Crocodile Trophy
Brentjens Shows Courage To Win Stage Five
John Flynn / 27.10.2009
Displaying the character that led him to Olympic and World Championships, Dutchman Bart Brentjens today left his Crocodile Trophy rivals in awe by winning a third consecutive stage of Australia's Outback Classic. It was the method of Sir Bart's victory, a display of true courage that saw the great man haul back a deficit of five minutes after suffering an early puncture, that had fellow competitors reaching for superlatives.
Slovenia's four-time Race Across America winner Jure Robic perhaps summed it up best when he said he was "a better man for having met Bart Brentjens at the Crocodile Trophy." "He is a man of class, a man of pure character," Robic said.
Brentjen's desire to win Australia's Outback Classic was there for all to see today, when he punctured shortly before the first checkpoint. A split in a tyre sidewall, caused by one of many sharp rocks on the course cost the four-time Olympian close to five minutes. What happened next will become part of Crocodile Trophy folklore. Brentjens stepped on the gas and rode past two small pelotons of riders, before catching the front group containing race leader Urs Huber.
"He was like a motorbike," laconic Australian Isaac Tonello said after Brentjens blew past the chase groups. Realising his goal of winning the Trophy was on the line, Brentjens had no choice but to give his all. "I had to give it 100% to catch them," Brentjens said at stage end. "You don't know in that situation how fast they are going so you have to give it absolutely everything and ride to your limit."
As in previous years, the 100 kilometre out and back stage to Chillagoe caught most of the protagonists by surprise. It is a stage that seems relatively easy in the race book, but the obvious dangers are in the fine print.
"It seems to be a flat and easy stage BUT it wasn't at all, it was pretty rough," Brentjens said. "If this is a good road, then I don't know what's a rough road."
Brentjens caught the lead group of Huber, Robic, Belgian Mike Mulkins and Australian Josh Prete shortly before the turnaround point. From there, he proceeded to do much of the work, driving into a headwind over the final 50 kilometers, with Huber apparently less than eager to help out. "I think he wasn't happy with what I did yesterday, I caught him out in the sprint," Brentjens revealed of a developing on-course feud.
"He gave me some water in the stage and he thought he could win but I was thinking a little bit different so he didn't do any work today. "It's a race and there's a good fight, so yeah it'll be exciting the next couple of days." See All Event Posts
