Aug. 11, 2003 (Elkford, B.C.) – The toughest mountain bike race in the world offered up it's toughest stage yesterday as racers gained some 3,000 meters of elevation over 132 km between Fernie and the mining community of Elkford, B.C.
Yesterday's overall leaders Team Adidas/Fiat Rotwild consisting of Andreas Strobel, of Germany, and Silvio Wieltschnig, from Austria, maintained their overall lead with a finish time today of 6:09.39, including a 10-minute time penalty for carrying less than the minimum safety equipment. As was the case yesterday, the second place finishers were the Rocky Mountain/Crystal Decisions team of Andreas Hestler and Matt Decore, both of Vancouver, B.C. (6:39.06) while Barrie, Ontario-based Matthew Patterson and Greg Reain stayed in third position with a time of 6:46.21.
Christina Begy, from Denver,Colorado, and Louise Kobin, of San Jose, California, crossed the finish line in 8:37.16 to keep their lead in the women's division. The mixed leaders from yesterday, Martin and Simone Hornegger of Austria, stayed in front today finishing with a time of 7:27.13. In the masters category, the Quebec-based Velomag team of Michel Leblanc and Gilles Morneau, 47, finished first today with a time of 7:20.05 followed by yesterday's leaders Tony Routley, 47, and Eric Crowe, 43, both of Whistler, B.C. who finished today in 7:25.32.
Stage three on Tuesday, Aug. 12 of the TransRockies Challenge promises to be easier for participants. The 140 km course from Elkford to Etherington Creek, Alberta crosses the Continental Divide into Alberta and joins up with Highway 40. Riders will climb to the highest driveable point in Canada at the 2,206 meter summit of Highwood Pass before dropping down to the Ethrington campground for the night.
The competition will finish in Canmore, Alberta this Saturday, Aug. 16 where winners in each category will share $20,000 in prize money.
The TransRockies Challenge is based on the successful TransAlps Challenge. Both events are organized by upsolutMV of Munich, Germany. Sponsors of the TransRockies Challenge are Travel Alberta, Adidas, Flash Five, The Bike Shop and The Ride Guide.
Stage #2 – August 11, 2003
Fernie, BC – Fernie Alpine Resort
Results
Men
1. Team Adidas/Fiat Rotwild AUT/GER Including 10min Penality 6:09.39
Strobel Andreas, D-Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Wieltschnig Silvio, A-St. Stefan
an der Gail
2. Rocky Mountain/Crystal Decisions/Pete's Tofu CAN 6:39.06
Hestler Andreas, CA-Vancouver, BC, Decore Matt, CA-Vancouver, BC
3. Global Xtreme TV/Gearsracing.com CAN 6:46.21
Reain Greg, CA-Barrie, ON, Patterson Matthew, CA-Barrie, ON
4. The Bike Shop CAN 7:07.07
Zidek Tom, CA-Calgary, AB, Bell Colin, CA-Canmore, AB
5. Team Ghost Rider Resort CAN 7:40.10
Blackwell Greg, CA-Fernie, BC, Attalla Paul, CA-Fernie, BC
6. Madden / Draper USA/CAN 7:53.33
Madden Michael, USA-Anchorage, Draper Ryan, CA-Canmore, AB
