October 5, 2007 (Crown Point, Tobago) – Stefan Steinweg (Ger) Team Sachsen Saxony won yesterday’s Stage 2, a 110km circuit race, while Chris Atkins (Benchmarkgroup.ca /Mazurcoaching.com) was the top Canuck in 23rd. Atkins’ team mate, Darko Ficko (Can) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com, sits in 4th overall after finishing 38th yesterday.

Tobago International Cycling Classic Stage II Report

Today we had a neutral start for a 110km circuit race on the same course as the time trial. When the flag dropped it was an attack from Stefan Steinweg and Andreas Henig that would prove the distance.

The pace wasn’t incredibly quick to begin with. There was quite a hefty cross wind that pushed everyone into the gutter on the main stretch of highway. The Tobago gutter isn’t a nice place to spend extended periods of time. Each meter you are trying to avoid potholes and 1″ high solid steel ”cateyes” on the side of the road.

There is a sense of apprehension with the riders, knowing what would be coming up in stage 5 and Palatuvier I was hesitant as well to expend anymore energy than required just to get through the stage.

Steinweg had placed 3rd that morning in the time trial, and combine this with the literal 110km time trial performance in this stage it was quite incredible to witness. The break held a gap of 3-4min, and it wasn’t even dented when Angostura and home town favourite Emile Abraham hit the front to plow along the cross-wind section for a few laps.

Race Notes
-the race was delayed from the 1pm start to 2pm due to a police motorcycle ”malfunction”. The escort motorcycle went down the road in a cloud of smoke and then stopped suddenly about 100m down. The announcer came on a minute later saying ”I apologize fur da deelay, but the motabike is on FIYAH!” 😉
-the heat is crushing alot of guys. We each drank a bottle just waiting for the race to start.

To give you some background on some of the riders here:

National Team – Martinique
Michael Laurent – National Road Champion of Martinique 2007.

Team Gütersloh SVL – Germany
Andreas Kappes – Competitor in the Tour de France 3 times, Giro d Italia
(incl Stage Win), Tour de Suisse (stage win).

Team Sachen – Germany
Timo Scholz – Former Teams:Team Wiesenhof, Milram-Bunte-Berte, Die Continentale, Overall Win Tour of Bayern, Tour of Sachsen, German Champion Track

Stefan Steinweg – Olympic and World champion in 1992 – 1996.

Team Atlas Romer – Germany
Andreas Henig – 2. German Championship Junior Time Trial 2006
Participant of European and World Championship 2006

Team Angostura – USA
Emile Abraham – 9 Time National RR Champ; 3 Time National TT champ; 7 Time Tobago Cycling Classic Champ; Silver Medal – Pan Am 2007; Bronze Medal – B Worlds 03 Switzerland

Results

1. Stefan Steinweg (Ger) Team Sachsen Saxony 43:46.9
2. Andreas Henig (Ger) Team Atlas Romers 0:07.3
3. Erik Mohs (Ger) Team Sachsen Saxony 3:15.8
4. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Team Angostura 3:59.4
5. Alexander Gut (Ger) Team Atlas Romers 4:02.2
6. Andreas Mueller (Ger) Team Sachsen Saxony 4:02.5
7. Emile Abraham (Tri) Team Angostura 4:02.8
8. Robbie King (USA) Team Angostura
9. Warren Mckay (Guy) Team Trek 4:03.0
10. Jan Puyvelde (Ger) Team Gütersloh 4:03.1
11. Axel Hauschke (Ger) Team Gütersloh 4:03.3
12. Oneil Samuels (Tri) Team Trek 4:03.5
13. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Team Angostura 4:03.6
14. Benedikt Monig (Ger) Team Gütersloh 4:03.9
15. Alanzo Greaves (Guy) Rafmo N Mecalfab
16. Laurent Mikael (Mar) Team Martinique 4:04.6
17. Guy Costa (Tri) Rafmo N Mecalfab 4:04.8
18. Jassette Bromfiel (Jam) Team Trek 4:04.9
19. John Charles Team Trek 4:05.0
20. Nico Schneider (Ger) Team Atlas Romers 4:05.3
21. Marloe Rodman (Jam) Rafmo N Mecalfab
22. Benjamin Joerges (Ger) Team Atlas Romers 4:05.5
23. Chris Atkins (Can) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com
24. Marco Duechting (Ger) Team Sachsen Saxony 4:05.7
25. Alex Bhogal (Can) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com
26. Brandon Throop (Can) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com 4:06.0
27. Morgan Schmitt (USA) Team Angostura
28. Adam Alexander (Tri) Rafmo N Mecalfab 4:06.1
29. Kurt Maraj Team St. Lucia 4:06.3
30. Marlon Antrobus Team St. Lucia
31. Phillip Clarke (Bar) Rafmo N Mecalfab 4:06.4
32. Kevin Hazzard (Can) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com 4:06.5
33. Timo Scholz (Ger) Team Sachsen Saxony 4:06.9
34. Bruno Langlois (Can) Team Angostura 4:07.1
35. Jorg Scherf (Ger) Team Gütersloh 4:07.4
36. Marlon Williams (Guy) Rafmo N Mecalfab 4:07.7
37. Udo Mueller (Ger) Team Sachsen Saxony 4:07.8
38. Darko Ficko (Can) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com 4:08.0
39. Carsten Eggert (Ger) Team Gütersloh 4:12.0
40. Paul Voigt (Ger) Team Gütersloh
41. Nicholas Emielie (Mar) Team Martinique
42. Oliver Ragot (Mar) Team Martinique 4:19.0
43. Stephen Mangroo (Tri) Team Trek 5:17.9
44. Chrstophe Angele (Mar) Team Martinique 5:54.1
45. Markus Weinberg (Ger) Team Sachsen Saxony 7:43.4
46. Winston Williams Team St. Lucia 12:06.5
47. Sidney Privat (Mar) Team Martinique 25:31.3
48. David Alves (Tri) Rafmo N Mecalfab 35:31.6
49. Andreas Kappes (Ger) Team Gütersloh 38:07.6
50. Orano Andrews Team St. Lucia 42:29.7
51. Sammy Joseph Team St. Lucia 54:42.7

