race's new title sponsor in [[2006 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2006]]. In 2005, the race was included in the inaugural [[UCI ProTour]], successor of the World Cup. After the disappearance of the [[Deutschland Tour]] in 2009, it remained the only German race at cycling's highest international level.<ref>{{cite web|title=No Deutschland Tour in 2011 McQuaid supports return of German stage race|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/no-deutschland-tour-in-2011/|work=CyclingNews|date=31 May 2010|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> Since 2011 it is one of 24 races of the [[UCI World Tour]]. In 2012, [[Union Cycliste Internationale|UCI]] extended the race's World Tour license until at least 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cyclassics auch die nächsten Jahre Elite-Rennen|url=http://www.rad-net.de/nachrichten/cyclassics-auch-die-naechsten-jahre-elite-rennen;n_25726.html|website=rad-net.de|publisher=Rad-Net|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref>

Because of its mostly flat course, the race is considered a [[cycling sprinter|sprinter]]'s contest and has ended in a mass sprint uninterrupted since [[2004 HEW Cyclassics|2004]]. Some of the best sprinters of their generation, including [[Robbie McEwen]], [[Óscar Freire]], [[Alexander Kristoff]] and [[André Greipel]], are among the winners of the race. American sprinter [[Tyler Farrar]], winner of the [[2009 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2009]] and [[2010 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2010]] Cyclassics, is the only rider to have won the race two times.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vattenfall Cyclassics 2010: Tyler Farrar outsprints Edvald Boasson Hagen in Hamburg|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/7946751/Vattenfall-Cyclassics-2010-Tyler-Farrar-outsprints-Edvald-Boasson-Hagen-in-Hamburg.html|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=15 August 2010 |access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref>

The [[2013 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2013 race]] was met with fierce protesting unrelated to the race. Hamburg residents were upset with Vattenfall's environmental policies and its attempts to acquire ownership of the local power grid.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tschüss Vattenfall – Kletterprotest im Zielbereich der Cyclassics|date=26 August 2013 |url=http://blog.eichhoernchen.fr/post/Tschuess-Vattenfall-Kletterprotest-im-Zielbereich-der-Cyclassics|publisher=Tschüss Vattenfall|language=de|access-date=13 September 2013}}</ref>

===EuroEyes Cyclassics===
In 2015 it was announced that Vattenfall would not extend its partnership with the Hamburg Cyclassics, forcing organizers to search for a new sponsor to provide the estimated 800.000 Euro, a third of the race's budget.<ref name=sponsor>{{cite web|last1=Leoni|first1=Achim|title=Kein Hauptsponsor mehr: Was wird aus den Cyclassics?|url=http://www.abendblatt.de/nachrichten/article205592341/Kein-Hauptsponsor-mehr-Was-wird-aus-den-Cyclassics.html|publisher=Hamburger Abendblatt|access-date=11 September 2015|language=de|date=22 August 2015}}</ref> From [[2016 EuroEyes Cyclassics|2016]] ''EuroEyes'', a large German provider of laser eye treatment, Femto-LASIK, lens surgeries, and refrative lens exchanges, was the new title sponsor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.euroeyes.de/|title=Augenlasern & Linsenbehandlung – Top Augenkliniken &#124; EuroEyes|website=euroeyes.de|accessdate=27 June 2023}}</ref> Australian sprinter [[Caleb Ewan]] won the race after the initial winner, [[Nacer Bouhanni]], was relegated.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ewan wins Cyclassics Hamburg after Bouhanni is relegated|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vattenfall-cyclassics-2016/results/|website=[[cyclingnews.com]]|date=21 August 2016|access-date=3 September 2016}}</ref>

==Route==
[[File:Vattenfall Cyclassics 2011.png|thumb|right|275px|Route of the [[2011 Vattenfall Cyclassics]].]]
The race usually starts on the Steinstraße in [[Altstadt, Hamburg|Hamburg-Altstadt]] and finishes on [[Mönckebergstraße]], Hamburg's illustrious shopping street in the city's busy commercial district. The distance varies from 225 to 255&nbsp;km over mainly flat [[terrain]] in the [[hinterland]] of Hamburg. The route of the race undergoes some changes every year, but the finish location has remained the same throughout.

[[File:Cyclassics 2007 (1366090100).jpg|thumb|left|[[Tom Boonen]] and [[Fabian Wegmann]] climbing Waseberg hill in [[2007 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2007]].]]
The course's most significant difficulty is Waseberg hill in [[Blankenese]], a suburban quarter of [[Altona, Hamburg|Altona]], west of Hamburg's city centre. The race finale consists of three smaller laps west of Hamburg, containing the Waseberg. It is first climbed at {{convert|69|km|1}} from the finish, the second and third ascent are at {{convert|28|km|1}} and {{convert|15.5|km|1}} respectively.<ref name="preview2"/>

The Waseberg is a steep asphalted hill running up from the north bank of the [[Elbe]] river into the suburban centre of Blankenese. Its length is 700 m with a maximum gradient of 16%. It is particularly challenging as the climb immediately follows a sharp curve, causing an abrupt change in gear and cadence. As teams try to position their captains in the front of the peloton, riders often rush furiously over the narrow roads leading to the foot of the climb.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Axelgaard|first1=Emil|title=Vattenfall Cyclassics preview 24.08.2014|url=http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/vattenfall_cyclassics_preview_1/#HkWw8FK8LuqQj8QD.97|website=cyclingquotes.com|publisher=CyclingQuotes|access-date=26 November 2015}}</ref> The route also includes the [[Köhlbrandbrücke]], Hamburg's highest bridge.

