In three days, on July 16th, 2011, the long-desired starting signal for the 14th CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP powered by NISSAN, the longest Transalp in history, will be fired off in Mittenwald, Germany. At 10 AM, a field of 550 teams of two coming from 37 countries will get under way starting at the station square while sharing an unique dream: to master a total distance of 674.51 kilometers and 21,776 meters in elevation before reaching the finish line in Riva del Garda, Italy.
In total, the field of the eight-day-stage race consists of more than 450 teams in the men’s classification, about 370 master category pairings, some 150 mixed duos, almost 100 senior master teams and about 30 teams in the women’s category. Within this will be the MarathonMTB.com pairing of Will Hayter and Lionel Richardson in the men’s, and Hans Dielacher and Craig McKeown in the Senior Masters. Wish them luck!
The fastest riders might have an additional goal besides accepting the challenge of crossing the main chain of the Alps. They are also out for the big price check. The best placed teams of each of the five categories will get their share of the total sum of € 25,000.
Battle of three for victory
There are – regarding their mountain bike vitae – three teams of two in the men’s category, who form the inner circle of top aspirants. Above all, it’s Mr. Transalp Karl Platt of Team Bulls 1, who is aiming for his ninth title while entering the race for the first time with his new partner, French Champion Thomas Dietsch.
In addition, there are two duos who are hoping for their first ever Transalp win: besides the German-Swiss Multivan Merida Biking Team Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler also former World Champion Massimo de Bertolis and his Italian fellow countryman Johann Pallhuber will give it a go starting for SRMAX Autopolar Cannondale.
But there are a few more teams which have fighting chances and thus the skills for a big surprise: Swiss Team Stöckli consisting of Konny Looser and Urs Huber as well as Markus Kaufmann and Rupert Palmberger of the German Team Centurion-Vaude or new formed German-Austrian CRAFT – Rocky Mountain team Daniel Gathof/Guido Thaler.
Duel on the ladies’ side
While several men’s teams have good chances for the top spot on the podium, there are two female pairings in the running for the Pink Leaderjerseys. The focus will be on Martina Miessgang (AUT) and Katrin Neumann (GER) of the Mountain Heroes as well as Neumann’s last year’s partner Danièle Troesch (FRA).
The French and the Bavarian racer finished as third in 2010; however, Troesch gives it another shot for team Felt Ötztal X-Bionic/Rotwild with none other than Natascha Binder, who came in second last year.