Crocodile Trophy
Fojtik’s Dream Comes True in Australia’s Daintree Forest
29.10.2008
Czech cyclist Ondrej Fojtik achieved his life’s dream today, winning the Crocodile Trophy in the most emphatic fashion possible, with a victory in the penultimate stage from Cooktown to Daintree. Under siege from VIG+ Racing team-mate Martin Horak who attacked again today as the race ventured past the famous “Lions Den Hotel�, Fojtik was forced to prove once and for all that he was the best rider of the 2008 Outback Classic.
In second place on the General Classification heading into today’s stage, - five minutes behind Fojtik, Horak won no friends with his Czech team that rallied to support the race leader in his great moment of need.
Nicknamed “The Ivanator� by his rivals, Czech strongman Ivan Rybarik pulled huge turns to reel in his renegade team-mate, assisted also by Tomas Trunschka.
But when the moment of truth came as the race ventured upward on a 20% gradient to the legendary Creb Track, Fojtik stepped up to another level.
“I am happy that I win the stage because I think it was the most difficult stage of the Crocodile and for me it’s great satisfaction,� Fojtik said.
“It was most important that I had Ivan and Tomas Trunschka to help today and I thank them so much, for me their help was the real highlight.�
The day wasn’t so kind for third-placed Belgian Nic Vermeulen, who exploded on one of the steeper climbs as the race ventured into one of its most technical sections, the “Zig-Zag Track�, which took riders over a spectacular river crossing at the Roaring Meg.See All Event Posts