From [[2005 HEW Cyclassics|2005]] until [[2014 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2014]] the first half of the course consisted of a southern loop in the direction of [[Lüneburg Heath]] in [[Lower Saxony]], before returning to the centre of Hamburg and branching out to a western loop.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vattenfall Cyclassics preview August 23, 2014|url=http://velovoices.com/2014/08/23/vattenfall-cyclassics-preview-2/|website=velovoices.com|date=23 August 2014|publisher=VeloVoices staff|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref>

In [[2015 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2015]] organizers changed the parcours to celebrate the twentieth edition of the race.<ref>{{cite web|last1=O'Shea|first1=Sadhbh|title=Cavendish, Kittel and Greipel match-up in German WorldTour race. 20th edition suits Germany's best riders|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vattenfall-cyclassics-2015/preview/|work=CyclingNews|date=19 August 2015|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> The race started in [[Kiel]], 90 kilometers north of Hamburg, on the western shore of the [[Baltic Sea]], before heading southwest to Hamburg, crossing [[Schleswig-Holstein]]. The total distance was shortened to {{convert|222|km|1}}, but the final approach into Hamburg, with three ascents of the Waseberg and the finish on the Mönckebergstraße, remained the same.<ref name="preview2"/>{{refn|group=N|Note that the source from cyclingquotes.com erroneously names [[Cologne]] as the starting location of the race.}} The route from Kiel to Hamburg was also chosen to promote the cities' joint bid to host the [[2024 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|title=André Greipel, Marcel Kittel und Tony Martin: Deutsche Topstars starten in Hamburg|url=http://www.eurosport.de/radsport/eneco-tour/2015/andre-greipel-marcel-kittel-und-tony-martin-deutsche-topstars-starten-in-hamburg_sto4860101/story.shtml|publisher=Eurosport|access-date=11 September 2015|language=de|date=26 November 2015}}</ref>

Race director Roland Hofer said of the course: "Although the race profile may appear more suitable for sprinters, it can ultimately be won by all types of great riders, and it is exactly this kind of race that is needed for a well-balanced World Tour event [...] The World Tour came to Germany in the midst of a "renaissance" of German cycling, with the latest successes rejuvenating the country's interest in the sport after a setback during the past, doping stricken years."<ref name=UCIpreview>{{cite web|title=Vattenfall Cyclassics|url=http://www.uci.ch/road/news/article/vattenfall-cyclassics-168500/|publisher=UCI|access-date=11 September 2015}}</ref>

