16th Craft BIKE Transalp
Team Bulls 1 Take Second Stage Win
News Release / 19.07.2013
Rovereto, Italy, July 19, 2013 – Karl Platt (GER) and Urs Huber (SUI) of Team Bulls 1 have clinched the seventh and thus penultimate stage of the 2013 Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma (4:36:06.8) which led on this year's longest but brand new routing over 118.52km and 3,005 metres in elevation gain from Crespano del Grappa to Rovereto. It was the second stage win for the third ranked team of the overall standings, which actually took place “by accident”.
A misinterpretation of the stage profile pinned to their handlebars forced later on stage winners to launch their attack earlier than planned. “The profile is so small. I thought we were in the last climb but actually were in the one before. We went for it but quickly noticed that another ascent is following. So we kept on going and secured the win – which is quite a nice redemption for the bad performance a few days ago – due to our downhill skills,” explained seven-time Transalp winner Karl Platt after his most unreal stage win (#37) in 13 years of Transalp racing.
One minute after Team Bulls 1, reigning Marathon World Champion Christoph Sauser (SUI) and Max Knox (RSA) of Specialized Racing came in (4:37:06.4). The third rank went to overall leaders Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Jochen Kaess (GER) of Centurion-Vaude 1 (4:38:24.8) who thus were able to defend the Yellow Jerseys in a very controlled manner.
“That was our goal”, said German Marathon Champion Kaufmann in the finish area. “We lost Team Bulls in the technical section but didn't want to risk too much. We just made sure to make it to the finish without any technical defects or crashes.” As a result, Kaufmann and Kaess are now, with only 38.55 km and 1,269 metres in elevation gain from Rovereto to Riva del Garda to go, close to their career's first Transalp title.
Especially as today's fourth ranked Alban Lakata (AUT) and Robert Mennen (GER) of Topeak Ergon Racing (4:40:28.9) lost another 2:24 minutes on the leading team. As a consequence, the runner-ups in the overall standings, of whom the European Champion Lakata was the unlucky person today with two technical problems (flat, blocked chain), are now already nine minutes behind and thus have to shelve their dream of keeping hold to the title.
Master leaders beaten for the first time
Johann Grasegger (GER) and Andreas Laner (ITA) of Team Jeep Scott have celebrated their first stage win at this year's Transalp in 5:05:01.7 hours. However, the overall ranked second team in the class for the teams with a combined age of more than 80 years did capitalize on bad luck of their main rivals.
Carsten Bresser (GER) and his Rocky Mountain/Centurion team mate Udo Boelts (GER) lost about ten minutes in the last descent due to a flat tyre (Bresser) and thus also their clean sheets. A fact which the former cycling pro Boelts commentated like this: “Those things can happen. It was our first flat. Some other teams are suffering even more.” In the end, the Blue Jerseys had to be content with second (5:09:27.8).
However, both were still lucky enough that the later on winning master team stopped by and helped out. “We left a cartridge and some tools. It's a matter of course to help out,” stated Johann Grasegger who also illustrated why he and Laner were so far behind at the intermediate times.
“We decided to go our own pace which was the right decision. In the end, we were only able to catch up because we were still strong enough to do so. We were favoured by fortune, true, but that's OK.”
Claudio Segata (ITA) and Piergiorgio Dellagiacoma (ITA) of Team Tecno MTB took third (5:14:34.7).
Pink Jerseys with seventh win
Sally Bigham (GBR) and Borghild Loevset (NOR) of Topeak Ergon Racing have underlined their outstanding role in the women category impressively. 5:27:55.7 hours of riding equaled the best time on the female side of things and also stage win #7.
Cornelia Hug (SUI) and Andrea Faessler (SUI) of Crazy Velo Shop Scott (5:41:58.0) as well as Katrin Schwing (GER) and Lisa Pleyer (AUT) of Cancer Rehab St. Veit (5:52:08.3) rounded out the top-3 as second and third team respectively.
Mountain Heroes win again
Due to stage win #6 (5:33:07.7) Kristin Aamodt (NOR) and Daniel Jung (ITA) of Mountain Heroes can finally start to dream of their first Transalp title.
Isabelle Klein (LUX) and Christian Schmitt (LUX) of Toproad 1 (5:34:03.3) as well as Kerstin Brachtendorf (GER) and Ronald Andraczek (GER) of r2-bike.com MTB RACING (5:38:17.7) came in second and third respectively.
Grand Master leaders claim seventh
Walter Platzgummer (ITA) and Gilberto Perini (ITA) of Naturns Scott-Torbado have also claimed victory on the penultimate Transalp stage from Crespano del Grappa to Rovereto (5:18:05.9).
Second and third rank went to Baerti Bucher (SUI) and Doug Brown (RSA) of Bixs nine-twelve-sixtyone (5:25:52.1) as well as Georg Niggl (GER) and Felix Weese (GER) of Craft and Friends (5:42:33.1).
Tomorrow's shortest, eighth and thus last stage of the 2013 Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma leads over only 38.55km and 1,269 metres in elevation gain from Rovereto to Riva del Garda.
About the Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma
The Craft Bike Transalp powered by Sigma is the most famous stage race for mountain bike teams of two. Since its first edition in 1998, the routing leads in eight stages from Germany across the main chain of the Alps to Italy.
In 2013, the event takes place for the 16th time (July 13 – 20). It kicks off in Mittenwald from where the field pedals via Mayrhofen, Brixen, St. Vigil, Alleghe, San Martino di Castrozza, Crespano del Grappa and Rovereto to Riva del Garda. Racers will master a total distance of 675.98 kilometres peppered with 20,242 metres in elevation.
Results
First results which will be updated over the course of the day can be found here.
Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma
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