Crocodile Trophy
Raise the tempo, pump the bike.
Media Release / 23.10.2010
Sun, sand and sweat was the scarring souvenir of today's trail, a 100km round sprint painfully stretching riders legs and spirits- to the limit. As the blue skies and the harsh sun bore down, Chillagoe bade riders welcome to the harshness of the Australian Outback.Blazing his way to the finish and taking todays stage was unknown (AUT) Christoph Tschellnig (13), (team more than bike) completing the sprint in 3:11:26. Chasing Christoph's tail by 2:20 seconds was fellow Austrian Ludescher Phillip (14), with wildcard Cory Wallace (15) proving he's not just a climber and has the legs for a sprint finishing third in 3:19:15.
Tschellnig said "I attached at 1km had 5 mins at the turning point and was let go (by the other riders). I had 3 flat tyres on the first day so had no chance at the GC, but today when I tried and was let go."
"I was lucky when Ludescher tried to catch me I was too far for him to catch me,"
"I am very proud, I work 40hrs a week as a fitness trainer, so I am not a professional rider and I beat professional riders. I am a former road racer and have been mountain biking for the 3 years now."
"I think it was the fish from yesterday's dinner, I don't normally eat that much, but I had 3 serves!".
Wallace bathed in muddy sweat said of the stage "I had no flat tyres this stage so that was an advantage. it was very hot, and fast. The main guys (Huber and Brentjens) don't seem to be worried about us guys anymore so I'm just focusing on points, trying when I can."
GC guys don't care about him anymore, he is just riding for points now, he didn't expect it be so ot and sany today. ".
Huber still the overall winner on time said of the stage "It was very hot, I'm happy". When asked of the competition between Brentjens and himself for the GC "We are blocked in, we just wait for one of us to go, and the other follows. I think that this will continue for the following stages.". Cairns local Abby McLennan (91) from team 'Rattle n Hum' maintained her domination of the race speeding her way to her 5th consecutive stage win and so far supremacy of other female competitors in 3:55:55.
Abby says of the stage, "That was a hot stage, it felt so much longer than what it really was".
"The rolling hills and pace was so high. The boys are so much better and faster and stronger than me so it's such a fight to keep the tempo up, the boys (Husband Scott McLennan and Brendon Skerke) kept me going, pushed me, helped me through."
Sharman Parr (93) was next in for the girls today, followed shortly after by fellow 'SheSpoke Cyle wear' teammate Lauretta Howarth (92) who rode in beside Leaslie Sutton (96). Sutton who is riding the race alone said of the stage "this was a great stage, I had some company (with Howarth) on the road today so that made it fantastic". Sundays stage steers the competition 137km's against corrugated roads, over hard rocky terrain, through sand laid trails and across the Mitchell River for day's end at Mt Mulgrave.See All Event Posts