==Winners==
[[File:Cyclassics 2015 Großer Burstah 2.jpg|thumb|right|Peloton at Großer Burstah in [[Altstadt, Hamburg|Hamburg-Altstadt]] during the race.]]
[[File:Cyclassics 2015 Großer Burstah 4.jpg|thumb|right|Peloton passing through Hamburg in [[2015 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2015]].]]
[[File:Peloton Vattenfall Cyclassics 2015 010.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mark Cavendish]] leading the peloton.]]
[[File:Peloton Vattenfall Cyclassics 2015 002.jpg|thumb|right|Peloton during the early stretches of the race.]]
{{Cycling past winner start}}
|-
| colspan=4 align=center|↓ '''"HEW Cyclassics"''' ↓
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[1996 HEW Cyclassics|1996]]|name={{sortname|Rossano|Brasi}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=[[Team Polti]]}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[1997 HEW Cyclassics|1997]]|name={{sortname|Jan|Ullrich}}|nat=GER|natvar=|team=[[Team Telekom]]}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[1998 HEW Cyclassics|1998]]|name={{sortname|Léon|van Bon}}|nat=NED|natvar=|team=[[Rabobank (cycling team)|Rabobank]]}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[1999 HEW Cyclassics|1999]]|name={{sortname|Mirko|Celestino}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=[[Team Polti]]}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2000 HEW Cyclassics|2000]]|name={{sortname|Gabriele|Missaglia}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=[[Lampre|Lampre–Daikin]]}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2001 HEW Cyclassics|2001]]|name={{sortname|Erik|Zabel}}|nat=GER|natvar=|team=[[Team Telekom]]}}
|-
| colspan=4 align=center|↓ '''"Vattenfall Europe Hamburg"''' ↓
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2002 HEW Cyclassics|2002]]|name={{sortname|Johan|Museeuw}}|nat=BEL|natvar=|team=[[Domo–Farm Frites]]}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2003 HEW Cyclassics|2003]]|name={{sortname|Paolo|Bettini}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team=[[Quick-Step–Davitamon]]}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2004 HEW Cyclassics|2004]]|name={{sortname|Stuart|O'Grady}}|nat=AUS|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|COF|2004}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2005 HEW Cyclassics|2005]]|name={{sortname|Filippo|Pozzato}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|QST|2005}}}}
|-
| colspan=4 align=center|↓ '''"Vattenfall Cyclassics"''' ↓
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2006 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2006]]|name={{sortname|Óscar|Freire}}|nat=ESP|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|RAB|2006}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2007 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2007]]|name={{sortname|Alessandro|Ballan}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|LAM|2007}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2008 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2008]]|name={{sortname|Robbie|McEwen}}|nat=AUS|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|OLO|2008}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2009 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2009]]|name={{sortname|Tyler|Farrar}}|nat=USA|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|GRM|2009}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2010 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2010]]|name={{sortname|Tyler|Farrar}}|nat=USA|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|GRM|2010}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2011 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2011]]|name={{sortname|Edvald|Boasson Hagen}}|nat=NOR|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|SKY|2011}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2012 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2012]]|name={{sortname|Arnaud|Démare}}|nat=FRA|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|FDJ|2012}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2013 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2013]]|name={{sortname|John|Degenkolb}}|nat=GER|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|ARG|2013}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2014 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2014]]|name={{sortname|Alexander|Kristoff}}|nat=NOR|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|KAT|2014}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2015 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2015]]|name={{sortname|André|Greipel}}|nat=GER|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|LTS|2015}}}}
|-
| colspan=5 align=center|↓ '''"EuroEyes Cyclassics"''' ↓
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2016 EuroEyes Cyclassics|2016]]|name={{sortname|Caleb|Ewan}}|nat=AUS|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|OBE|2016b}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2017 EuroEyes Cyclassics|2017]]|name={{sortname|Elia|Viviani}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|SKY|2017}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2018 EuroEyes Cyclassics|2018]]|name={{sortname|Elia|Viviani}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|QST|2018}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2019 EuroEyes Cyclassics|2019]]|name={{sortname|Elia|Viviani}}|nat=ITA|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|QST|2019}}}}
{{Cycling pw no race|year=2020|reason=the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Germany|COVID-19 pandemic]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Cyclassics Hamburg cancelled due to coronavirus|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cyclassics-hamburg-cancelled-due-to-coronavirus/|website=cyclingnews.com|access-date=20 July 2020|date=20 July 2020}}</ref>}}
|-
| colspan=4 align=center|↓ '''"Bemer Cyclassics"''' ↓
{{Cycling pw no race|year=2021|reason=the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Germany|COVID-19 pandemic]]<ref name="2021 cancellation"/>}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2022 Hamburg Cyclassics|2022]]|name={{sortname|Marco|Haller|Marco Haller (cyclist)}}|nat=AUT|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|BOH|2022}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2023 Hamburg Cyclassics|2023]]|name={{sortname|Mads|Pedersen|Mads Pedersen (cyclist)}}|nat=DEN|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|TFS|2023b}}}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=[[2024 Hamburg Cyclassics|2024]]|name={{sortname|Olav|Kooij}}|nat=NED|natvar=|team={{UCI team code|TVL|2024}}}}
{{Cycling past winner end}}

===Multiple Winners===

{| class="wikitable"
! Wins || Rider || Editions
|-
| {{center| 3}} || ''{{flagathlete|[[Elia Viviani]]|ITA}}'' || [[2017 EuroEyes Cyclassics|2017]], [[2018 EuroEyes Cyclassics|2018]], [[2019 EuroEyes Cyclassics|2019]]
|-
| {{center| 2}} || {{flagathlete|[[Tyler Farrar]]|USA}} || [[2009 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2009]], [[2010 Vattenfall Cyclassics|2010]]
|}

===Wins per country===
{| class="wikitable"
! Wins
! Country
|-
| align=center | 9|| {{ITA}}
|-
| align=center | 4|| {{GER}}
|-
| align=center | 3|| {{AUS}}
|-
| align=center | 2|| {{NOR}}<br />{{NED}}<br />{{USA}}
|-
| align=center | 1|| {{AUT}}<br />{{BEL}}<br />{{DEN}}<br />{{FRA}}<br />{{ESP}}
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=N}}

==References== 
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* {{Cycling archives race|283}}

{{EuroEyes Cyclassics}}
{{Vattenfall}}
{{UCI World Tour}}
{{UCI ProTour}}
{{Classic cycle races}}

[[Category:EuroEyes Cyclassics| ]]
[[Category:Cycle races in Germany]]
[[Category:UCI ProTour races]]
[[Category:UCI Road World Cup races]]
[[Category:UCI World Tour races]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1996]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Hamburg]]