Austrian riders Tschellnig, Ludescher go one-two in stage 5

Completely by surprise, Christoph Tschellnig claimed a Boomerang for Austria. Today's second place finisher Philipp Ludescher, also completed the successful day for his home country while Canadian Cory Wallace returned to a well-deserved third spot after two days of bad luck and mechanicals.

It's half time at the hardest mountain bike race in the world and to reward the riders for the efforts to far, the easiest stage was scheduled for today: 100 relatively flat kilometres with start and finish in Chillagoe, to be completed by riding a 50km fireroad into one direction and then back. But to compensate for the "easy dash into the bush", the riders faced a fierce head wind on their way back, and temperatures climbed to a cozy 36 degrees (Celsius).

With the overall leaders being busy observing and minding each other's every move, the opportunity for a new stage winner was there to be taken . To everyone's surprise that one didn't come from the camp of the favourite group of elite road riders. Mountain bike weekend warrior Christoph Tschellnig (morethanbike) from Lower Austria, who has a full-time job as fitness trainer back home, took the title.

"I blame the three pieces of fish that I had for dinner last night", joked the 25-year-old after the finish line. Up until three years ago a dedicated road rider, the now passionate mountain biker called his attack already at kilometre 20 - and was not to be seen any more.

Five minutes lead at the turnaround point proved enough to withstand Ludescher's attack later on. "It's a shame that I wasn't able to chase him down any more. But it's still great that an Austrian took the stage," said the McSabotage-team racer in a sporting manner after assessing his opponent wrongly.

Tschellnig had reached the finish at Chillagoe after 3:11:26 completely exhausted, however, happy about his 2:20-minute lead. "To be honest, it was my goal to get a top-three stage result at least once. After I had three flat tires already on the first day, I was aiming for a Boomerang to compensate for the fluff in the general classification. That this dream has come true is just awesome!"

Covered in red sand and sweat, Cory Wallace was finally able to smile again. Due to a series of mechanical failures, he had lost his spot among the top three and after a strong race returned to a third place on the podium. "I'm not a threat any more for them in the general classification, so Urs (Huber) and Bart (Brentjens) let me have a go. Let's see if I can ride home some more points in the coming days," said the Kona-rider who hasn't given up his ambitions just yet despite all the troubles so far.

Oldies, but goldies

In the masters categories the tires were smoking. The leads of both Jaan Kirsipuu (M1) and Hans Dielacher (M3) are quite comfortable one with about 45 minutes each. But the Estonian and Austro-Australian, who has been living on the Gold Coast for more than 31 years, give it all again and again every day.

"I always thought that I'd be too old for this race. However, when I came in second at the TransAlp last year, I reconsidered it," said the 55-year old Dielacher, who currently hold the outstanding ninth place in the overall classification. "Now I hope that I can keep this result across the final finish line at Cape Tribulation."

The result in the M1 category is much closer. Whilst the Belgian rider Raf de Bakker was able to set a lead of seven minutes in the early mountain stages, his fellow Belgian Cristof Mariën is on his wheel, chasing him even more fiercely the flatter the stages become. "Let's see, maybe I'll be able to catch up to Raf over the next few days," said the category winner of the last three days.

Duo electricale

After four long days that where riddled with steep ascents, today it was time to shine for the "E-Bikers". So far handicapped by battery life spans, automatic shut off mechanisms and the much higher weight of the E-Bikes, both Klaus Sever and Udo Huber rolled across the finish line. Officially already out of the ranking, because of taking a break for the past two days, Huber enjoyed today's stage.

"In length and by its nature, this stage was perfect for an E-Bike," the two power bikers agreed. Having completed more than 1700km whilst training in the Eastern Austrian "Seewinkel" region since June, Udo Huber took 4:03:52 to get to the Chillagoe finish line.

Klaus Sever on the other hand finished with the first half of riders with 3:40:56. "I benefit, of course, from the experiences of last year's race. By now I know exactly how much power I use up depending on the terrain and steepness of the ascents. In a way I have developed my own riding technique, to optimally use the range of my gear", the Styrian repeat Croc-offender says, revealing his secrets to his electronic success.

