Due to a decisive attack in the ascent of today’s third mountain to master, Italy’s Massimo de Bertolis and Johann Pallhuber secured victory on the second stage of the 2011 CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP powered by NISSAN. Team Silmax Autopolar Cannondale cleared the 68.74 kilometers and 2,911 meters in elevation from Weerberg (AUT) to Mayrhofen (AUT) in impressive 3:13:11.0 hours; and was thus about 45 seconds faster than the chasing group consisting of three teams. According to this, both riders also took over the lead in the overall ranking (44 seconds).
The sprint for the other podium spots went to Team Stöckli with Swiss pros Urs Huber and Konny Looser. The former bearers of the Yellow Leader Jerseys came in after 3:13:57.2 hours, thus only one tenth ahead of Team Bulls 1 (3:13:57.3) consisting of Karl Platt (GER) and Thomas Dietsch (FRA). Hannes Genze (GER) and Andreas Kugler (SUI) of Multivan Merida Biking missed the podium as fourth ranked team (3:13:57.9); but both racers are still within reach of the top spot of the table being only 48 seconds behind.
However, it will be a tough quest for all the three lurking teams to set the Italian Stallions under pressure; especially as De Bertolis and Pallhuber could have done even better if the former World Champion wouldn’t have experienced a minor crisis in the climb to Lafasteralm and wouldn’t have got some problems with the derailleur mechanism after the second downhill from Geiseljoch (2,296m).
“When the problems started, Johann (Pallhuber) showed the right reaction and pressed forward,” said De Bertolis, who was very happy that he didn’t suffered from the same stomach problems as last year – but had come through it already two weeks before the start. “I’m in a very good condition and I’m very pleased with the first two stages. Our goal was to win a stage; so from now on we can take it day by day.”
His team mate from South Tyrol, Johann Pallhuber, added that “it’s awesome to have the Yellow Leaderjerseys for one day at least. I never dreamed of this before the race.”
Bitter day for Looser
The dream of the Transalp lead had already come true for the youngest team of the top podium candidates yesterday. But Urs Huber and Konny Looser also had been thinking of a happier end of their first day in Yellow. Both young guns bravely attacked in the first climb right away thus cumulating a lead of some 45 seconds, which went up in smoke pretty fast again in the second ascent up to Geiseljoch.
“My back was aching so I couldn’t equally pull and push,” Looser glumly said. “Due to this I lost my rhythm”. This weakness was just what the two experienced mountain bikers from Silmax Autopolar Cannondale had been waiting for: De Bertolis/Pallhuber closed the gap and set their own attack in the last and final climb.
“I couldn’t keep up with the pace anymore. That was my crisis,” explained Looser. Lucky him, the co-work in the chasing group with Team Bulls 1 and Multivan Merida Biking went well. “That was good harmony,” said Huber, who added – asked for the lost overall lead: “We knew that it was close. But it’s still close. It’s still all up in the air.
Master leaders extend their lead
Yesterday, after his triumph on the opening stage, Silvio Wieltschnig had been afraid of weak legs for today. However, things never turn out the way you expect. In the last climb, the Austrian racer and his fellow countryman Heinz Zörweg were able to pull clear of their main rivals.
In the end, Team Factory Cube nailed another win in 3:25:06.3 hours thus putting some more three and a half minutes on Udo Bölts and Andreas Strobel of Centurion-Vaude (3:28:48.0).
The two German riders had a lead of about 14 minutes on third ranked South Tyroleans Andreas Laner and Achim Auchentaller of Team Moserwirt Passeier (3:42:15.1) thus moving up on a well-deserved second rank in the master classifier.
While Bölts/Strobel made up one spot, they still have a mere 12 minutes delay on the riders in the Blue Leaderjerseys. According to this, the next day’s strategy for the leaders is pretty obvious as Heinz Zörweg points out: “We have a run at the moment. So, from tomorrow on, we can take it easier, trying to control the pace. We have to make sure to stay puncture-free and shouldn’t risk too much. However, it’s still a long way to Riva.”
Mixed leaders again dominant
There are still more than 500 kilometers and more than 16,000 meters in elevation gain to conquer; but this distance can be tackled more relaxed by the mixed leaders after today’s again outstanding performance.
Title defending Pia Sundstedt (FIN) and her Craft-Rocky Mountain partner Carsten Bresser (GER) secured a back-to-back win in 3:46:29.0 hours thus extending the lead over again second ranked Centurion-Vaude bikers Milena Landtwing (SUI) and Martin Kiechle (GER), who came in with a mere four minutes delay (3:50:27.2).
While things seem to be an easy one for Sundstedt and Bresser, Katharina Alberti and Matthias Gärtner of Germany based Moooove Racingteam brought home their first ever Transalp podium (3:59:06.9) and also moved up to third in the mixed category.
Senior masters with the same podium as yesterday
Just like yesterday, Silvano Janes and Walter Platzgummer of Trient-Südtirol celebrated victory in the category for the teams with a total age of more than 100 years (3:39:14.4).
The two Italians relegated Austria’s Erich Pross and Erwin Dietrich of Zweirad Janger Simplon (3:59:01.3) as well as Walter Perkmann (ITA) and Georg Niggl (GER) of Craft And Friends (4:00:58.5) to second and third respectively.
Binder/Troesch set the agenda on the ladies’ side
After Natascha Binder (GER) and Danièle Troesch (FRA) had taken advantage of cramps suffered by their competitors yesterday, the ladies in the Pink Leaderjerseys were up for a clear result today, setting the pace right from the start.
Team Felt Ötztal X-Bionic/Rotwild managed to break away in the first climb and constantly increased the lead.
In the end, the newly formed duo rolled over the finish line after 4:27:19.3 which was equal to another stage win ahead of Martina Miessgang (AUT) and Katrin Neumann (GER) of Mountain Heroes (4:30:42.2). Like yesterday, Swiss Manuela Jenny and Susanne Tanner of Velorado Racing were the ones to round out the podium as third (4:55:01.6).
Preview Stage 3: Mayrhofen (AUT) – Brixen (ITA)
The third longest stage of this year’s Transalp is peppered with only one mountain – but that is one hell of a mountain! The Pfitscherjoch (2,246m) is a must for everyone willing to cross the Alps.
In a sportive and scenic way, it’s an absolute highlight as the field passes Schlegeisspeicher before entering South Tyrol thus going over the main chain of the Alps.
The remaining 60 kilometers into the finish descend smoothly on an old military road to St. Jakob im Pfitsch, Sterzing and through the Eisack Valley right into Brixen where the stage concludes on the pictoresque Minster square.
Full results available online at Datasport