July 22, 2009 (Sarnthein, Germany) – Here are the reports and full results from Stages 4 and 5 at the Jeantex Bike TransAlp powered by Nissan where the Canadian-German Rocky Mountain pairing consisting of Alison Sydor and Daniel Gathof claimed their fourth consecutive stage win.

Stage 4

Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler extend lead
Due to a well-timed attack in the climb up to the Groednerjoch, Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler celebrated their second stage win at the 2009 JEANTEX BIKE TRANSALP powered by NISSAN. The Multivan Merida Biking Team members mastered the 83.52 kilometres and 3,665 metres of altitude of the royal stage from Brixen into the new stage town St. Christina in 4:08:38.9 hours thus extending their lead in the overall ranking. Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm from Team Bulls, who were also in front for a long time today, followed as runner-ups (4:09:44.2). The two title defenders, who seem to get in better form each day, took over the role as top contender for the Yellow Jersey placing second now in the elite class with a deficit of 3:43 minutes.
Switzerland’s Lukas Buchli and Thomas Stoll who were sitting in the runner-up position so far being only four seconds behind lost precious time right in today’s first climb due to a flat tyre. Thus, the BiXS iXS Pro Team, which still finished third (4:12:31.5) has collected a deficit of 3:56 minutes now.

Leaders pleased with run of the race
As it was to expect, today’s two saddles Kreuzkofeljoch and Groednerjoch relentlessly laid open the strengths and weaknesses of the participating teams. Once again, the Transalp newbies Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler presented themselves very husky. The bearers of the Yellow Jerseys didn’t get involved with any games trying to dictate their rhythm in the group of the leading duos. It was the right decision on this – according to Stefan Sahm “unbelievable ruckus stage” – in order to extend their lead in the ranking. “After more and more teams fell behind throughout the day and we finally ended up pedalling together with Team Bulls we attacked at the change over to the asphalt road which leads up to Groednerjoch for the last three kilometres” Andreas Kugler said. The Multivan Merida Biking Team forced the pace to such an extent that Stefan Sahm had to let go. “I couldn’t follow anymore.” However, the title defender still can look forward to having a chance to celebrate the aimed-for title hat-trick.
But therefore, the deficit of 3:43 minutes has to be minimized which is still a makeable challenge as also Kugler knows. “We had good legs today and are glad that we were able to extend our lead. But it’s not over yet. We have had only the half so far” the 2008 Swiss Champion underlined.

Team KTM strikes back
Just like the day before, the stage win was once again secured in a sprint between two teams. But in contrary to yesterday, the bearers of the Blue Jerseys were the ones to having ahead a head this time. Austrians Ekkehard Doerschlag and Heinz Zoerweg from Team KTM crossed the finish line in 4:34:33.1 hours relegating the Scott-Adidas pairing to the second rank. Walter Platzgummer (ITA) and Johann Grasegger missed their second day triumph in a row by only three tenth. Italy’s Silvano Janes and Stephan Unterthurner from Petrovilla Bergner Bau rounded out the podium as third in a time of 4:45:43.7 hours.

Rothaus-Cube lives up to expectations as favourites
Having brought home their third consecutive stage win, Milena Landtwing and Kristine Noorgard (DAN) have underlined their pretensions for winning the ladies’Transalp crown. The Rothaus-Cube duo mastered the stage from Brixen to St. Christina in 5:22:49.1 hours. More than ten minutes later, Kerstin Brachtendorf and Danièle Troesch (FRA) from Fiat-Rotwild followed as runner-ups (5:33:26.3). Peggy Klose and Claudia Till from Zwillingscraft 1 jumped on the podium as third women team (5:33:32.9).

Rocky Mountain unbeatable mixed pairing
Alison Sydor and her sixteen years younger team mate Daniel Gathof from Rocky Mountain outlined once again who is the mixed pairing to beat in order to tackle the Orange Jersey. The Canadian-German duo rolled into the finish in St. Christina after 5:09:17.1 hours thus extending their lead on Anita Steiner and Sepp Fischli from Stoeckli Craft/Fischli Bikes, who placed second today again (5:15:04.3), by 5:47 minutes. The Sebamed team consisting of Germany’s Steffi Hadraschek and Martin Jochem finished third (5:26:34.3).

