Craft Bike TransAlp
Huber and Looser Clinch Queen Stage and Overall Lead
Press Release / 20.07.2011
Urs Huber and Konny Looser claimed victory on the fourth day of the 14th CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP powered by NISSAN by dominating this year’s Queen Stage from Brixen (ITA) to St. Vigil (ITA) and in doing so retook the lead in the overall ranking. The two Swiss riders of ‘Team Stöckli’ completed the 72.13 kilometers (3,504 meters elevation) in 3:41:01.8 hours relegating Team Full Dynamix with Italians Mike Felderer and Johnny Cattaneo to the runner-up position (3:42:38.9). Transalp serial winner Karl Platt (GER) and his French colleague of Team Bulls followed in third (3:42:40.2) and are now the main rivals of the new overall leaders, only a mere of 1:41 minutes behind.
Italians Massimo De Bertolis and Johann Pallhuber are also still in a good position to fight back. Today’s fourth ranked pairing ‘Silmax Autopolar Cannondale’ is only two minutes behind the men in the Yellow Leaderjerseys.
However, today was Team Stöckli’s day as the pros set a high pace in the first gravel road climb up to Plose, the ski area of Brixen, shedding one of the main candidate teams for the podium. Multivan Merida Biking with Hannes Genze (GER) and Andreas Kugler (SUI) couldn’t keep the pace; it was the beginning of the end for the duo, which, at the end of a fateful day, came in fifth but had to bury their hopes for a Transalp title due to a deficit of eleven minutes on the day.
<b>Huber and Looser Go For It</b>
“We kept the pace constantly high,â€? Urs Huber said, describing the race tactics of the young Swiss team, which now enters the second half of the 2011 Transalp as #1 favorite for the title. “In the downhill from Schatzerhütte, we were all alone in front, only the Cannondale guys were left. But on the climb to Würzjoch we managed to pull clear.â€?
After the crossing into the Dolomites, the young guns upped the tempo gaining an interim advantage of almost three minutes over the chasing group of four teams until the last ascent up to Forcella da Cians. It was a performance, Karl Platt, a seven-time Transalp champion, gave credit for: “It was amazing what the two pulled off as it was a very tough stage today. I didn’t expect them to be that strong. So, I’m glad that they lost some of their lead in the final climb.�
However, despite all compliments, Huber and Looser mustn’t show any weakness and will heed Platt’s warning, “we are right there, breathing down their necks.� It’s no wonder that Huber, who just won the Dolomiti Superbike the weekend prior to the Transalp, calls Team Bulls their main contender for the big prize cheque. “They are very experienced and know exactly how things work. They are for sure our strongest rivals.�
However, 1:41 minutes is a nice cushion although “it’s still a long way to Riva. We never thought of being in front after half of the race,� Huber finally said. See All Event Posts
