July 26/03 10:34 am - TransAlp Challenge: Stages 1 thru 7 and Report

Posted by Editoress on 07/26/03
 

TransAlp Challenge Switzerland

Stage1: Mittenwald to Reith , 82.67 km, 1,991 v.m

Women
1. Lesley Tomlinson,/Gretchen Reeves ( Rocky Mountain-Crystal Decisions) 4:02.49
2. Susanne Juranek/Rebecca Burbach (ALBGOLD/FELT-racing) 4:08.03
3. Kirsten Rosel/Sabine Schütz-Hadamik (Team-HAI-Bike II) 4:11.01

Men
1. Bart Brentjens/Carsten Bresser (Team T-Mobile) 3:08.41
2. Karl Platt/Mannie Heymanns (Xenofit/Rocky Mountain/Focus) 3:10.59
3. Andreas Strobel/Tobias Heimkreitner (Scott/Fiat Rotwild) 3:19.13

In the masters men Bruce Spicer/Wolfgang Beuer of team Marzocchi I, were 38th witt a time of 4:38

Stage 2: Reit to Kirchberg, 85.84 km, 3,225 v.m

Women
1. Lesley Tomlinson/Gretchen Reeves ( Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions) 5:20.15
2. Kirsten Rosel/Sabine Shutz- Hadamik (Team-HAI-Bike II) 5:25.00
3. Carolin Rahner/Sandra Gockert (Stevens-Jeantex-Team) 5:28:15

Men
1. Bart Brentjens/Carsten Bresser (Team T-Mobile) 3:54:25
2. Karl Platt/Mannie Heymanns (Xenofit/Rocky Mountain/Focus) 4:01:25
3. Peter Hasenfratz/Thomas Frauenschuh (Corratec World Team) 4:01:26

Masters
68th, Bruce Spicer/Wolfgang Beuer (Marzocchi I), 7:35:49

Stage 3: Kirchberg to Neukirchen, 51.60 km, 2,547 v.m

Women
1. Lesley Tomlinson/Gretchen Reeves ( Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions) 3:56.45
2. Susanne Juranek/Rebecca Burbach (ALBGOLD/FELT-racing) 4:04:01
3. Carolin Rahner/Sandra Gockert (Stevens-Jeantex-Team) 4:08:56

Men
1. Bart Brentjens/Carsten Bresser (Team T-Mobile) 2:59:30
2. Karl Platt/Mannie Heymanns (Xenofit/Rocky Mountain/Focus) 3:00:05
3. Peter Hasenfratz/Thomas Frauenschuh (Corratec World Team) 3:01:34

Masters
59. Bruce Spicer/Wolfgang Beuer (Marzocchi I) 5:24.22

Stage 4: Neukirchen to Brixen, 147.33 km, 3,526 v.m

Women
1. Lesley Tomlinson/Gretchen Reeves ( Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions) 6:53:31
2. Kirsten Rosel/Sabine Shutz- Hadamik (Team-HAI-Bike II) 6:55:21
3. Tanya Rupert/Daniela Bargholt (Team Rohloff) 7:04:35

Men
1. Bart Brentjens/Carsten Bresser (Team T-Mobile) 5:21:30
2. Karl Platt/Mannie Heymanns (Xenofit/Rocky Mountain/Focus) 5:34:00
3. Peter Hasenfratz/Thomas Frauenschuh (Corratec World Team) 5:37:12

Masters
50. Bruce Spicer/Wolfgang Beuer (Marzocchi I) 8:19:52

Stage 5: Brixen to St. Ulrich, 47.3 km, 2,793 v.m

Women
1. Lesley Tomlinson/Gretchen Reeves ( Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions) 3:30:131
2. Susanne Juranek/Rebecca Burbach (ALBGOLD/FELT-racing) 3:33:41
3. Kirsten Rosel/Sabine Shutz- Hadamik (Team-HAI-Bike II) 3:36:43

Men

1. Bart Brentjens/Carsten Bresser (Team T-Mobile) 2:35:56
2. Karl Platt/Mannie Heymanns (Xenofit/Rocky Mountain/Focus) 2:45:07
3. Silvio Wieltschnig/Markus Stock (adidas-Rotwild-SC-Hermagor-B'hofen) 2:45:16

Masters

42. Bruce Spicer/Wolfgang Beuer (Marzocchi I) 4:15:16

Stage 6: Gröden to Kaltern, 103.6km

Women
1. Susanne Juranek/Rebecca Burbach (ALBGOLD/FELT-racing) 5:41:31
2. Kirsten Rosel/Sabine Shutz- Hadamik (Team-HAI-Bike II) 5:45:47
3. Lesley Tomlinson/Gretchen Reeves ( Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions) 5:54:14

