July 19/05 8:37 am - TransAlp Challenge: Stage 4

Posted by Editoress on 07/19/05
 

TransAlp Challenge

Stage 4 report by Team Rocky Mountain Business Objects member Lesley Tomlinson



Another huge day of climbing (3,600 metres). Karl Platt and Carsten Bresser (Rocky Mountain Business Objects) won today and now have 6 minutes in GC on 2nd place Team Papival-Stoeckli (Sandro Spaeth and Thomas Zahnd).

Alison Sydor and Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain Business Objects) were 2nd to the Ghost Intern. Racing Team (Anna Baylis-Scheiderbauer and Jorg Scheiderbauer).

The women's team of GretchenReeves and LesleyTomlinson (Rocky Mountain Business Objects) were close to leading up the last climb, but were hampered with a series of mechanical. Eventually they would finish 4th on teh stage, but maintain a 2nd overall in GC.

The profile of the fourth stage to the Italian town of Sexten is themed: "short, but firm". 3,684 metres altitude difference on 71.07 kilometres length, that were the facts of today's stage. Knowing this, the smart bikers fill up their carbohydrates deposit on the eve.

Yesterday Carsten Bresser from the Team Rocky Mountain Business Objects fell through no fault of his own, so that he and his partner Karl Platt missed the victory. Today after 4:15:54 hours they happy crossed the finish line in Sexten, situated in South Tyrol, as first team. Today it was one of the hardest stages with many metres altitude difference. This is surely not the preliminary decision, but we are glad, having a lead over the second team", commented Platt at the finish. At the first uphill passage to the "Hochstein" the two bikers were faster as expected. Although yesterday's stage was very hard Martin Karaler (Giant- Racing-Team) feeling not so good, because of yesterday's ordeal. He could not follow the two bikers from the Team Rocky Mountain Business Objects and dropped away with his partner Brentjens. On the following descent the leaders dissociated themselves from the Team Stöckli-Papival and the Team adidas FIAT Rotwild. At the finish they had a healthy margin. The Team Späth/Zahnd followed on the second rank and Strobel/Wieltschnig became third. In the overall standings the winning margin of Bresser/Platt increased up to ten minutes to the second placed Kraler/Brentjens. The Team Spath/Zahnd from Switzerland could reduce the time-lag to Brentjens/Kraler.

In the mixed-category the Ghost Int. Racing Team showed good performance on today's stage. The team reached the finish after 4:54:45 hours. Ten minutes before their great rivals, Alison Sydor and Andreas Hestler, arrived. "At the beginning of the stage we acted retained. At the first ascend we accelerated the speed and then we had rapidly a great winning margin. The same procedure recured at the second mountain", explained Jorg Scheiderbauer at the finish. The Team Panaceo with Werner Schellander and Marita Staufer came in third.

At the women's race nothing new happened. After 5:31:35 hours Esther Suss and Anna Enocsson (Ghost Int. Racing Team) won this stage. This was now their fourth victory. Therewith they clearly took the lead and have now a winning margin of 1hour 15 minutes ahead of Gretchen Reeves and Lesley Tomlinson (Team Rocky Mountain Business Objects). With a time-lag of 21 minutes the two Canadian bikers finished. The German duo Sandra and Peggy Klose reached after 5:31:48 hours the finish line as third. This was their second
podium's rank. Now in the overall standings they are also third placed.

At the arrival in Sexten after 4:26:48 hours Hans Grasegger and Walter Platzgummer (adidas Scott Team Naturns) celebrated their third victory in the masters category. With a lead over of about 15 minutes they rode over the finish line, having beaten the second placed Ekkehard Dörrschlag and Siegfried Hochenwarter (Team KTM Generali). Team Cube with Werner Wagner and Heinz Zörweg came in third, alike to the last day. So the Team adidas extended their winning margin in the overall standings. Second Team is now the KTM Generali.

Tomorrow a real mountain bike marathon is waiting for the participants of the 8th adidas BIKE Transalp Challenge. After the 93.64 kilometres long fifth stage, including 2,833 metres altitude difference, the bikers reach the western situated town of St.Vigil. This stage is technical not so demanding. But the riders will enjoy historical paths: Passing the town of Schulderbach an ascend to the ≥Plätzwiese" on an old military road is following. Shortly after, a long downhill passage to the finish in St.Vigil attracts.

Stage 4 Results