Platt/Sahm secure sixth stage victory and triumph at the 2007
JEANTEX BIKE TRANSALP / Klose twins defend title in the women category
On the last stage from Folgaria to Riva del Garda, “Team Bulls” has
once again underlined their outstanding role at the 2007 JEANTEX BIKE
TRANSALP. Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm reached the finish after pedalling
2:59:49 hours bringing home their sixth leg triumph and also claiming
the overall victory. All in all, Platt/Sahm needed 27:32:30 hours for
the 628.36 kilometres and a vertical gain of 20.836 metres from
Mittenwald (GER) to the Lake Garda (ITA). As second men pairing, Andreas
Strobel and Silvio Wieltschnig of “Fiat Rotwild” managed the last part
of the Alp crossing race in 3:14:21 hours, followed by “Team
Texpa-Simplon” with Alexander Pscheidl and Christian Schneidawind
(3:16:07). Both combinations rounded out the final men podium, too.
Right at the first climb of the day, Platt/Sahm upped the tempo and
gained a lead of almost four minutes on the runner-ups until the peak of
the Monte Finonchio, which they continuously extended over the last part
of the 65.18 kilometres long course (2,064 metres of elevation gain).
“We had planned to push it today and therefore attacked right at the
start to have a more relaxing rest of the day”, explained Stefan Sahm
after the race. “It’s fantastic that we made the triple. I’m not sure if
someone can repeat winning all three big mountain big stage races in one
year”, said the 31-years-old biker all smiles.
His team mate Karl Platt, who secured his fifth overall title,
added: “We have worked very hard for this. It might seem that we have an
easy job out there, but you have to motivate yourself every day facing
the heat and the mountains. We had to go to our limit to win and
therefore we are very proud that we made it.”
“Zwillingscraft with back-to-back title / Seconds decide for third rank
Sandra and Peggy Klose of “Zwillingscraft” have successfully
defended their 2006 title. Both sisters came in as second today
(4:01:49), but had gained the comfortable lead over the first days to
bring home the Champions ring. “It’s a wonderful feeling, to defend the
title especially with the strong competitors this year”, said Sandra
Klose in the finish area. “We had a week packed with a lot of incidents
and technical difficulties. In addition, I had to crucify myself into
the finish yesterday and today. I also have to pay a compliment to my
sister for her performance, because last year I pulled her a few times.”
Canadians storm on third podium spot
Marg Fedyna and Nikki Kassel of “Team Raven Canada” gained their
fifth stage victory today (3:53:57) and thus jumped on the third podium
spot relegating today’s third placed “Team Haibike-Fujibike” with
Kirsten Roesel and Milena Landtwing (4:11:34) by 1.4 seconds down to the
fourth place in the women’s final ranking. Overall second and today’s
fourth were the pairing of “Fiat Rotwild-Damen”, Kerstin Brachtendorf
and Daniθle Troesch.
“Team KTM” defends master title
With their eight day triumph, Ekkehard Doerschlag and Heinz Zoerweg
have impressively shown why they are the winners in the master category
and once again get crowned with the Champions ring. After 3:12:45 hours,
the Austrians of “Team KTM” crossed the finish line in Riva del Garda as
second fastest pairing of the day. “Scott Belgium” came in as second
master team (3:33:00), but Luc van Roy and Paul Heylen missed the
overall ranking for the teams with an summed up age of 80 years as
fourth. The “Sponsor Sport Food” team with Baerti Bucher and Renato
Burch made it from Folgaria to Riva del Garda as third (3:37:39). Both
Swiss bikers therefore also secured the third rank in the final masters
table with a gap of 17 minutes to final second and today’s fourth ranked
Doug Brown and Shan Wilson of “Adidas William Simpson”.
After an imposing week, Ekkehard Doerschlag drew a first balance:
“It was an amazing route, an outstanding smasher, which we enjoyed
totally. Today, we felt very well, so we decided to try to catch up Fiat
Rotwild after we noticed there might be the chance to do so and managed
it on the last downhill.”
“Rocky Mountain/Haywood” unbeatable in the mixed category
They were biking in their own class: Alison Sydor and Carsten
Bresser of “Rocky Mountain/Haywood” were also able to win every stage
while claiming the mixed title. On the last day of the 2007 JEANTEX BIKE
TRANSALP, the Canadian-German connection needed 3:37:02 hours. Conny and
Walter Marquardt of “Team Steppenwolf-Bikes” followed about 20 minutes
later as second (3:56:22) and rank third in the final mixed table.
Today’s third was “Kraftwerk Bikesport” with Eva Carrer-Enz and Marco
Carrrer (4:11:34) who didn’t make it on the mixed podium in the end.
Finishing third today was not enough. In contrary, Baerbel Jungmeier and
Werner Fischer of “Ciclopia Pro Team” secured the second rank rolling in
fourth today.
Swiss clock-work secures title in the new senior master category
The „D’Uerner Oldies“ Walter Ehrler and Markus Gisler have won the
Champions rings within the eldest participants. With their triumph at
the last day (3:50:20) both Swiss participants underlined, that they are
on top with good reason. Second today as also in the senior masters
ranking were Ferdinand Ganser and Georg Niggl of “Sport Team Buhler/Gat
Kempten-Gox” (3:51:29). Jiri Cesal and Urs Guentensberger of the
“Buelibiketigers” placed third (4:10:13), closely followed by third
ranked team in the senior master category “Jaeger-Motorsport.de” with
Thomas Jaeger and Hans-Peter Thoennes (4:10:58).
