MTB

Final Report Alpentour Trophy 2017

By Alpen Tour

Daniel Geismayr. Credit:  Regina Stanger


Top three in the elite men's, first and second rank in the women's. That's the Austrian answer to last year's Italian triple at the Alpentour Trophy. For four days it was again all about mountain biking in the Schladming-Dachstein region. Daniel Geismayr won overall in the men´s with Hermann Pernteiner and Alban Lakata in second and third; Christina Kollmann wins ahead of Angelika Tazreiter.

The four stages brought the 400 participants from 30 countries onto the most infamous peaks in the region – all in all they had to complete almost 200km and 9,400vm. The first day had them ride up to the Hochwurzen mountain and on to the pretty Giglach Lakes. Simon Stiebjahn, a German Cross-Country specialist won the stage, however, the Austrian favourites Hermann Pernsteiner, Daniel Geismayr and Alban Lakata were on his wheel. They took the second to fourth spots ahead of the Italian “King of the Mountain” Daniele Mensi.

The second day was the Queen Stage of the event with a marathon through the Ramsau and to the Dachstein mountain base and on to Pichl. Next was a tough climb to the Reiteralm and to Rohrmoos. With a sensational ride Geismayr took the overall lead.  He had felt good from the beginning and had been riding at the pace of the lead group, which had gotten smaller drastically towards the end, mainly due to the hot conditions. It had been a fight until the last descent with Alban Lakata, said Geismayr.

The third stage featured the Hauser Kaibling and the Italian Daniele Mensi claimed the day's win. He did admit that he had wasted a lot of energy the day before at the Dachstein and had started the day calmly. He did so successfully and took the win ahead of the team riders Pernsteiner and Geismayr.

Geismayr takes the victory in the men's
For this year's overall winner Daniel Geismayr it had been the big revenge for the broken chain at the time trial two years ago. Then also in the overall lead, his chain had snapped on the first first few metres of the tough climb onto the Planai, but this year everything came together well for the newly crowned Austrian National Champion. With this Alpentour Trophy victory, Geismayr said a dream had come true. It was his most prestigious individual race victory in his career so far, the newly crowned Austrian National Marathon Champion said.

"This year everything fell into place. I'm super happy. Two years ago I had come so close already to a win and the Alpentour was the very first mountain bike race when I started racing. Then I finished somewhere in 30th position I think at the age of 18 and now to win this event, seven years later, is just incredible! I'm so happy, this is a childhood dream that has come true. After my National Championship title from last week.... it's just working well right now for me.“

Kollmann defends title from last year in the women's
Christina Kollmann from Neuhofen in Upper Austria was the female title defender in Schladming. Originally from the region, she admitted that she did have a certain “home advantage” out on the trails – she dominated the first two stages and claimed a considerable lead ahead of  fellow Austrian Angelika Tazreiter. During stage 2 Kollmann attacked particularly hard and was exhausted at the finish:The heat was really tough, I don't even know how what the temperatures were, but it was extremely hot. The last hour was the hardest, I had to fight a lot”, she said. Each year, she added, that was the stage that she had the most respect of. 

Her strongest opponent Tazreiter didn't give up and took out the third stage at the Hauser Kaibling. However, the time trial onto the Planai Kollmann once again decided in her favour and secured her overall win for this year.

"I had a good lead today, but my goal was the stage win. The first ten minutes were the toughest, but then in the Talbach I was able to find my rhythm and even catch up to Angelika Tazreiter. When I saw here green jersey I was so motivated. I was able to ride away from her quickly and I'm really happy that I could repeat my win from last year!“, said Kollmann

Angelika Tazreiter was second overall ahead of Margot Moschetti from France.

e-Bike-Power above muscle power, just
Vor the first time the “e-Bike Challenge by Engergie Steiermark” was held in Schladming as well. As part of the final stage on Sunday, a few brave e-Bikers took on the time trial climb, which was completed by the 400 participants with pure muscle power. The result: an e-Biker beat the stage winner, but only by seconds.

The exact gap was 24 seconds. Thomas Kerschbaumer from Graz finished the 14km and 1300vm climb on his e-Bike in 51:29 min. The stage winner was none other than Hermann Pernsteiner, who has been talked of as the strongest off-road mountain climber in the world. 

“Ahead of the event that was the biggest question: will the e-Bikers beat the elite riders at the Alpentour Trophy”, says organiser Gerhard  Schönbacher. However, the main goal for the challenge had been to give riders who would normally not dare to take on such a tough ride the opportunity to be part of such an event.

The Alpentour Trophy 2017 in Schladming once again was a successful event. The four-day stage race will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2018.


Overall Top Results:

Elite Men:
1. #3 Daniel Geismayr AUT / CENTURION VAUDE / 09:15:51
2. #15 Hermann Pernsteiner AUT / CENTURION VAUDE  / 09:18:02 +00:02:11  
3. #6 Alban Lakata AUT / Team Topeak Ergon / 09:20:52 +00:05:01  
4. #22 Daniele Mensi  ITA / SOUDAL LEECOUGAN RACING TEAM  / 09:24:08 +00:08:17  
5. #4 Moritz Milatz GER / KREIDLER / 09:27:21 +00:11:30  

Elite Women: 
1. #105 Christina Kollmann AUT / Team TEXPA-SIMPLON / 11:12:50  
2. #115 Angelika Tazreiter AUT / Polizei SV Graz - Bigtime Maishofen / 11:26:04 +00:13:14  
3. #121 Margot Moschetti FRA / CST Sandd American Eagle MTB Racing / 11:54:01 +00:41:11 
4. #109 Janine Schneider GER / CUBE bikes / 12:14:36 +01:01:46  
5. #120 Janka Keseg Stevkova SVK /  OUTSITERZ cycling / 12:16:01 +01:03:11


Results detailed: http://www.alpen-tour.at/51.0.html?&L=1
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