Race notes

Of the original 79 participants, today 67 riders started the stage. Among them, side by side with several podium and elite racers, is one hero of the bunch: Lesley Sutton, single-mum and not a mountain biker in her wildest dreams just a year ago, is now fourth in the female overall classification.

The Australian rider Lesley Sutton, a single mom who has been accompanied by her little daughter at this event, had participated for fun at the Triple A mountain bike race from Mount Mollow to Port Douglas in 2009, only to win her Crocodile ticket at the raffle there. "I didn't even know what the Crocodile Trophy was then," the 34-year-old said. “It's a very friendly and amicable atmosphere out there and it feels like the male riders really respect us girls for riding the stages just like them”, says Sharman Parr who says she rode 1600km in the final week of her training for the Crocodile Trophy. However, when asked what the one thing was that a women needed to complete this race she said, grinning, "A good pair of cycling knicks and loads of chamois cream!"

Stage 5 Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Christoph Tschellnig (Aut) morethanbike3:11:26
2Philipp Ludescher (Aut) McSabutage0:02:20
3Cory Wallace (Can)0:03:49
4Taigh Banson (Aus) Fraser and Mountain0:04:41
5Mike Mulkens (Bel)0:06:11
6Allan Oras (Est) Rietumu-Delfin0:06:19
7Urs Huber (Swi)0:06:29
8Bart Brentjens (Ned) Trek Brentjens0:06:30
9Réne Haselbacher (Aut) McSabutage0:08:54
10Matthijs Pot (Ned) Bike One Team Lapierre0:12:05
11Peter Van Mill (Ned) Jef Abels Bikes Gulpen0:12:35
12Christoph Sokoll (Aut)0:12:36
13Paul Ensink (Ned) Bike One Team Lapierre0:24:04
14Marc Locherer (Aus) Fraser and Mountain0:27:46
15James Lamb (Aus) SVC Imports / Rocky Trail0:28:19
16Vinne Los (Ned) Bike One Team Lapierre0:32:48
17Bart Verberckmoes (Bel) RESIBIKE Cycling Team0:33:14
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Abby McLennan (Aus) Rattle N Hum3:55:55
2Nancy Caceres (Aus)0:38:41
3Sharman Parr (NZl) SheSpoke Cycle Wear0:49:42
4Lesley Sutton (Aus)0:54:55
5Lauretta Howarth (Aus) SheSpoke Cycle WearRow 4 - Cell 2
6Maree Roberts (Aus) SheSpoke Cycle Wear1:24:30
Swipe to scroll horizontally
M1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Christof Mariën (Bel) Crocteam Belgium13:15:34
2Raf De Bakker (Bel)0:08:29
3Roli Zehnder (Swi) Swiss Bike Brothers0:10:21
