Gore-Tex Transalpine-Run
Tough Stage Taxes Racers to the Max
News Release / 07.09.2010
Today’s stage was to be both the longest and most gruelling in terms of distance and vertical gain of the eight race days of the 2010 GORE-TEX TRANSALPINERUN. As such, it was an apt test for all teams attempting to cross the High Divide on tomorrow’s 4th stage.
The racers started their day with an early morning ascent of the world renowned Hahnenkamm World Cup downhill ski course. However, that incredibly steep climb served only as a warm up to what would later test even the best racers. The climb continued up the Pegelstein, dropped deep into a valley before heading up to the Stangenjoch, traversing below the rock faces of Wildkogel (2,186m) before descending a brutal downhill bike trail to Neukirchen am Großvenediger. After all was said and done, the runners had put 46.9 km and 2,252 m of vertical gain behind them.
<b>In a league of their own</b>
The leading teams of all race categories seem to be sharing one commonality this year: they appear to be untouchable to their peers. Among the competing Men’s teams Tom Owens and Andrew Symonds of SALOMON TRAIL TEAM once again managed to outpace their closest rivals Matthias Dippacher and Christian Stork.
By the time they reached the finish line at Neukirchen (04:39.34 hours) their lead had increased to nine minutes over ORTHOMOL SPORT TEAM (04:48.34), and a cumulative overall lead of 33 minutes with less than half the race behind them. Neither of the two teams seemed to experience difficulties with snow banks on the trail at elevation – something one would also have assumed of TEAM SKINNY RAVEN/ALASKA. As such, it seemed not surprising that Americans Brenton Knight / Brandon Newbould secured the coveted third podium position with a time of 04:57.37 hours.
<b>Mixed leaders almost 45 minutes ahead of the competition</b>
Just as strong as the Men’s leaders are their British team colleagues SALOMON TRAIL TEAM MIXED (Angela Mudge and Chunky Liston). They ran a formidable race today coming into Neukirchen (05:03.22) as only the fifth team overall. Their fellow countrymen Iona Robertson and Casey Morgan (TEAM TPC FREIGHT MANAGEMENT) managed to claim second place with their time of 05:15.30 hours, whereas podium regulars Linda Doke and Ryan Sandes of South Africa (SALOMON / VELOCITY SPORTS LAB) had to settle for third place today. A fierce competition between the second and third placed teams is evolving in the overall rank with only 35 seconds between them after three tough days of racing.
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