STAGE 1 - Two-time World Champion Christoph Sauser has clinched the opening stage of the inaugural BIKE Four Peaks.
After a total of 68.73 km and 1,900 metres in elevation from Ruhpolding (Germany) to Lofer (Austria), the Swiss racer of Team Specialized came out first in a sprint finish of a pack of six riders (2:40:22.2 hours) with 2013 European Champion Alban Lakata (AUT) of Topeak Ergon Racing taking second and Tim Boehme (GER) of Team Bulls placing third.
Rank four to six went to Centurion-Vaude athletes Daniel Geismayr (AUT), Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Jochen Kaess (GER).
During the race it didn't really look like another triumph of Sauser who had been the dominating man of the three last Trans Germany editions, the forerunner event of the BIKE Four Peaks.
When the neutralised start section, which was extended to 20 km due to the heavy rain fall over the past days, the 37-years-old missed a sharp left turn and was all of the sudden blocked in the big field.
“I initially thought that's it, I have no chance. But I'm a person which never gives up. I was for sure the pro who put the most effort in in order to catch up again.” However, the marathon ace was still more than one minute behind at the second feed zone right at the foot of the second climb to Loferer Alm.
But when some incidents occurred within the five-member leading group consisting of Lakata, Boehme, Kaufmann, Kaess and Geismayr, who had broken away after the best climber classifier on the first peak called Winklmoos Alm which was won by Lakata, Sauser managed to draw level again.
“We lost some precious seconds due to the crashes of Kaess and Geismayr. We waited for them as capitalizing from something like his is a no-go. In the end, 'Susi' was back again. Then it went down to a pretty narrow final sprint. I'm pleased with making it on the podium today,” summed up Lakata the situation at the front.
That Sauser Christoph finally nailed it on the home stretch after a long and exhausting solo pursuit race was a very special payoff. “It was kind of a redemption. Being forced to tackle the up-coming even tougher stages with a deficit would have been very hard for me,” said the bearer of the Yellow Jersey Christoph Sauser.
Loevset wins women's classifier
While Sauser will, other than the previous years, enter the race's second stage over 75.35 km and 2,514 metres in elevation from Lofer to Kirchberg in Tyrol only with a barely countable advantage, Borghild Loevset has already a comfortable lead on the women's side.
The Norwegian racer crossed the finish line after 3:03:29.4 hours and thus some eleven minutes ahead of runner-up Anja Gradl (GER) of Team Bulls (3:14:19.0). Bettina Uhlig (GER) rounded out the podium as third (3:19:33.2).
“It was tough,” said Loevset, who will also compete in the up-coming World Championships in Kirchberg end of June. “I felt very tired in the climb to Loferer Alm but luckily everything turned out alright.”
Source: press release
Results, MEN:
1. Sauser Christoph, 1976, CH-Sigriswil 2:40.22
2. Lakata Alban, 1979, A-Lienz 2:40.22
3. Böhme Tim, 1982, Singen 2:40.23
Results, WOMEN:
1. Loevset Borghild, 1980, N-Boersa 3:03.29
2. Gradl Anja, 1986, Haselmühl 3:14.19
3. Uhlig Bettina, 1987, Freiburg 3:19.33