Senior master leaders with third win
Ferdinand Ganser and Georg Niggl from Jeantex RSC Logwin Kempten have clinched their third stage victory. The two leaders in the classification for the oldest teams mastered the fourth stage of the week in 5:19:17.3 hours. The second best senior master team came from Australia. Craig Peacock and Hans Dielacher from Merida Flight Centre needed 5:30:02.0 hours. With already a huge deficit, Swiss riders Ueli Schuermann and Hanspeter Hunziker from Long Time Bikers V-Sport.ch reached the finish (5:45:39.6).

Preview 5th stage: St. Christina (ITA) – Sarnthein (ITA)
This brand new stage, which connects the two new Transalp towns
St. Christina and Sarnthein through 82.27 kilometres and 3,305 metres of elevation gain, comes along with the longest climb the Transalp has ever seen. Via Rittner Horn, 1,679 metres of altitude have to be conquered in one piece in order to make it up to the Gasteiger Sattel. Some hard work, which is worth it, due to the long trail downhill via the Muehlensteig into the finish.

But before the competing pairings have to take up this challenge, they travel via Monte Pana and the Seiseralm into the Eisacktal. So far, everything is just fine with super nice panorama views to Langkofel, Plattkofel or Schlern. But in Waidbruck it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy as the ascent to Gasteiger Sattel begins.

Stage 5 Report

Lukas Buchli and Thomas Stoll celebrate stage win and take over leadership after a parforce run
Switzerland’s Lukas Buchli and Thomas Stoll have not only won the fifth stage of the 2009 JEANTEX BIKE TRANSALP powered by NISSAN due to an incredible performance throughout the 82.27 kilometres and 3,305 metres of altitude from St. Christina to Sarnthein (3:46:49,2). The BiXS iXS Pro Team riders also took over the leadership from today’s runner-ups Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler (SUI) from Multivan Merida Biking Team (3:52:39.4). Team Bulls 2 came in third. Thomas Dietsch (FRA) and Tim Boehme crossed the finish line after 3:54:00.3 hours, only 1.9 seconds ahead of their squad members Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm, who had to bury all of their hopes for victory due to a flat tire. Like announced in the morning, the pairing Buchli/Stoll entered today’s leg, which hasn’t been part of a Transalp routing ever before, more reserved than the day before trying not to fire their guns too early. It was – as it turned out later on – the right decision.

Longest climb of the Transalp history brings preliminary decision
“In the first ascent to Seiser Alm we held our horses back and let others pedal in front. And we did the same up to the Gasteiger Sattel”. On the – due to 1.679 metres of altitude – longest climb in the Transalp history, “we forced the pace together with Team Bulls”, Lukas Buchli summed up the first half of the race. “When we noticed that Hannes Genze had problems to keep up with us we pedalled on with power” the 2008 Swiss National Champion said.
“In the last ramp after the peak we were able to break away from Karl (Platt) and Stefan (Sahm). Then, we went downwards full speed aiming for the stage win. We didn’t think about the Yellow Jersey at all. But now, after all the bad luck we had yesterday, it is simply amazing that we took over the lead.”

Flat tire destroys all hopes for Team Bulls
While riding downhill direction Sarnthein, the two Swiss pros also took advantage of their contender’s bad luck. At about Reinswald, Team Bulls was only ten seconds behind of later-on winners but then a flat tire at Platt’s back wheel shot their dream of victory down. “This defect was a real set-back for us. We lost a lot of time. We gave everything and did pretty well regarding Karl’s recurring shoulder problems in the downhill sections. This is our problem right now. We lose time in parts where we were strong: downhill” Stefan Sahm explained. His team mate Karl Platt, who once and again suffers with a dislocating shoulder, was even more depressed about the result. “The most disappointing thing actually is that I cannot go full speed in downhill parts. Every time when it’s slippery or when there are rocks I got scared of going fast” the 2008 German National Champion, who was on the top podium spot at the last five Transalp editions, delivered insight into inner life of a professional mountain biker.