4Rolf Stebler (Swi) Swiss Bike Brothers0:10:59
5Franz Preihs (Aut) Radsport Kotnik0:24:06
6Sjoerd Tilstra (Ned)0:28:25
7Bert Belga (Ned) Belga Fietsen Crocodiles0:28:42
8Matthias Schwarze (Ger) The Fitzroy Revolution0:28:48
9Martin Wisata (Aut) Rocky Trail Entertainment0:28:56
10Mark van Harmelen (Ned) Belga Fietsen Crocodiles0:36:04
11Rutger van Herpen (Ned)0:38:31
12Brendon Skerke (Aus) Rattle N Hum0:40:22
13Sven Mariën (Bel) Crocteam Belgium10:40:23
14Michel Haenggi (Swi) Swiss Bike BrothersRow 13 - Cell 2
15Struan Lamont (Aus) Struan Lamont0:40:24
16Peter Clayton (Aus)0:50:33
17Cas Brentjens (Ned) Cannasia - Cannondale0:56:30
Swipe to scroll horizontally
M2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Indrek Kelk (Est) Rietumu-Delfin3:23:59
2Kurt Alderweireldt (Bel)0:07:19
3Hans Mertens (Bel) Crocteam Belgium20:07:20
4Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Rietumu-Delfin0:11:33
5Guido Vangertruyden (Bel)0:19:46
6Darren Withers (Aus)0:19:59
7Luuk Belga (Ned) Belga Fietsen Crocodiles0:20:16
8Lieven Van Poeck (Bel) RESIBIKE Cycling TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Julius Vincze (Aut)0:20:28
10Scott McLennan (Aus) Rattle N Hum0:31:57
11Michael Foreman (Aus) MIG0:31:59
12Rob Wijnbergen (Ned)0:44:02
13Johan Wekeman (Ned) BikeLife Roden0:48:04
14Marc Withofs (Bel) Crocteam Belgium20:49:28
Swipe to scroll horizontally
M3
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Hans Dielacher (Aus)3:24:03
2Hans Post (Ned) Dutch Chicken0:08:41
3Roger Cull (Aus) Team Yeti-GU0:12:34
4Sjaak Etten (Ned) Dutch Chicken0:20:22
5Rudi Stroobants (Bel) Crocteam Belgium10:22:37
6Leon van den Schoor (Ned)0:22:38
7Joachim Oberföll (Ger)0:31:55
8Hein Lansbergen (Ned) Dutch Chicken0:31:56
9Ivan Whittle (Aus) MIG0:40:05
10Greg Parr (NZl) MIG0:43:59
11Harry Beutetrading (Ned) BikeLife Roden0:49:25
12Weit Heuker (Ned) BikeLife Roden0:49:28
Swipe to scroll horizontally
E-bike
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Klaus Sever (Aut)3:40:56
2Udo Huber (Aut)0:22:56
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Points
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Christoph Tschellnig (Aut) morethanbike20pts
2Philipp Ludescher (Aut) McSabutage15Row 1 - Cell 3
3Cory Wallace (Can)10Row 2 - Cell 3
4Christof Mariën (Bel) Crocteam Belgium15Row 3 - Cell 3
5Taigh Banson (Aus) Fraser and Mountain2Row 4 - Cell 3

