Jeantex Bike Transalp 2008
Close Contest After a Hard Stage
22.07.2008
On the second stage of the JEANTEX BIKE TRANSALP 2008 powered by NISSAN, which ran today from Imst to Ischgl, Austria’s Martin Kraler and Heinz Verbnjak were successful in 3:45:47.3 hours. After 76.53 kilometres and 3,169 metres in elevation gain, the bearers of the yellow leader jerseys from Team Bulls, Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm, followed as runners-up with a deficit of only six tenths of a second (3:45:47.9). Daniel Rubisoier and Daniel Federspiel from Team Imst Gurgltal Radcenter Wolf came in third (3:49:50.1).After the close finish, Heinz Verbnjak was pretty exhausted: “It was a very difficult stage with an extreme climb right at the start, slippy descents and a final part which seemed to last forever.�
Before, both Austrians from Craft and Friends had been able to ride away at every climb but lost their gained lead again on the downhill passages. Also a flat tyre on Sahm’s bike on the way up to Pillerhoehe didn’t help. “We knew that Team Bulls would catch up again in the descents� said Verbnjak. The unlucky devil Stefan Sahm didn’t even notice the flat at first: “I didn’t recognise it on the downhill but when we headed uphill on the asphalt road, I knew that something was wrong. So, I had to change my tyre.�
“Today, we are pleased but it’s a long way to Riva del Garda and a lot of things can happen. We are not here to just compete in the race. For sure, we want to win� explained Martin Kraler.
Also two Austrians on top of the master category
With Heinz Zoerweg and Ekkehard Doerschlag, two fellow countrymen from Kraler/Verbnjak were the fastest bikers in the master category. Like two years ago the bearers of the blue leader jersey took home the stage victory on the Austrian leg. Team KTM took 3:52:57.4 hours and therefore extended their lead in the classification.
Team Generali consisting of Siegfried Hochenwarter and Georg Koch came in second (4:04:01.7) ahead of Walter Platzgummer and Johann Grasegger from Scott-adidas-Naturns (4:06:03.4).
Although they took home their second consecutive day win, it wasn’t an easy race for the experienced Team KTM as “it was a stiff piece of work�, as Ekkehard Doerschlag pointed out. “I had to crucify myself up to the first peak. But in the end we were able to go on in a controlled way not risking too much in the technically demanding trail sections.�
Mixed leaders enlarge their lead
Switzerland’s Werner Fischer and Milena Landtwing from Institut Ftan/Velo Franz Univega have also won the second stage of the JEANTEX BIKE TRANSALP 2008 powered by NISSAN. After 4:29:01.0 hours, both bikers in the orange jersey crossed the finish line in Ischgl.
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