Gore-Tex Transalpine Run
Miguel Caballero Crushes Previous Stage Record in Mountain Sprint
Oliver Kraus / 08.09.2011
Race partner David Lopez Castan had not been in the best shape today finishing the race himself in 44:01.2 minutes. However, no other team managed to beat the Spaniards cumulative time of 1:22:58.8 hours.
The victorious Caballero clearly benefited in today’s 6,19 kilometer uphill sprint race from fellow countryman Tofol Castaner Bernat, the 2010 Sky Running World Champion. Castaner, who claimed second place today with teammate Miquel Capo Soler of Team TransMallorcaRun (1:25:38.7) had served as an ideal, albeit unintentional, pacer for Caballero.
Today’s staggered start required Castaner to race right ahead of Caballero who, in turn, never lost sight of his predecessor. “Naturally that was good for me since I was perfectly able to use Tofol for orientation� Caballero, victor of this year’s Stava Skyrace, explained. “I’m very happy that I won today.�
Castaner from the Mediterranean Isle of Mallorca, in turn, was not displeased with the turn of events that left him in second place despite his blistering time of 39:41.4 minutes. He shared his assessment; “It’s quite all right. In the beginning I did very well. But when the terrain got steeper, Miguel had a clear advantage using poles. I’m from an island where you don’t use something like that.�
<b>Caballero retracts previous intentions to call sprint stage a rest day</b>
It may have been a spur of the moment decision for Miguel Caballero Ortega to use the benefit of having Castaner as his unintentional pacer. In the end, that circumstance offered him a unique opportunity that was simply too hard to pass up – and Caballero knew full well how to use it to his advantage.
Only yesterday, today’s victor had expressed different intentions altogether hoping to use today’s sprint race as a welcome opportunity to regenerate rather than exerting himself too much. Today, the Spanish Club Champion of 2010 retracted and commented tongue in cheek “I guess in hindsight and by definition I lied then.�
The third team on today’s podium were Jethro Lennox and Joe Symonds of Scottish Team Inov-8 Gore-Tex Footwear (1:26:18.2). Symonds also claimed 3rd place in today’s individual ranking, racing up the 936 m of elevation gain in a blistering 41:36.3 minutes.
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