The Crocodile Trophy

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Austrian Buxhofer Wins Hellish Stage 10

John-Michael Flynn / 27.10.2005

There was no traffic to direct on the dusty corrugated roads of outback Far North Queensland today as Austrian policeman Matthias Buxhofer went ‘on the run’ from his fellow protagonists to claim the toughest of stage victories in the Crocodile Trophy of 2005.The 32 year old former road professional who has been ‘there or thereabouts’ in this year’s Crocodile Trophy without enjoying any spoils, finally came through in today’s 148 kilometre stage as riders endured temperatures on the road of close to 50 degrees.

“In the final (approach to Laura) was very hard corrugations and I give all and I am very happy that I can win a stage today,� a physically drained Buxhofer said.

“The general classement is not so important for me, there are many strong riders on the front.�

Two of the main contenders for the General Classification, Italy’s Mauro Bettin and Australia’s Adam Hansen crossed the line together in second and third this afternoon at the end of 148 grinding kilometres, but significantly, both managed to finish 6 minutes in from of Austrian Heinz Zorweg, who was second on the overall standings going into this morning’s stage between Mount Mulgrave and Laura.

“It was our first real hot today, I actually drank three camelbacks,� Hansen said.

“It’s slowly killing every rider, Bettin, Christophe and Heinz .�

Hansen claimed to have enjoyed the sizzling heat today, suggesting Bettin, the World Cup Champion, might finally be tiring.

“Today Bettin sat on all day, he looked finished,� Hansen suggested with a hint of optimism or desperation.

It turned out to be a nightmare day for Heinz Zorweg, The Austrian fighter who still remains closest to Hansen in the overall standings, battled on against the might of the two biggest teams in the race.

After surviving several attacks from the team-mates of Hansen and Bettin, who for days have been trying to shake him off, Zorweg suffered a flat tyre and was forced to ride himself back onto the main group, which predictably attacked him again.

“They attack only me,� a physically and emotionally exhausted Zorweg said post-stage.

“All of Hansen’s team and Bettin’s team are against me, I am feeling down and hope I am O’k tomorrow.�




How The Race Developed

Today’s stage between Mount Mulgrave Station and the town of Laura took the slowly diminishing field of riders through the remote cattle stations at the lower end of Cape York.

It is a place where one station (ranch) can be the size of a small European country and where, during the wet season, the ringers who work the land can be cut off from the outside world for up to four months of the year.

In the prelude to the wet, the temperatures soar into the forties as the storm clouds develop, and today was typical for this time of year on remote Cape York, with no respite for riders from the oppressive heat.

From the gun, an all Austrian attack consisting of Stefan Rucker, Matthius Buxhofer and Markus Eibegger headed off up the dusty track, an ambitious move perhaps with 148 kilometres of riding ahead in sweltering conditions.

As the kilometres wore on, it became clear the attack would probably succeed, though not all of those involved would make it to the finish at the front.

Stefan Rucker, who was working desperately for a stage win simply couldn’t hold on when the breakaway three reached the corrugated section of road twenty kilometres from the finish.

“I already knew that I wanted to attack today and I wanted to get a stage win, it nearly worked,� Rucker said.

“The technical stuff began, the sandy stuff and the corrugations, it was getting hotter and hotter and I realized I had no chance to win the stage.�

Countryman Markus Eibegger, the Austrian under 23 road champion suffered a similar fate. He too was hoping to feature on the podium today, but in the end was left questioning why he had come to the remote north of Australia on a mission of self harm.

“I had no water on the last ten k’s I was really thinking about why I did this race,� Markus commented.

“I have no answer to that, I couldn’t find any solution.�

But the two Austrians had done enough to help Matthius Buxhofer get to the line unchallenged.

The Austrian contingent at the Crocodile Trophy able to celebrate a second stage victory for the 2005 event.

A Race to Survive

Ten hours after they hit the trail in today’s tenth stage of the Crocodile Trophy, the last of the tailenders in the field reached the finish line.

Among them was Danish woman Astrid Boehm and the ‘mad dog’ Englishman Paul West, whose body is now covered in red spots, a reaction apparently to the sun on his untanned skin.

“I just cracked in the heat, I just blew, I think it was fifty, I just completely cracked,� West said as he struggled for breath.

“I had to stop and try and compose myself, not worry about the time, but just try and think about getting to the end of it.

“I cracked, properly cracked, fifty degrees I shouldn’t even be on a bike.�

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