Men
1. Karl Platt/Mannie Heymanns (Xenofit/Rocky Mountain/Focus) 4:44:30
2. Bart Brentjens/Carsten Bresser (Team T-Mobile) 4:44:31
3. Andreas Strobel/Tobias Heimkreitner (Scott/Fiat Rotwild ) 4:48:27

Masters
37. Bruce Spicer/Wolfgang Beuer (Marzocchi I) 6:37:18

Stage 7: Kaltern to Andolo, 70:94 km

Women
1. Susanne Juranek/Rebecca Burbach (ALBGOLD/FELT-racing) 4:40:35
2. Kirsten Rosel/Sabine Shutz- Hadamik (Team-HAI-Bike II) 4:43:20
3. Lesley Tomlinson/Gretchen Reeves ( Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions) 4:45:10

Men
1. Bart Brentjens/Carsten Bresser (Team T-Mobile) 3:24:45
2. Karl Platt/Mannie Heymanns (Xenofit/Rocky Mountain/Focus) 3:41:46
3. Silvio Wieltschnig/Markus Stock (adidas-Rotwild-SC-Hermagor-B'hofen) 3:45:41

Masters
39. Bruce Spicer/Wolfgang Beuer (Marzocchi I) 5:33:59


GC

Women
Lesley Tomlinson/Gretchen Reeves ( Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions) 34:23:00
2. Susanne Juranek/Rebecca Burbach (ALBGOLD/FELT-racing) 34:49:37
3. Kirsten Rosel/Sabine Shutz- Hadamik (Team-HAI-Bike II) 34:50:11

Men
1. Bart Brentjens/Carsten Bresser (Team T-Mobile) 26:09:21
2. Karl Platt/Mannie Heymanns (Xenofit/Rocky Mountain/Focus) 26:57:55
3. Andreas Strobel/Tobias Heimkreitner (Scott/Fiat Rotwild ) 27:35:48

Masters
46. Bruce Spicer/Wolfgang Beuer (Marzocchi I) 42:25:22



Rocky Mountain/Crystal Decisions report: Stages 4 and 5
Lesley Tomlinson

There has always been a bittersweet element of stage racing I have noticed over the years. On the positive side, we travel to many incredible parts of the world and visit towns and villages we might never have seen. On the other hand, we arrive crocked from the stage, and have no energy to look around, only to have to move on the next day. The 4th stage of Trans Alp was very much one of those occasions.

Neukirchen to Brixen. 3526m of climbing and a total of 147 km. Initially it seemed considerable time in large bunches after the initial 10km climb on ashphalt. The first 40km flew by as we rode in a group of about 40 riders. At the 50km mark the longest climb of the day began. Winding for 30km up to Pfitscherjoch pass, the groups began to shatter. Team Telekom(Brentjens and Bresser) rode in a group with Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions/Focus and Corrotec World Team. The climb wound up the mountain through tunnels and endless switchbacks as the race approached the italian border and we passed over into the Dolomites. After climbing for this long it was a cruel finish to the ascent to have to hike for half an hour to he summit carrying our bikes up a boulder field. After cresting the top a long gravel descent only lasted 20km before a rolling 50 kms through a windy valley.

T Mobile had only 1 minute on Platt and Heymans at the top of the pass, but had no interest in a group effort for the final kilometers. By the finish of what is likely the most difficult stage that has been thrown at us in my Trans Alp experience, T Mobile had a 13minute lead after Bart Brentjens put the hammer down with teammate Bresser mostly in tow. Their finish time was 51/2 hours.

For the Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions womens team of Gretchen Reeves and Lesley Tomlinson, it was one of the longest days ever in a race finishing in 6:53. Many hours later at 8pm, there were still stragglers finishing after a 12 hour day. The conditions were baking hot and sunstroke had become an issue for many.

Brixen is one of the most beautiful towns that this part of Italy has to offer. Buildings thousands of years old surrounding the town square and marketplace. We could barely get our bodies to the awards ceremony, let alone explore the town. Tomlinson and Reeves extended their lead for the overall to over 30 minutes. Platt and Heymans stand in second place behind T Mobile at 22mins.

Stage 5 Brixen to St Ulrich/val gardena 2493 meters of climbing and a short stage at only 47km. The race started after a deluge overnight, making the early going in the bunch muddy and challenging even up front. As the first climb.38km to the top, opened up the mens teams pulled away on the gravel road. An interesting and I think questionable element of the day was to allow Pallhuber and Fontana of Seimens Cannondale to race the stage This pulled T Mobile away from their competition as Platt had flat legs after the gruelling stage the previous day. The endless climb finished in another incredibly difficult hike to the top of the top of the Brogles Alm pass. Platt and Heymans came back to catch and pass all but T Mobile. Tomlinson and Reeves from Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions managed toincrease their lead by another 4 minutes after battling with Alb Gold womens team for the first 30km.