Bart Brentjens collected his second stage win in a row on stage three of the 2010 Crocodile Trophy. He crossed the line one second ahead of Urs Huber, who appears comfortable in his position as overall race leader.
While he maybe feeling more comfortable in the leader’s jersey, Huber certainly wasn’t feeling all that fresh after the stage. Strong headwinds had battered the field late in the day after calmer, but hot conditions at the beginning. The Swiss rider was in no doubt when delivering his appraisal of the stage.
“It was very hot up the top end with no wind. It was the hardest stage of the Crocodile Trophy,” he said.
Brentjens and Huber finished more than four minutes clear of the third-placed rider, Mike Mulkins. “I’m very happy, it was hard and some of the rockier sections I found it easier to just spin over them,” said Mulkens.
“But sometimes we (Mulkins, Huber and Brentjens) also had to get off the bikes as we had no traction in our tyres. I’m very happy with my ride today, I found my rhythm again.”
Brentjens win was made all the more impressive due to a big chase to get back on terms after a puncture in the first half of the 144 kilometre stage.
Cory Wallace, too, was forced to deal with a puncture. The Canadian showed the effects of two days spent in touch with Brentjens and Huber, finishing in eighth on the day’s stage, 36 minutes down on the leaders.
Wind, wind, go away!
Later finishers were forced to cope with the worst of the increasing wind. The first Australian and Masters stage winner Hans Delacher finished in 13th on the stage. The 55-year-old set himself up for the good result by keeping in contact with the big-hitters, with a patient approach taking over later in the day.
“It was a perfect race, I got to see so much, I jumped on with some younger guys but when we got to the hill I pulled back, I needed to ride my own race,” explained Delacher.
Abby McLennan continued her golden run to again lead the women’s field home. She was one of those to bear the brunt of the afternoon gales.
“What a day,” she said afterwards. “It’s the hardest ride and race that I’ve ever done in my life. There was no relief anywhere, even on the bitumen roads were strong headwinds or cross-winds, and everything else was hard, rough, rocky terrain that you can’t get any rhythm or speed going and it just wears your body out slowly, it was really tiring, lucky I had the [Rattle N Hum] boys there to keep me going”.
While the day was described by many as the hardest they had experienced at the race, tomorrow’s stage will see the field take on another mammoth stage. The field will move away from the tropics as they follow the 157 kilometre stage to Chillagoe.
| Place | Bib | Name | Nationality | Category | Team | Time | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Bart Brentjens | NED | Elite | 05:18:34 | 0:00:00 | |
| 2 | 1 | Urs Huber | SUI | Elite | 05:18:35 | 0:00:01 | |
| 3 | 3 | Mike Mulkens | BEL | Elite | 05:22:36 | 0:04:02 | |
| 4 | 15 | Allan Oras | EST | Elite | Rietumu-Delfin | 05:45:04 | 0:26:30 |
| 5 | 9 | Taigh Banson | AUS | Elite | Fraser and Mountain | 05:45:05 | 0:26:31 |
| 6 | 50 | Jaan Kirsipuu | EST | M2 | Rietumu-Delfin | 05:45:05 | 0:26:31 |
| 7 | 34 | Christof Mariën | BEL | M1 | Crocteam Belgium1 | 05:49:27 | 0:30:53 |
| 8 | 25 | Cory Wallace | CAN | Elite | 05:55:14 | 0:36:40 | |
| 9 | 24 | Réne Haselbacher | AUT | Elite | McSabutage | 05:55:15 | 0:36:41 |
| 10 | 41 | Raf De Bakker | BEL | M1 | 05:57:44 | 0:39:10 |