The 4th stage of the Maxxis BIKE Transalp 2019 remained exciting: one of the two leading teams repeatedly tried to break away on the route, but without success. Once again, the sprint to the finish, led by Urs Huber, decided the stage win. Although the Bulls team prevailed today, it was not enough to take the overall lead. Twelve seconds separate Huber and Stiebjahn from the yellow jersey, which remains with the reigning Transalp winner Jochen Käß (GER) and his team partner Daniel Geismayr (AUT) from Centurion Vaude.
Read the full report on the 4th stage from Val d'Ega to San Martino on the event website bike-transalp.de
Across the Alps in traditional costume
Team Freeride Inc. Austria is an absolute eye-catcher among the 700 or so participants in the BIKE Transalp: Petra Zeller rides in a dirndl, Frank Schonath in a shirt and lederhosen. Well, the latter are not real, but camouflaged bike trousers, but by the finish stage at the latest they will be original animal skin trousers. Why? The answer: Why not? To create a good atmosphere, of course.
"And the plan worked - mega," says Zeller. "Now everyone is smiling at us and even the marshals are shouting DA KOMMT DIE HEIDI." It's also easier to strike up a conversation, say the two. This year, they are not only wearing dirndls, but also pink unicorn stockings and Petra has a butterfly floating on her back.
And they have music with them. Après-ski and 80s hits are blaring from their rucksacks. One or two people like to join them - music makes it even easier to get up the mountains - despite the rather impractical outfit.
More about the two mood cannons here on our Transalp website
Figures, data, facts about the BIKE Transalp 2019
Length: 550 km
From the Tux Alps through the Dolomites to the Brenta - the 2019 Transalp route once again takes you through some really big landscapes.
Elevation metres: 18,500 m
In just seven days - as a race participant, you sign up for this tough programme. Of course, you can only experience the original Transalp flair with a race number on your handlebars. Everyone else can take their time. Details of the toughest race in Europe can be found on the website bike-transalp.de and the social media channels:
BIKE Transalp on facebook
BIKE Transalp on twitter
BIKE Transalp on instagram
BIKE Transalp on youtube
BIKE Transalp hashtags:
#BIKETransalp
#cantcopytheAlps
By the way: We presented the dream route that BIKE Transalp route manager Marc Schneider put together for 2019 in the print edition of BIKE for everyone to follow. Since the beginning of the year, you have been able to get to know one stage in detail in each issue; you can find the last section in the current issue of BIKE, which is available at newsstands until 5 August.
The Transalp highlights on and off the route from Tux to Molveno, including recommended stops on each section, the altitude profiles and the complete set of GPS data - free to download, of course. You can find all the information online, the link can be found in the current BIKE 8/2019 on page 119.
