British national road race champion Geraint Thomas (Sky) successfully defended his lead in Bayern Rundfahrt in Germany on Sunday to win the five-day race overall.
Thomas took the race lead after Saturday's individual time trial stage, won by the Welshman's Sky team-mate and fellow Brit Bradley Wiggins. Thomas finished 11th on Sunday at the same time as stage winner Giacomo Nizzolo (Leopard-Trek).
Thomas finished the race 17 seconds ahead of runner-up Nicki Sorensen (Saxo Bank), and 19 seconds ahead of former race leader and 2010 Tour of Britain winner Michael Albasini (HTC-Highroad).
It was a great race for the Sky squad after Edvald Boasson Hagen won the opening stage and secured the points classification win after finishing third on the final stage of the UCI 2.HC category event.
Bayern Rundfahrt is the biggest road win to date for Thomas, who was one of Britain's gold-medal winning team pursuit quartet in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Both Wiggins and Thomas join the growing list of British pro riders who have won this season.
Results
Bayern Rundfahrt 2011, stage five: Friedberg to Moosburg, 162.1km
1. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Leopard Trek in 3-40-00
2. John Degenkolb (Ger) HTC-Highroad
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky
4. Andre Schulze (Ger) CCC Polsat Polkowice
5. Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-ISD
6. Roger Kluge (Ger) Skil-Shimano
7. Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
8. Patrick Bercz (Ger) Eddy Merckx-Indeland
9. Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
10. Timo Thomel (Ger) Team NSP all same time
Other
11. Geraint Thomas (GB) Sky at same time
Final overall classification
1. Geraint Thomas (GB) Sky
2. Nicki Sorensen (Den) Saxo Bank-Sungard at 17 secs
3. Michael Albasini (Swi) HTC-Highroad at 19 secs
4. Blel Kadri (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale at 1-23
5. Andreas Klier (Ger) Garmin-Cervelo at 1-26
6. Johannes Frohlinger (Ger) Skil-Shimano at 1-46
7. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Francaise des Jeux at 1-47
8. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Francaise des Jeux at 1-53
9. Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen at 2-11
10. David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-ISD at 3-25
Other
14. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Sky at 5-15
Related links
Wiggins wins Bayern TT as Thomas moves into lead Geraint Thomas: Rider Profile
British pro road wins 2011
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