October 28/10 11:04 am - Crocodile Trophy: Stage 10 and Final overall

Posted by Editoress on 10/28/10
 

Stage 10: Ayton to Cape Tribulation, Time Trial, 38 km

Urs Huber wins for the second time
With a win at today's time trial, Urs Huber secured his second Trophy victory in a row. Second and third, as in the overall classification, were Bart Brentjens and Mike Mulkens. Abby McLennan dominated the women's field throughout the entire Crocodile Trophy 2010 and claimed the overall women's classification with a record lead.

Excitement was in the air as the field of riders gathered this morning at 9am for the final showdown. For the first time the 38km long stage from Ayton to Cape Tribulation was raced as a time trial, whereby the athletes started in reverse order of the overall classification. Would Sir Bart with his mighty pedal strokes on the straights be able to challenge his Swiss opponent's place in the sun? Would Urs Huber be able to counter the attacks on the steep ascents? Would Mike Mulkens after two years and 19 stages, respectively, finally be able to claim a Boomerang? Or would the pro on the climbs, Cory Wallace (right), once more reach for the stars?

But at first those riders, for whom this event had been more fun and adventure than competition, kicked off the time trial, whilst being cheered on by the pros and race leaders. So the first ever female racing team at the Croc, including the experienced adventure racer Sharman Parr (NZL), the triathlete Lauretta Howarth (AUS) and the road racer Maree Robers (AUS); the Belgian rider Kurt Alderweireldt, who had been raising funds for each and every kilometre ridden at the Croc for the Marc Herremans-Foundation; the E-Biker Udo Huber and Klaus Sever from Austria; the previous XC racer from Belgium, Bart Verberckmoes, who has been living with a inserted nuts in his spine since a severe accident; all in all 66 participants from all over the world, between 23 and 60 years old.

Even though Bart Brentjens achieved a lead of 40 seconds over Urs Huber on the first flat kilometres, the Swiss rider seized one second after the other on the nasty uphills in the tropical rainforest of North Queensland. After a time of 1:15.01 the 25-year old titleholder the finish line at Cape Tribulation with 23 seconds lead over “Sir Bart” - and promised right there and then to return to the Croc next year. Third was, as in 2009, the Belgian rider Mike Mulkens.

For the ladies, Abby McLennan (30) finished the Crocodile Trophy first after a consistent performance and with an impressive lead of 7:53 hours over Lauretta Howarth and Nancy Carceres (all AUS). Coming in as third last year and having been talked into participating again by her husband, the 30-year old was ecstatic about her dream coming true. And also Jaan Kirsipuu was happy after his arrival as Masters winner – especially, considering the result of the Estonian delegation overall (the team Rietumu-Delfin won the team-classification).

And on the beach of Cape Tribulation each and every finisher of the 16th Crocodile Trophy 2010 was celebrated as a hero anyway. Families and friends welcomed the riders who had just covered 1,200 kilometres and 12,000m of elevation and apart from a little shower of rain that held up the well-deserved jump into the cool ocean, the atmosphere was cheerful and full of relief and pride about the achievements of the last 10 days.

Elite Men's final podium

The Crocodile Trophy-circus also farewelled the Dutch rider Weit Heukers, who had passed away during the night of 23 and 24 October, with a symbolic gesture: traditionally, after riding the final kilometres to the beach together in a bunch, the last riders of the general classification are passing through the arch on the beach first. Today, Weit's team mates Harry Beutetrading and Johan Wekeman were asked to lead the field of Croc riders onto the beach and with it they marked the final finish of the Crocodile Trophy 2010.

Stage 10 results

Final GC