Gore-Tex Transalpine Run
Six in a Row For Runaway Leaders
Oliver Kraus / 08.09.2011
Possibly, their performance had something to do with runner-up Team Salomon International who challenged the leaders for much of today’s stage relentlessly rushing them on to the finish line. However, second-placing Julien Chorier and Philipp Reiter (3:15:24.6) eventually ended up trailing the leaders by a single minute after courageously taking the lead for much of the day.
Third to call it a day were Tofol Castaner Bernat and Miquel Capo Soler of Team TransMallorcaRun who added to Spanish runners’ pride by claiming the remaining podium position after 3:19:30.2 hours.
The two Scottsmen Jethro Lennox and Joe Symonds surprised spectators in Mals arriving as the fourth Mens’ team, for the first time missing a beat in their quest to claim podium positions on each of the eight race days. They finished the day in 3:23:37.0 hours after their plan to distance themselves from the leading posse right off the start in Scuol backfired leaving them worn out for the latter part of the stage.
The two Inov-8 Gore-Tex Footwear Team members had tried to wear out the Spanish leaders of Team Trangoworld Gore-Tex with repeated, unexpected accelerations to a pace of 3:30 minutes/kilometer all the way to precipitous Uina Canyon.
However, in a twist of irony it was not the Spaniards but themselves who ultimately had to declare defeat as Joe Symonds shared: “Unfortunately, our strategy didn’t work since Jethro’s legs had not recovered sufficiently from yesterday’s sprint race.�
<b>Leaders deliver flawlessly when put to the test</b>
Unlike the unlucky Scottish initiators of the attack on the leaders, the French/German Team Salomon International benefited from the frequent change in pace early on in today’s stage. Given the relatively undemanding nature of today’s stage, it was probably the most suitable day to launch a strategic attack on the dominant Spaniards.
Philipp Reiter was clearly surprised when the Scotsmen suddenly fell back and their team found itself in the lead. “That was pretty amazing.� The 20-year-old trail talent from Germany immediately used the opening gap with running partner Chorier (FRA). They even managed to gain a lead of almost three minutes over the hitherto dominant Spaniards Caballero/Castan upon reaching Plantapatsch (2,261m).
However, they may have underestimated Team Trangoworld Gore-Tex who let the attack play out refusing to be lured into a premature chase. With less than 13-kilometers to go, they finally took the bait and calmly played out their tremendous downhill skills. Reiter was impressed but still satisfied with running to second place, his team’s best stage ranking to date.
“I guess I underestimated yesterday’s stage which cost some strength. We were unable to keep up with the Spaniards’ furious pace on the descent. They really are very strong.�
In the end, the stage didn’t deliver much of an upset and the Spaniards productively responded in trademark cool and collected manner to the challenge thrown at them. David Lopez was modest about his team’s accomplishment: “Today was very hard. We took quite a beating during the rapid changes in pace early on in the stage. We are pretty happy that we were able to close the gap towards the finish and that we ended up winning today.�
Without having expressed their objective explicitly, the two victorious members of the Spanish Trail Running National Team continue to be on track to win every one of the eight stages in the 2011 GORE-TEX Transalpine Run.
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