Huber and Stiebjahn win the Transalp opener

The Bulls 1 team narrowly beat the German Transalp Triple winners Markus Kaufmann (GER) and Jochen Käß (GER) in a photo finish after 88,90 kilometers and 2.942 meters in altitude from Imst to Nauders after 3:39.55,3 hours and with one A lead of 4,7 seconds.

Behind the Centurion Vaude duo, the Spanish-Portuguese pairing from Buff Scott MTB Team Francesc Guerra Carretero and Luis Leao Pinto rounded off the podium as the third duo in their first Transalp participation (3:40.07,2).

In the absence of defending champions Hermann Pernsteiner (AUT) and Daniel Geismayr (AUT) from Centurion Vaude, all three teams had a say in the lead over the course of the rainy stage, which was on the move from the start. After the neutralized starting phase, the six riders repeatedly showed themselves at the front and kept the pace extremely high up to the Pillerhöhe and then over the Pfundser Tschey.

On the descent to Pfunds, the sextet broke away from the rest of the top teams for the first time, but on the flat they made up the gap all the way to the Kajetans Bridge. On the final climb to Norbertshöhe, Huber and Kaufmann were able to open up a gap again, so that their teammates Stiebjahn and Käß had to fight for victory in the sprint - with the better outcome for the Team Bulls rider.

Stiebjahn was not only able to put on the yellow jersey for the first time in his fourth race participation, but was also pleased with his first podium result in the week-long classic over the main Alpine ridge:

“I am overjoyed that we were able to fight and narrowly win the finish sprint in the end. It's phenomenal to start the tour with a stage win; especially since there were actually seven or eight teams traveling together throughout the entire period. It's a dream come true, even if there are still six days to come."

Of course, the competition is speculating on this, especially the mountain bikers from Centurion Vaude, who have dominated the Transalp for the last five years. Markus Kaufmann, already three times overall winner and second last year, said, given that he was only 4,7 seconds behind the Transalp leader:

“We are satisfied, we didn’t lose any time. We both felt very good. If we see that anyone has or could have a problem tomorrow, we will of course attack. But there are many strong teams that should not be underestimated. It’s a tight box.”

Surprise at Masters It was also a close affair for the Masters teams, where, contrary to expectations, the defending champions had to admit defeat.

After 3:58.36,3 hours, Jan Halik (SVK) and Karel Hartl (CZE) from Norwit-CYKLOmax Slovakia crossed the finish line, just 10,5 seconds ahead of the top favorites for victory in the rating class for men's duos with a total age of over 80 years old Massimo De Bertolis (ITA) and Dax Jaikel (CRC) from Wilier Force 7C 3 (3:58.46,8).

However, the results in the other three categories were much clearer.

In the women's race, Janine Schneider (GER) and Stefanie Dohrn (GER) from the Nauders Canyon/CUBE team prevailed, 16 minutes ahead of the competition (4:31.30,3).

Verena Krenslehner-Schmid (AUT) and Philip Handl (AUT) from Imst Tourismus (4:22.31,5) won the mixed class, and Claudius Thommen (SUI) and Thomas Girardi (SUI) from Stoll Bikes (4th) won the Grand Masters :04.35,1). Queen's stage to Livigno Tomorrow's queen stage of the BIKE Transalp powered by Sigma 2018 leads over 101,82 kilometers and 3.512 meters in altitude as well as Döss Radond and Passo Alpisella from Nauders through Switzerland to Livigno.

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Huber and Stiebjahn win the Transalp opener

Urs Huber (SUI) and Simon Stiebjahn (GER) won the first stage of the Bike Transalp powered by Sigma 2018.

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