General classification after stage 5

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Men general classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Urs Huber (Swi)18:31:23
2Bart Brentjens (Ned) Trek Brentjens0:04:24
3Mike Mulkens (Bel)0:32:52
4Allan Oras (Est) Rietumu-Delfin0:58:24
5Cory Wallace (Can)1:25:20
6Taigh Banson (Aus) Fraser and Mountain1:41:43
7Christoph Tschellnig (Aut) morethanbike1:55:57
8Peter Van Mill (Ned) Jef Abels Bikes Gulpen2:08:12
9Matthijs Pot (Ned) Bike One Team Lapierre2:11:36
10Réne Haselbacher (Aut) McSabutage2:23:55
11Philipp Ludescher (Aut) McSabutage2:41:11
12Christoph Sokoll (Aut)3:19:31
13Paul Ensink (Ned) Bike One Team Lapierre3:51:43
14Marc Locherer (Aus) Fraser and Mountain4:00:59
15James Lamb (Aus) SVC Imports / Rocky Trail4:31:51
16Vinne Los (Ned) Bike One Team Lapierre5:36:40
17Bart Verberckmoes (Bel) RESIBIKE Cycling Team6:56:03
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Women general classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Abby McLennan (Aus) Rattle N Hum24:21:50
2Lauretta Howarth (Aus) SheSpoke Cycle Wear4:37:23
3Nancy Caceres (Aus)5:19:19
4Lesley Sutton (Aus)6:42:11
5Sharman Parr (NZl) SheSpoke Cycle Wear7:31:04
6Maree Roberts (Aus) SheSpoke Cycle Wear7:50:24
Swipe to scroll horizontally
M1 general classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Christof Mariën (Bel) Crocteam Belgium120:40:11
2Raf De Bakker (Bel)0:01:34
3Roli Zehnder (Swi) Swiss Bike Brothers0:45:03
4Franz Preihs (Aut) Radsport Kotnik1:17:59
5Matthias Schwarze (Ger) The Fitzroy Revolution2:13:07
6Rolf Stebler (Swi) Swiss Bike Brothers2:20:32
7Mark van Harmelen (Ned) Belga Fietsen Crocodiles3:25:21
8Sven Mariën (Bel) Crocteam Belgium13:34:51
9Michel Haenggi (Swi) Swiss Bike Brothers3:41:04
10Bert Belga (Ned) Belga Fietsen Crocodiles3:43:49
11Martin Wisata (Aut) Rocky Trail Entertainment3:45:55
12Brendon Skerke (Aus) Rattle N Hum3:51:32
13Sjoerd Tilstra (Ned)4:03:40
14Rutger van Herpen (Ned)4:06:33
15Cas Brentjens (Ned) Cannasia - Cannondale4:47:37
16Struan Lamont (Aus) Struan Lamont4:55:18
17Peter Clayton (Aus)6:11:42
Swipe to scroll horizontally
M2 general classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Rietumu-Delfin19:53:18
2Indrek Kelk (Est) Rietumu-Delfin0:36:49
3Hans Mertens (Bel) Crocteam Belgium22:33:29
4Kurt Alderweireldt (Bel)2:49:19
5Johan Wekeman (Ned) BikeLife Roden3:01:42
6Lieven Van Poeck (Bel) RESIBIKE Cycling Team3:34:06
7Guido Vangertruyden (Bel)4:00:02
8Julius Vincze (Aut)4:02:54
9Luuk Belga (Ned) Belga Fietsen Crocodiles4:14:45
10Scott McLennan (Aus) Rattle N Hum4:28:38
11Darren Withers (Aus)5:12:02
12Rob Wijnbergen (Ned)6:00:09
13Marc Withofs (Bel) Crocteam Belgium26:05:25
14Michael Foreman (Aus) MIG8:13:28
Swipe to scroll horizontally
M3 general classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Hans Dielacher (Aus)20:34:11
2Roger Cull (Aus) Team Yeti-GU0:55:44
3Hans Post (Ned) Dutch Chicken2:15:09
4Leon van den Schoor (Ned)3:14:43
5Joachim Oberföll (Ger)4:03:15
6Weit Heuker (Ned) BikeLife Roden4:57:30
7Sjaak Etten (Ned) Dutch Chicken5:08:27
8Greg Parr (NZl) MIG5:12:36
9Rudi Stroobants (Bel) Crocteam Belgium15:39:36
10Harry Beutetrading (Ned) BikeLife Roden6:00:49
11Hein Lansbergen (Ned) Dutch Chicken6:45:24
12Ivan Whittle (Aus) MIG7:28:28
Swipe to scroll horizontally
E-bike general classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Klaus Sever (Aut)30:54:29
2Udo Huber (Aut)4:09:44
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Points classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Bart Brentjens (Ned) Trek Brentjens60pts
2Urs Huber (Swi)52Row 1 - Cell 3
3Philipp Ludescher (Aut) McSabutage32Row 2 - Cell 3
4Cory Wallace (Can)30Row 3 - Cell 3
5Allan Oras (Est) Rietumu-Delfin22Row 4 - Cell 3
6Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Rietumu-Delfin20Row 5 - Cell 3
6Christoph Tschellnig (Aut) morethanbike20Row 6 - Cell 3
8Mike Mulkens (Bel)15Row 7 - Cell 3
9Christof Mariën (Bel) Crocteam Belgium15Row 8 - Cell 3
10Taigh Banson (Aus) Fraser and Mountain4Row 9 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Teams classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Rietumu-Delfin59:53:32
2Bike One Team Lapierre7:20:36
3Swiss Bike Brothers8:53:40
4Crocteam Belgium111:15:28
5Belga Fietsen Crocodiles12:44:03
6Rattle N Hum13:21:57
7BikeLife Roden15:08:09
8Dutch Chicken15:58:01
9MIG22:02:40
10SheSpoke Cycle Wear33:30:49

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Latest on Cyclingnews