By winning his third consecutive stage at this year’s Protective BIKE Four Peaks Simon Stiebjahn of Germany looks set to take home the 2016 title. The Team Bulls athlete finished the 50.62 km long course around Kirchberg in Tyrol (2,091 m), which had the end of the timing at the exit of the famous Lisi-Osl-Trail, in 2:17.57,0 hours. Luis Mejia of Columbia and Uwe Hochenwarter from Austria came in as respective second and third, also cementing their spots in the overall ranking.
Stiebjahn had to invest a lot again in order to defend the Yellow Jersey. After the top-3 of the four-day mountain bike race had already broken away in the first ascent to Harlassanger, it was the climbing specialist from Colombia giving it a go up to Choralm.
The Bogota native was able to gain a lead of some 40 seconds before Hochenwarter and Stiebjahn were able to close the gap at the peak again.
“We noticed that he wasn’t able to extend his lead and decided to ride our own rhythm. And when it got more flat at the top, we were able to close the lines again,” explained Stiebjahn.
In the third climb, it was Hochenwarter who had to let go so a tight battle for the entry into the MAXXIS Enduro Challenge came up which was the final chord of the day on the Lisi-Osl-Trail.
“I was able to enter the downhill in first position which gave me the chance to extend my overall lead by a few seconds again,” summed up the race leader who is now only one day away from the title win.
However, a triumph is not guaranteed as he knows: “Nothing is for sure in mountain biking. I will try not to risk too much. In the end, I just have to defend the Yellow Jersey. But it will be a tough day tomorrow.”
Duel for the women’s title
The top two women in the Four Peaks field are also close to a thrilling showdown.
While Angela Sierra Parra (CBZ Asfaltos / 7C) might be the strongest in the climbs, the Columbian racer seems to have some disadvantages in the downhills against Annette Griner (GER; Team Texpa-Simplon).
After the leading athlete dropped in the final downhill with a lead of 22.4 seconds on Griner, she brought home her second stage win in a time of 2:50.57,8, however, only with a tiny mere of 0,6 seconds on her main rival for the Four Peaks win (2:50.58,4).
Viktoria Zeller (AUT; Kette-links.at by Haderer Sports, 3:00.57,3) rounded out the podium as third placing on the podium for the first time at this year’s Protective BIKE Four Peaks.
Top guns underline their strength again
While Udo Boelts (GER; Craft-Rocky Mountain Factory, 2:31.06,9) as well as Gilberto Perini (ITA; avis pratovecchio errepy lee cougan, 2:40.02,3) respectively kept a clean sheet in the master and grand master category also winning the third of four stages, the leaders in the special categories came out victorious, too.
Simon Schneller (GER; BIKE Junior Team) is still the best U23 racer deservedly wearing the White Jersey of the ‘Young Hero’ ranking eighth overall.
Gabriel Sindlinger (GER; Gonso-Simplon powered by MTB-News.de) posted the best time in today’s MAXXIS Enduro Challenge extending his lead in the race for the Green Jersey of the ‘Speed Hero’.