BIKE Four Peaks
Christoph Sauser celebrates 2014 Protective BIKE Four Peaks title
Press Release / 09.06.2014
Jochen Käß (GER) has claimed victory on the final stage of the 2014 Protective BIKE Four Peaks. The Centurion Vaude team member mastered the 75.07 km and 1,955 metres of altitude from Neukirchen am Großvenediger to Kaprun in 2:46:55.3. Just a few seconds behind, Kristian Hynek (CZE) of Topeak Ergon (2:48:08.9) and Yellow Jersey wearer Christoph Sauser (SUI) of Specialized Racing (2:47:10.6) followed.
Thanks to his third rank today, reigning World Champion Sauser, who had dominated the first three stages of the four-day event, repeated his last year's title triumph. In total, the Swiss racer had pedalled 11:18:59.8 hours from Leogang to Kaprun (273.45 km and 9,212 m). Topeak Ergon racers Hynek and Alban Lakata (AUT) rounded out the overall podium as second and third respectively. “I'm very happy. It's a very nice win. Stage races are my kind of thing. Today, I wasn't focusing on the stage win but on the overall ranking. I kept my own pace in the last climb and rode well in the downhill so I could close the gap to Hynek,” explained Sauser, who had lost contact in an ascent for the first time during the whole tour.
In the final climb to Maiskogel, Markus Kaufmann had upped the tempo and had successfully broken away. In the race's final trail, however, the winner of the best climber classification for the Red Polka Dot Jersey of the 'Peak Hero of the Bayerischen Staatsforsten powered by fi'zi:k' wasn't rewarded for his brave attack. A sneaking flat threw him back to fourth position when Hynek, Sauser and Kaufmann's team mate Käß flew by under a blue bird sky. It was at least a nice redemption for Käß: “It's a propitiative conclusion of the race for me after I had a really bad second day.” Besides bringing home his career's second Four Peaks stage win, he was also pleased with his team's win in the team classification. “That's nice, that was one of our goals.”
Team Bulls pro Karl Platt commandingly won the new special trail category Enduro-Challenge for the Green Jersey of the 'Speed Hero'.
Favourites come out on top in other categories
In the other race categories, each respective leader was able to celebrate not only the overall win but also the day victory. In the women's competition, unbeaten Petra Marchart-Robeischl (AUT) of RC Union Eindruck Sarleinsbach triumphed in a time of 3:27:53.8. Regina Genser (GER) of Craft-Rocky Mountain (3:32:34.8) and Cornelia Hug (SUI) of CrazyVeloShop-Scott (3:33:11.1) followed in second and third position. “I was expecting a top-5 result. I knew that I'm strong in long climbs but I never would have thought to come out first. This is insane,” said Marchart-Robeischl.
Master leader Hansjürg Gerber (SUI) of bikeholiday.ch-acefactory claimed victory in the category for the 40+ racers in 3:06:31.2 while Grand Master leader Heinz Zörweg (AUT) of Rad.Sport.Szene-Ausseerland came in first in the 50+ racer category (3:05:41.3).
For further information visit bike-fourpeaks.de.
About the Protective BIKE Four Peaks
After its successful debut in 2013, the Protective BIKE Four Peaks is an absolute red-letter day in every mountain biker's calendar. The four-day stage race for a maximum of 1,000 participants will take place in the most spectacular mountain bike areas of the Alps from June 4 thru 7, 2014. In total, the routing consists of 273.45 km and 9,212 metres in elevation gain leading from Leogang via Lofer, Kirchberg and Neukirchen to Kaprun. Besides entering the race as single starter, every racer can also register for a team of (at least) four mountain bikers.
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