Urs Huber and Konny Looser have claimed the overall title at the international well-respected mountain bike stage race CRAFT BIKE TRANSALP powered by NISSAN. Coming in second at today’s final stage from Trento (ITA) to Riva del Garda (ITA) of the eight day event (3:00:16,2) was enough for the two Swiss racers of Team Stöckli to claim their first ever Transalp title. The this year newly formed duo mastered the total distance of 670.25 kilometers and 21,504 meters in elevation from Mittenwald (GER) to Lake Garda in the time of 27:02:36.3 hours.
Overall second rank went to seven-times Transalp champion Karl Platt (GER) and his Team Bulls colleague of France Thomas Dietsch (27:11:17.0), who placed third today (3:05:42.4) but were, in the end, some 8:40 minutes behind of the new Transalp winners. Italians Massimo De Bertolis and Johann Pallhuber of Silmax Autopolar Cannondale secured the third overall rank (27:21:47.0).
While the triumphing team started to celebrate their first shared big international title on the last hundred meters, Italy’s Mike Felderer and Johnny Cattaneo went for their first 2011 stage win in 3:00:12.9 hours, thus giving the right answer to a more than just messed up day before.
Due to two slashed tires with only one spare 29er tube, Team Full-Dynamix had lost their third spot in the overall ranking. “According to this, we entered today’s stage pretty peeved,” said Mike Felderer. “We had to bring home something today. That was for sure a confirmation of our skills and that we are able to keep up with the best.”
Successful breakaway group
The two Italians had set an attack in the climb to Monte Bondone, pulled clear quickly and thus laid foundation to their triumph later on; however, both also played in the overall leader’s hands. Team Stöckli was also ready to give it a shot and was the only one able to keep up.
“We were lucky that Full-Dynamix had the same idea, so we were able to gain a comfortable lead,” Konny Looser explained. However, the young gun didn’t find any more words when asked about his feelings in the mixed zone right after his big triumph.
But his 25-years-old team mate Urs Huber, who nailed it at his first ever Transalp participation, did so. “It’s great; it’s a super feeling to have won the Transalp. We were able to achieve our biggest goal of the season. We didn’t have any physical or technical problems over the course of the eight days. We had some super good days.”
Martina Miessgang and Katrin Neumann win women’s class
In the ladies’ category, Martina Miessgang (AUT) and Katrin Neumann (GER) have proverbially fulfilled their biggest dream in 36:29:48.7 hours as the Austrian team part had been dreaming of a successful end of the 2011 Transalp last night.
“I haven’t realized it yet. But the dream was so nice, it had to come true,” Miessgang said.
That the dream came true was something both riders of Mountain Heroes didn’t had expected at all.
At first, some leg cramps of Neumann had cost the Pink Leaderjerseys on the first stage. Then, a cold of the Bavarian racer caused some physical problems after Pfitscherjoch on stage three.
“We never thought of a realistic chance to beat them (Binder/Troesch), especially this morning as I also had a crash yesterday,” explained Neumann. “But that it worked out is just amazing,” so the 29-years-old further on.
Due to their major effort, the Mountain Heroes relegated Team Felt Ötztal X-Bionic/Rotwild with Natascha Binder (GER) and Danièle Troesch (FRA) to the runner-up position in the day as well as final ranking (4:02:06.7; 36:41:23.1).
Germans Claudia Langer and Ellen Blome of Craft And Friends secured their first stage podium as third (4:11:32.0) while Switzerland’s Manuela Jenny and Susanne Tanner of Velorado Racing Team took the third spot in the overall ranking (38:40:38.4).
Zörweg/Wieltschnig save their lead
On side of the teams with a total age of more than 80 years, Silvio Wieltschnig was able to defend his title. Together with his Austrian fellow countryman Heinz Zörweg, the Factory Cube rider came in second today (3:16:40.9) thus saving a final lead of five minutes in the overall ranking celebrating his second consecutive Transalp win after 29:22:34.5 hours.
His last year’s partner Udo Bölts (GER) had given everything he had reducing the deficit of former more than 20 minutes but had to accept defeat in the end.
Together with his German team mate of Centurion-Vaude Andreas Strobel, the former road cyclist star did not only win today (3:14:50.6) but also the four days prior, finally ending up on the second overall podium spot (29:27:51.5).
Third team of today as well as in the final ranking was Team Trento Iii consisting of Italians Claudio Segata and Claudio Pellegrino (3:18:54.5; 30:36:20.6).
Craft-Rocky Mountain wins mixed category
In the mixed class, Pia Sundstedt (FIN) and Carsten Bresser (GER) of Craft-Rocky Mountain have underlined their starring role by winning the final stage of the 14th Transalp (3:27:32.8). The Finnish successful title defender and her German partner rode 31:03:01.3 hours in the saddle, thus more than half an hour less than overall second ranked team Centurion-Vaude. (31:38:02.3).
Milena Landtwing (SUI) and Martin Kiechle (GER) had lost more than eight minutes today, still finishing as second best mixed of the day (3:35:37.0).
Nina Gässler and Hans-Jürgen Stauber of German Hard Roxc Racing Team followed in third position (3:39:17.7), who crossed the finish line ten minutes ahead of overall third classified Mountain Heroes (33:23:27.5), Kristina Weber (GER) and Patrick Jung (ITA).
Senior Master leader keeps clean sheet
Eight stages – eight wins: that’s the impressive record of Silvano Janes and Walter Platzgummer. The two Italians of Trient-Südtirol thus lived up to the standard today (3:18:49.7) of being the main candidate for the title in the class for the teams with a total age of more than 100 years.
According to this, both also took the senior master title in 29:48:39.3 hours.
Like every day, Austria’s Erich Pross and Erwin Dietrich of Zweirad Janger Simplon were the ones to finish in the runner-up position (3:37:51.0) thus also cementing their second rank in the overall ranking (32:06:48.6).
Third place of today went to Germans Peter Graap and Hermann Schneider of Plattmacher (3:52:54.4). Walter Perkmann (ITA) and Georg Niggl (GER) of Craft And Friends finished third overall (33:57:37.2).