GC after Stage 2

1. Stefan Steinweg (Germany) Team Sachsen Saxony 03:14.8
2. Andreas Henig (Germany) Team Atlas Romers 1:19
3. Alexander Gut (Germany) Team Atlas Romers 3:58
4. Darko Ficko (Canada) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com 4:00
5. Guy Costa (Trinidad & Tobago) Rafmon Mecalfab 4:44
6. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Team Angostura 4:46
7. Andreas Mueller (Germany) Team Sachsen Saxony 4:53
8. Marco Duechting (Germany) Team Sachsen Saxony 4:57
9. Emile Abraham (Trinidad & Tobago) Team Angostura 5:04
10. Robbie King (USA) Team Angostura 5:05
11. Timo Scholz (Germany) Team Sachsen Saxony 5:13
12. Morgan Schmitt (USA) Team Angostura 5:19
13. Bruno Langlois (Canada) Team Angostura 5:29
14. Oneil Samuels (Trinidad & Tobago) Team Trek 5:29
15. Jassette Bromfield (Jamaica) Team Trek 5:29
16. Marloe Rodman (Jamaica) Rafmon Mecalfab 5:35
17. Nico Schneider (Germany) Team Atlas Romers 5:36
18. Erik Mohs (Germany) Team Sachsen Saxony 5:49
19. Marlon Williams (Guyana) Rafmon Mecalfab 5:50
20. Udo Mueller (Germany) Team Sachsen Saxony 5:50
21. Benjamin Joerges (Germany) Team Atlas Romers 6:01
22. Axel Hauschke (Germany) Team Gütersloh 6:03
23. Laurent Mikael (Martinique) Team Martinique 6:06
24. Paul Voigt (Germany) Team Gütersloh 6:09
25. Kevin Hazzard (Canada) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com 6:10
26. Benedikt Monig (Germany) Team Gütersloh 6:11
27. Brandon Throop (Canada) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com 6:14
28. Jan Puyvelde (Germany) Team Gütersloh 6:19
29. Alex Bhogal (Canada) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com 6:22
30. Chris Atkins (Canada) Benchmarkgroup.ca/Mazurcoaching.com 6:32
31. Kurt Maraj Team St. Lucia 6:34
32. Tommy Nankervis (Australia) Team Angostura 6:55
33. Jorg Scherf (Germany) Team Gütersloh 7:11
34. John Charles Team Trek 7:20
35. Warren Mckay (Guyana) Team Trek 7:34
36. Oliver Ragot (Martinique) Team Martinique 7:36
37. Carsten Eggert (Germany) Team Gütersloh 7:55
38. Adam Alexander (Trinidad & Tobago) Rafmon Mecalfab 8:01
39. Phillip Clarke (Barbados) Rafmon Mecalfab 8:01
40. Nicholas Emielie (Martinique) Team Martinique 8:06
41. Alanzo Greaves (Guyana) Rafmon Mecalfab 8:13
42. Marlon Antrobus (St. Vincent) Team St. Lucia 8:19
43. Chrstophe Angele (Martinique) Team Martinique 9:35
44. Stephen Mangroo (Trinidad & Tobago) Team Trek 10:10
45. Markus Weinberg (Germany) Team Sachsen Saxony 10:29
46. Winston Williams (St. Lucia) Team St. Lucia 14:22
47. David Alves (Trinidad & Tobago) Rafmon Mecalfab 4:20:00
48. Sidney Privat (Martinique) Team Martinique 6:03:00
49. Andreas Kappes (Germany) Team Gütersloh 17:50:00
50. Orano Andrews (St. Vincent) Team St. Lucia 21:56:00
51. Sammy Joseph (St. Lucia) Team St. Lucia 11:37:00
DNF Phillip Patzer (Germany) Team Atlas Romers