7. Walton International Groupe Inc. CAN 8:00.58
Bulcock Marty, CA-Calgary, AB, Erlam Jerry, CA-Calgary, AB
8. Flash 5 CAN Including 60min Penality 8:17.44
Lunny Sean, CA-Nanaimo, Kyle Andrew, CA-Vancouver, BC
9. Timberland USA/MEX 8:18.24
Rivas Ramon, USA-Cambridge, Bo Roberto, MEX-Nueva Oriental
10. EverPlus CAN 8:21.02
Weselake Evan, CA, Neilson Jeff, CA
Women
1. SPOT USA 8:37.16
Begy Cristina, USA-Denver, CO, Kobin Louise, USA-San Jose, CA
2. Funky Canmore Gals CAN 10:30.18
Thompson Valerie, CA-Canmore, AB, Godfrey Jeanie, CA-Canmore, AB
3. Entrust CAN 12:14.37
Ferlatte Kari, CA-Ottawa, Monsour Katrina, CA-Pembroke
4. muddy buddies CAN 13:15.40
Veldhoen Viki, CA-North Vancouver, BC, Barrett Tracy, CA-North Vancouver, BC
5. Team Trek/Race Pace USA 14:00.00
Morningstar Theresa, USA-Baltimore, Kelley Christine, USA-Ellicott City
6. Team Ghost Rider Resort CAN 14:43.49
Couelle-Sterli Barbara, CA , Spencer Kim, CA
Team GARV USA 14:43.49
Goulard Caroline, USA-Irvine, Krauss Heather, USA
Cequel Creeky Saddles CAN 14:43.49
Jones Alison, CA-Bragg Creek, AB, Bowden Lisa, CA-Bragg Creek, AB
Mixed
1. Adidas-Martini-Holltrading AUT 7:27.13
Hornegger Martin, A-Annaberg, Hornegger Simone, A-Annaberg
2. SoBe/Cannondale USA 8:13.26
Masson Marvin, USA-Atlanta, Masson Karen, USA-Atlanta
3. Bikecafe CAN 8:22.23
Gibson John, CA-Canmore, AB, Mcallister Jean, CA-Canmore, AB
4. Kreme de la Boston USA 8:38.52
Brown Skip, USA-Cambridge, Mann Tiffany, USA-Cambridge
5. Swiss Rocky Mountain Team SUI 9:08.33
Kaegi Susanne, CH-Zuerich, Kaltenbach Sisley, CH-Duernten
6. Flash 5 CAN 9:48.28
Bandura Jeff, CA-Aldergrove, BC, Vale Jill, CA
7. Swiss Snails SUI 10:48.54
Zanetti Claudio, CH-Eglisau, Wursdorfer Nicole, CH-Eglisau
8. wolf with damsel USA 10:49.07
Mitchell Julene, USA-Santa Cruz, CA , Wolfe Brett, USA-Seattle, WA
9. pay-n-take USA 10:49.54
Miller Scott, USA-Flagstaff, Christensen Victoria, USA-Flagstaff
10. Dell Computers USA 10:57.51
Musgrave Sandra, USA-Austin, Barker Cullen, USA-Salt Lake City
Masters
1. VELOMAG CAN 7:20.05
Leblanc Michel, CA-St-Nicolas, QC, Morneau Gilles, CA-Quebec, QC
2. Flash5-Rocky Mountain-Crystal Decisi CAN 7:25.32
Routley Tony, CA-Whister, BC, Crowe Eric, CA-Whister, BC
3. K4 Dental CAN 8:08.09
Slodyczka Maciek, CA-Calgary, AB, Trebunia Stan, CA-Calgary, AB
4. Team Cequel CAN 8:45.32
Jones Darrell, CA-Bragg Creek, AB, Tingley Mike
5. Zargon Oil and Gas CAN 8:59.58
Clapperton Jim, CA-Calgary, AB, Roulston Dan
6. The Smashed Patatoes USA 9:14.31
Robson Rob, USA-Hayden. Shekter Eric, USA-Dalton Gardens
7. Stettler Oil & Gas 9:25.10
King Ron – 1 76 Mekechuk Darryl
8. Team Cavell CAN 10:08.26
Judd Hal, CA-Toronto, ON, Burk Tim, CA-Calgary, AB
9. Edgeriders CAN 10:12.23
Knight Ken, CA-Roberts Creek, Gordon Bruce, CA-Sechelt
10. step by step BEL 10:18.09
Vanderroost Jan P., B-Leuven, Lorquin Luc, B-Kessel-lo