Multivan Merida Biking Team absolutely frustrated
It was a day to forget for Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler as the two Transalp newbies, who had worn the Yellow Jersey for the last three days through the Alps, got a bad break. “I crashed within the first five kilometres already after I had some contact with the back wheel of the rider in front of me. I think this is why I lost a lot of power for the long climb to Gasteiger Sattel. There, I absolutely went to my limit. It was hurting so much” 2005 European Champion Hannes Genze, who had suffered various abrasions today, stated.

Team KTM underlines its strength in the master category
Austria’s Ekkehard Doerschlag and Heinz Zoerweg have extended their lead in the master category after the last two days had brought some very close sprint decisions for victory. Team KTM made it into Sarnthein in 4:10:06.1 hours thus relegating Silvano Janes and Stephan Unterthurner from Petrovilla Bergner Bau RTTR to the second rank (4:13:53.2). Hansjuerg Gerber and Kurt Baggenstoss from Zellweger Architekten Thun clinched their first podium finish as third (4:22:34.2) with only 20 seconds ahead of Scott-Adidas riders Walter Platzgummer (ITA) and Johan Grasegger, who are still sitting in second position of the master ranking.

Rocky Mountain completes mission in the mixed classification
They wanted to defend the Orange Leader Jerseys in the mixed classification and they did so in an impressive way – just as expected. The Canadian-German Rocky Mountain pairing consisting of Alison Sydor and Daniel Gathof claimed their fourth consecutive stage win in 4:41:03.2 hours thus extending their lead again. Once again, Anita Steiner and Sepp Fischli from Stoeckli Craft/Fischli Bikes from Switzerland finished second (4:52:43.9). Sebamed bikers Steffi Hadraschek and Martin Jochem rounded out the podium as third (4:55:45.3).

Ladies’leaders underline that they rightly bear the Pink Jerseys
Just like in the mixed category, there is one team dominating the ladies’competition. Team Rothaus-Cube with Milena Landtwing (SUI) and Kristine Noorgard (DAN) secured their fourth stage win on the Transalp leg, which was never rode before, in 4:54:55.5 hours. Peggy Klose and Claudia Till from Zwillingscraft 1 rolled in as second (5:06:59.8), about four minutes earlier than Fiat-Rotwild ladies Kerstin Brachtendorf and her French partner Danièle Troesch (5:11:13.4).

Ganser/Niggl measure of all things in the senior master category
In the category for the teams which are older than 100 years in total, Ferdinand Ganser and Georg Niggl from Jeantex RSC Logwin Kempten celebrated their fourth triumph in a row. After 4:49:40.4 hours, another stage win was added to the credits of the bearer’s of the Green Jerseys. With a deficit of 16 minutes, Australia’s Craig Peacock and Hans Dielacher from Merida Flight Centre followed (5:05:33.0). Ueli Schuermann and Hanspeter Hunziker from Long Time Bikers V-Sport.ch brought home another podium result as third (5:21:15.7).

Preview 6th stage: Sarnthein (ITA) – Kaltern (ITA)
The sixth stage from Sarnthein to Kaltern is a “traily and flowy” one offering some compensation for the very hard last two days with only 77.40 kilometres and 3,173 metres of elevation gain to pedal. But it wouldn’t be a Transalp if their wouldn’t be some hard task to fulfil – a long pushing passage.

The route starts with an interesting mix of partly steep gravel roads and trails up to the Kreuzjoch, which provides some breathtaking views into the Dolomites and to the Ortler. Then, trails through meadows along the Auener Joechl, the Stoanane Mandln up to the Moeltener Kaser brings some pure joyride. On a trail, which leads over 800 metres of altitude downwards, the peloton bikes from Moelten to Vilpian into the Etschtal.

Close to the Eppaner Hoehenweg, some other hard work has to be done. A 900 metres long pushing passage is in the way before the route leads on the last year’s course into Kaltern.

Full results Stage 4 here.
Full results Stage 5 here.
GC after Stage 5 here.