When I wrote my last blog post for MarathonMTB.com about racing in Europe, I was looking at it as an outsider, it was all a bit of a novelty, all a bit of fun. When Mike and I started Transalp eight days ago it wasn’t much fun. I felt like I had in most marathons […]
Archives for July 2013
On The Side Lines
The last week has been tough ‘on the side lines’ watching teammates Mike Blewitt and Imogen Smith rip apart the Craft Bike Trans Alp 2013. TransAlp is one of the toughest team stage races in the world, eight days traversing the ‘alps’ from Mittenwald in Germany down to Riva del Garda in Italy. Today they […]
When Transalp becomes Italian
The Craft Bike Transalp follows a highly traditional route from southern Germany to Riva del Garda in Italy. Although the Stage 6 town of Crespano di Grappa was the 45th Stage Town in the races history, the differences each year are primarily between an easterly route like this year through the Dolomites, or westerly through […]
Centurion-Vaude and Topeak-Ergon secure leads at Transalp
Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Jochen Kaess (GER) of Centurion Vaude have underlined their claim on this year’s Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma title by claiming their second consecutive stage win in 4:07:48.2 hours today. The overall leaders secured their 2013’s third on the sixth stage from San Martino di Castrozza to Crespano del Grappa […]
Kaufmann and Kaess increase lead at Transalp
By clinching their second stage at the 16th Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Jochen Kaess (GER) were able to extend their lead in the overall ranking. Centurion-Vaude 1 killed the previous record on the 73.28 km and 3,137 metres stage from Alleghe to San Martino di Castrozza in 3:26:16.2 hours […]
Transpyr. The Wrap.
The fourth edition of the Transpyr ride was technically not classified as a “race”, but an adventure. From the moment the gun went off on the first day however, the race was most definitely on!! From the race numbers on the front of our bikes, the ultra competitive riding, the “results” posted at the end of […]
Stoll and Looser triumph in Stage 4 of Transalp
No one would have expected a stage finish like this: Swiss racers Thomas Stoll and Konny Looser, who had been shaken off in the last climb to Rifugio Averau, secured their first win at the 2013 Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma on stage four which led from St. Vigil to Alleghe in 3:29:10.4 hours. […]
Transalp: Not touring, Racing
Approaching an international mountain bike stage race, it’s nice to come in feeling fit and strong. But it pays to set your expectations too. Coming into the Craft Bike Transalp 8 day race from Mittenwald to Riva del Garda, Imogen Smith and I set our goal as top 10 on the general classification by the […]
Transalp: Push yourself and you push your team
The first day of Transalp, Mike pushed me. The second day, we pushed each other. Today, I pushed myself. Day three had some of the most intense climbing of the race. It was only a short stage, 58km, but brutal, starting with a 25km climb from 500m to 2400m, and chased by technical descending and […]
Kaufmann and Kaess win third Transalp stage, and lead.
Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Jochen Kaess (GER) have clinched the third stage of the 2013 Craft BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma which led over 56.92 km and 2,833 metres in elevation from Brixen to St. Vigil. As a result, they also took over the lead in the overall ranking. The reigning German Marathon Champion and […]