Hannes Genze (GER) and Andreas Kugler (SUI) have won the third stage of the 14th CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP powered by NISSAN. After 94.01 kilometers and 2,154 meters in elevation from Mayrhofen (AUT) to Brixen (ITA), team Multivan Merida Biking successfully competed in a finish sprint of the top duos (3:40:39.3). Germany’s Markus Kaufmann and Rupert Palmberger of Centurion-Vaude came in as second (3:40:40.7), only 1.4 seconds behind of the winners thus securing their first ever Transalp podium finish.
The men in Yellow coming from Italy, Massimo de Bertolis and Johann Pallhuber of Silmax Autopolar Cannondale, rounded out the podium as third (3:40:42.4) after they had controlled their competitors over the course characterized by bad weather, cold temperatures around zero degrees plus five centimeters of snow at Pfitscherjoch (2,246m).
Due to the weather conditions and only one mountain to master and a 60 kilometers long smooth downhill thereafter into the finish, none of the favored teams had tried to pull clear or set any kind of attacks.
“According to this, the tempo was pretty slow,” Andreas Huber of the winning team recapped. “It was obvious that no one would try to get away if it’s so easy for the field to close the gap in the downhill.” In the end, all riders in the leading group knew how the stage would wrap up – with a sprint for victory.
With the experience of a similar finish in 2009 on the same stage to his belt, Genze took over the main work in the wind for the last three kilometers upping the tempo.
It was a clever move of Multivan Merida Biking as Genze outlined the tactic: “I remembered the finish from two years ago and knew exactly where I had to push it so no one could pass me.” The 2009 and 2010 Transalp runner-up also added that “it was an important win for the team. Now, we hope that we can also move forward in the ranking.”
After today’s performance the good team currently ranks third having a mere of only 45 seconds delay on De Bertolis and Pallhuber.
Tension is mounting prior the Queen Stage
The two Italians, who took over the lead yesterday after an impressive attack, had no problems at all to keep control of the field today. “It was our goal to make it up to Pfitscherjoch with the other top teams. And we achieved it,” Pallhuber said.
However, the 37-years-old rider from South Tyrol also knows that tomorrow will not only bring another stage profile but also some serious thread for the Leaderjerseys.
“It’s so close. There will be attacks for sure. I don’t think that the first climb is made for it as this could backfire. But the second peak might bring some turbulent race situations.”
Best ladies of the day reduce delay in the ranking
After they had missed victory on the opening stage due to some leg cramps, Martina Miessgang (AUT) and Katrin Neumann (GER) of Mountain Heroes crossed the finish line in first position today celebrating their first every Transalp stage win.
The Austrian-German pairing mastered the 94 kilometers across the main chain of the Alps into South Tyrol in 4:35:30.5 hours and was six minutes faster than the ladies in Pink, Natascha Binder (GER) and Danièle Troesch (FRA), who took the runner-up position (4:41:33.0).
Due to this incredible performance, Miessgang/Neumann reduced the gap on Binder/Troesch breathing down their necks now in the women’s ranking while being only less than 30 seconds behind. With the Queen Stage coming tomorrow, there is also some exciting racing to expect in the ladies category as the battle for the Transalp crown gets tight.
Today’s third ranked riders from Switzerland, Manuela Jenny and Susanne Tanner of Velorado Racing (4:53:15.5), are already some 50 minutes and thus too far behind and won’t have a chance to intercede in the duel.
Master category: Bölts/Strobel with stage win
Andreas Strobel gave a proof of sign that not only mass sport athletes have problems with cold weathers but also top pros might suffer from it. The Bavarian racer riding for Centurion-Vaude had to stretch his limits in the climb up to Pfitscherjoch. “Until we reached the Schlegeisspeicher I was absolutely freezing. I was lucky that I could put on some warmer cloths at the peak and we were able to fight back into the game.”
In the downhill to Sterzing, Strobel and his fellow countryman Udo Bölts closed the gap to Austrian Master Leaders Silvio Wieltschnig and Heinz Zörweg of Factory Cube and finally were ahead by a nose in the sprint for the stage win (4:03:44.0).
Italy’s Claudio Segata and Claudio Pellegrini of Team Treno Iii came in third (3:57:12.7) thus placing on the podium for the first time.
Senior Master leaders still a class of their own
Silvano Janes and Walter Platzgummer of Trient-Südtirol are still the ones to set the agenda in the senior master category. Both Italians finished as 19th in the overall ranking (3:51:12.6) and added another nine minutes on their lead over again second placed team Zweirad Janger Simplon with Erich Pross and Erwin Dietrich (3:59:56.7).
Walter Perkmann (ITA) and title defending Georg Niggl (GER) of Craft And Friends once again rounded out the podium as third (4:10:19.2).
First win for Landtwing/Kiechle in mixed category
Just like in the men, women and master category, also one mixed team climbed the top spot of the podium for the first time at the 2011 Transalp.
Overall second ranked mixed, Milena Landtwing (SUI) and Martin Kiechle (GER) of Centurion-Vaude, kept up with so far dominating Pia Sundstedt (FIN) and Carsten Bresser (GER) of Craft-Rocky Mountain finally edging them off to second in the decisive finish sprint (4:03:44.0).
Kristina Weber and Daniel Jung from Germany rolled in as third. Team Mountain Heroes rode 4:07:43.7 hours and thus reconquered the third spot in the rankings from their fellow countrymen Katharina Alberti and Matthias Jäger of Moooove Racingteam.
Preview Stage 4: Brixen (ITA)
Day Four brings, with awareness of 3,454 meters in elevation to master on a distance of 70 kilometers – the Queen Stage of the 2011 Transalp; and a brand new route.
In the last years, the field always passed Kreuzkofeljoch and Schlüterhütte in order to travel from Brixen deeper into the Dolomites. This time, the route leads over the ski area of Brixen called Plose and a varying trail and meadow section up to Würzjoch (2,003m).
After the Mauerberghütte, everyone has to master a challenging trail to Lüsner Joch from where a nice downhill brings some time to relax before the participants have to conquer Forcella da Cians on their way to St. Vigil.
Full results are available here