In five days, on Saturday July 14th, 2007 the starting gun for the
10th jubilee of the JEANTEX BIKE TRANSALP will be fired in Mittenwald
(GER). This year Europe ’s hardest mountain bike stage race is so big
and demanding like never before. 600 teams hit the road from Mittenwald
(GER) to Riva del Garda (ITA). Amateurs as well as mountain bike pros
from all over the world will cover the distance of 628.39 kilometres and
20,836 metres of elevation gain on selected single trails, gravel roads
and plateau paths.
German-Austrian top team will attack
The best mountain bike team riders of the world will start at the
jubilee race. The so far unbeaten “Team Bulls” with Karl Platt and
Stefan Sahm will try everything to win also the third great stage race
within this year, after taking home victory at the Cape Epic and the
BIKE TRANS GERMANY. They will be challenged especially by the
German–Austrian duo Andi Strobel and Silvio Wieltschnig from “Team
Fiat-Rotwild”. “The Transalp is a classic. Since we didn’t start last
year, we really want to bring it once more this year”, stated Andi
Strobel. He adds: “We’ve had a killing season already, but still feel
strong enough to attack the podium”.
On the women’s side, reigning champions Sandra and Peggy Klose of
team “Zwilingscraft” are the favorites for the victory. Their strongest
opponents could be the Germany ’s Kerstin Brachtendorf with her French
team mate Daniθle Troesch, who start as “Team Fiat-Rotwild”. They have
led at the BIKE TRANS GERMANY until Brachtendorf had to quit the race
due to stomach problems.
In the mixed category Germany ’s Carsten Bresser will keep the
opponents on distance with his Canadian team mate and three times World
Champion Alison Sydor as team “Rocky Mountain/Haywood”.
Race track is reminiscence to the debut
The setting of the route from Mittenwald (GER) to Riva del Garda
(ITA) is almost identical to the track of the successful debut in 1998.
This year the race starts in Mittenwald and leads over Reith im
Alpbachtal, Mayrhofen, Brixen, San Vigilio Marebbe-Enneberg, Arabba,
Predazzo/Val di Fiemme and Folgaria to Riva del Garda, where the riders
will be welcomed with cheers and be honoured at the traditional finisher
party.
