Jeantex Bike Transalp 2008
Team Bulls Defend Their Title
29.07.2008
On the last stage of the 2008 JEANTEX BIKE TRANSALP powered by NISSAN which took place from Andalo to Riva del Garda, Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm have impressively underlined why they kept a hold on their title. Team Bulls mastered the eight part of this year’s Alpine crossing, with its 60.72 kilometres and 1,454 metres of elevation gain, in 2:30:03.8 hours. In total, both pros pedalled 29:59:25.6 hours travelling 665.40 kilometres peppered with 21,691 metres of elevation gain and crossing 20 cols.Overall runner-ups Martin Kraler and Heinz Verbnjak from Craft and Friends/mountainbiker.at came in second (2:35:04.5). Alexander Pscheidl and Christian Schneidawind were successful in the sprint for third rounding out today’s podium (2:37:38.1). But in the overall ranking, Andreas Strobel and Markus Kaufmann from Vaude-Simplon 1, who finished twelfth today, claimed the third spot.
As they had four times this week already, Team Bulls – due to their outstanding downhill skills – were all alone for a long time during their fifth stage win. But actually “we had not planned to attack. But Karl was getting angry somehow as the pace was so slow� explained Stefan Sahm. “We are absolutely stoked. Winning the final stage as the overall leaders is a fantastic feeling. Stage races are made for us� said “Sahmurai�.
The 31-years-old Moessing resident added: “It was a dream of a stage today although the last downhill was very hard to ride. I really had some problems as my arms cramped a bit.� His team mate Karl Platt, who won his fifth consecutive Transalp, only had to add: “I was looking forward to this downhill but I could hardly hold my handle bar. I had to change fingers in order to pull the breaks.�
Both successful defending champions also received credit by defeated Craft and Friends/mountainbiker.at-team. “We had a lot of bad luck this week, struggling with tyre and chain faults but they were definitely better� said Martin Kraler. “Next year, we will try to beat them.� His partner Heinz Verbnjak stated: “In 2009, we will sound the attack.�
Team KTM with title hat trick
After wins in 2006 and 2007, Ekkehard Doerschlag and Heinz Zoerweg are once again on top of the masters podium. According to Doerschlag “this was an ideal Transalp for us.� Team KTM secured also their eighth stage victory (2:37:43.7) and therefore won eight out of eight stages keeping a clean slate. As runner-ups followed overall second placed Walter Platzgummer and Johann Grasegger from Scott-adidas-Naturns (2:43:19.2) right ahead of Team Generali consisting of Siegfried Hochenwarter and Georg Koch (2:43:33.8).See All Event Posts
