Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma

Franz Hofer and Daniele Mensi Clinch Career's First Transalp Stage Win

News Release / 25.07.2014

Yesterday's third ranked Italian national team members Franz Hofer and Daniele Mensi have clinched the fifth stage of the 17th Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma which led from Sarnthein to Kaltern today.

The Transalp newbies of Team Scott mastered the 67.42 km and 2,785 metres in 3:20:21.4 and celebrated their first ever Transalp stage win ahead of Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Jochen Käß (GER) of Centurion Vaude 1 (3:21:22.3) who are still sitting in first position of the overall ranking with a comfortable lead over their team mates Daniel Geismayr (AUT) and Hannes Genze (GER) who finished third today in 3:21:26.7.

The win of Hofer and Mensi is the first of an Italian team since 2011 when Mike Felderer and Johnny Cattaneo triumphed on the final day of the stage race.

However, Team Scott did benefit from a detour which their competitors took. After the two racers had led the field with an advantage of minute coming out of the first downhill their breakaway try came to an early end in the second climb of the day up to St. Apollonia.
When Hofer fell and also had to fix a flat tire chances for a stage win of the Italians had already vanished into thin air until things went upside down again in the last descent from Boos over Eppaner Höhenweg.

Alban Lakata (AUT) led the teams up in front to the wrong direction when he missed a turn which costed him and his Topeak Ergon Racing team mate Kristian Hynek (CZE) as well as wearers of the Yellow Jerseys, Kaufmann and Käß, a few minutes.

Thanks to the local rider Hofer, who knows the place around, Team Scott was able to capitalise on the faux pas of their rivals bringing home their first ever Transalp stage win.
“We came here to get some stage race experience. We never thought to be eye to eye with the others that quickly. We believed in our chance to podium but now we have a third rank and a win. It couldn't be any better although the last two days have been very exhausting,” said Hofer.

While Team Scott celebrated their coup, the detour of the two top teams didn't have any negative effect on the ranking. Topeak Ergon Racing finished fourth and was able to edge off fifth placed Team Bulls 1 (Karl Platt and Urs Huber) out of the top-3 of the elite ranking with an advantage of 10 seconds.

Centurion Vaude 1 confidently defended their lead and are still on a good way to keep hold on their Transalp title.

“All in all we are pleased with how the day wrapped up. We didn't lose time and controlled the pack. It's perfect. We defended the Yellow Jerseys, and that's the most important fact,” explained Kaufmann.

Hug and Fässler Underline Their Claim on the Women's Title

After Swiss leaders Cornelia Hug and Andrea Fässler lost some of their advantage over their main pursuers yesterday, the wearers of the Pink Jerseys were able to strike back again today.

Team Crazy Velo Shop Scott mastered the stage from Sarnthein to Kaltern in 4:30:59.6 being 25 minutes faster than their main rivals from Austria.

Silke Schrattenecker and Barbara Mayer of Nakita Powermums came in after 4:55:32.9.
Sarah Bosch (GER) and Danièle Troesch (FRA) of Mountain Heroes, third of the overall women ranking, rounded out the podium as third (5:04:06.9).

In the Masters event, 2004 Marathon World Champion Massimo De Bertolis (ITA) and Andreas Laner (ITA) of AIL Trentino triumphed once again in 3:33:56.5.

Heinz Zörweg (AUT) and Andrew McLean (RSA) of Rad.Sport.Szene Ausseerland Racing won the Senior-Masters event in 3:55:15.9 while Mixed leaders Sally Bigham (GBR) and Ben Thomas (GBR) of Topeak Ergon Racing did so in their category (3:55:20.3).

Special Categories

Jochen Weisenseel (GER) of Team Sigma Rox Rocky easily defended his lead in the best climber classification called Sigma Vertical Ride for the Red Polka Dot Jersey ahead of Michael Schuchardt (GER) of Scott Bike24 MTN Team 1 (+ 2:20).

In the Kenda Enduro-Challenge, Florian Schön (GER) of Scott Bike24 MTN Team 1 is 1:02 minutes ahead of Team Texpa-Simplon racer Andreas Kleiber (GER).

Frank Demuth (GER) of Centurion Vaude 3 kept hold of the White Jersey for the best U23 racer.

Sixth stage from Kaltern to Trento

The Transalp continues tomorrow with the sixth stage over 96.32 km and 2,873 metres of altitude from Kaltern to Trento. A long 1,500 metres of altitude climb plus the smaller Monte Calisio are in the way of the field which will kick off things at 9 AM CET.

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