Andre Greipel of Germany finished strongly to edge defending champion Alexander Kristoff in a bunch sprint and win the 20th Hamburg Cyclassics race on Sunday.
Greipel completed the 221-kilometre route, which started in the north German city of Kiel for the first time and ended in central Hamburg, in 4 hours, 57 minutes and five seconds.
Several riders tried to break free from the peloton without success, leaving all the pre-race favourites in position until Marcel Kittel fell behind and Marc Cavendish crashed with less than 3 kilometres to go.
Kristoff began the sprint but Greipel stayed on his wheel and overtook the Norwegian to seal the win.
The 33-year-old from the northern city of Rostock is the fourth German rider to win the event.
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