1. Franco Frattini (Italy) Gewiss-Ballan 06:25:05 2. Jens Heppner (Germany) Telekom s.t. 3. Massimo Podenzana (Italy) Brescialat + 03 secs. 4. Andrea Tafi (Italy) Mapei-GB 31 5. Enrico Zaina (Italy) Carrera 6. Bruno Cenghialta (Italy) Gewiss-Ballan s.t. 7. Maurizio Fondriest (Italy) Lampre 54 secs. 8. Johan Museeuw (Belgium) Mapei-GB 9. Stefano Zanini (Italy) Gewiss-Ballan 10. Beat Zberg (Switzerland) Carrera 11. Fabiano Fontanelli (Italy) ZG Mobili 12. Mariano Piccoli (Italy) Brecialat 13. Dimitri Konyshev (Russia) AKI-Gipiemme 14. Peter Van Petegem (Belgium) TVM 15. Zbigniew Spruch (Poland) Lampre 16. Francesco Cafagrande (Italy) Saeco-Mercatone-Uno 17. Maarten Den Bakker (Netherlands) TVM 18. Paolo Lanfranchi (Italy) Brescialat 19. Mauro Gianetti (Switzerland) Polti 20. Stephen Swart (New Zealand) Motorola all s.t.Race Report and Full Listing
The Dane Franck Hoy (Collstrop) escaped at km3. He built a lead, with only Rene Foucachon (Fr, Aki) attempting, unsuccesfully to bridge the gap. Hoy stayed out alone in front for 133km, and behind the peloton at last woke up on the first difficulty, the Feldberg, at km86. But the numerous attempts at a break were immediately stifled.
Hoy's lead reached a maximum of 17 minutes but fell rapidly when he developed cramp. He was joined at km133 by six riders: champion of Germany Jens Heppner (Telekom), Andrea Tafi (Mapei), Bruno Cenghialta (Gewiss), Stefano Cattai (ZG), Peter Meinert (TVM) and Enrico Zaina (Carrera). Hoy, at the end of his resources, only stayed with them a few kilometres.
The peloton exploded behind the break of six with 50km to the finish. Eleven riders pulled away from it on the penultimate ascent of the cote of Eselsheck, among them the principal favourites: Fodriest, Museeuw, Gianetti, Chiappucci and Furlan. But it was Podenzana, Sorensen and Frattini who got off the front of this group to go up to the leading group just before the entry to the finishing circuit in Frankfurt.
Podenzana tried to escape alone 35km from the finish but Frattini and Heppner took his wheel and didn't leave it. In the sprint Frattini outsprinted the other two, the most dangerous of whom was Heppner, who had, however, put in an enormous amount of work all day.
1. Francesco Frattini (Italy) Gewiss-Ballan 6.25.5 2. Jens Heppner (Germany) Telekom s.t. 3. Massimo Podenzana (Italy) Brescialat + 03 secs. 4. Andrea Tafi (Italy) Mapei-GB +31 5. Enrico Zaina (Italy) Carrera 6. Bruno Cenghialta (Italy) Gewiss-Ballan s.t. 7. Maurizio Fondriest (Italy) Lampre +54 8. Johan Museeuw (Belgium) Mapei-GB 9. Stefano Zanini (Italy) Gewiss-Ballan 10. Beat Zberg (Switzerland) Carrera 11. Fabiano Fontanelli (Italy) ZG Mobili 12. Mariano Piccoli (Italy) Brescialat 13. Dimitri Konyshev (Russia) AKI-Gipiemme 14. Peter Van Petegem (Belgium) TVM 15. Zbigniew Spruch (Poland) Lampre 16. Francesco Casagrande (Italy) Mercatone Uno 17. Maarten Den Bakker (Netherlands) TVM 18. Paolo Lanfranchi (Italy) Brescialat 19. Mauro Gianetti (Switzerland) Polti 20. Stephen Swart (New Zealand) Motorola 21. Van De Laer 22. Sciandri 23. Chiappucci 24. Puttini 25. Bugno 26. Massi 27. Ferrigato 28. Bolts 29. Merckx 30. Borghi 31. Benitez 32. Fleischer 33. Politano 34. Canzonieri 35. Garcia-Camacho 36. Pulnikov 37. Volpi 38. Cassani 39. Chiesa 40. Sorensen 41. Moreels 42. Rebellin 43. Micelli 44. Belli 45. Furlan 46. Pellicioli 47. Bouwmans 48. Chiurato 49. Meinert 50. Santaromita 51. Cattai all same time 52. Noe +1.40 53. Zabel +10.38 54. Del Sie same time 55. Zamana +11.26 56. Dietz 57. Fidanza 58. Foucachon 59. Brochard 60. Zanatta 61. Dernies 62. Dominguez 63. Sierra 64. De Vries 65. Scinto 66. C. Moreau 67. Davy 68. Boogard 69. Van De Wouver 70. Lopez 71. Arrieta 72. Hundertmark 73. Aldag 74. Hoy 75. Johnsen 76. Tchercassov 77. Giraldi 78. Corvers 79. Hamburger 80. Galletti 81. Zanette 82. Pumar 83. Minali 84. Piepoli 85. Gontchenkov 86. Perini 87. Baldinger 88. Kappes 89. Filippo Casagrande 90. Bramati 91. Serpellini all s.t.(151 starters, 91 finishers)