Loo wins a close race in Yokneam

Estonian Martin Loo (InfoTre Lee Cougan) won the UCI category C2 Yokneam race in northern Israel today in a tight battle with Austrian Hannes Metzler (Muskelkater Genesis Team). Switzerland's Mathias Rupp (eam Firebike Droessiger) was third.

The race, held under a clear blue sky in the forest surrounding Kibbutz Mishmar Haemek covered 6.5 laps of a 5.3km circuit.

Loo and Metzler rode away from the rest of the field on the second lap and stayed together until the last lap, when Loo opened a small gap over Metzler and held it on to the finish.

Former Israeli Champion Shlomi Haimi (Focus MIG) suffered from two flat tires, but was able to finish 11th among a strong international field of 40 riders.

In the women's race the winner was Hungarian Barbara Benko (Euroone-Cube MTB UCI Team), who took an early lead over local crowd favorite Inbar Ronen (CCC) and maintained it. Belgian champion Kristien Nelen (Scott - Goeman UCI Team) was third.

Riders from 10 countries participated in the race, and they are expected to return to participate in tomorrow's C1 race in Haifa.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Martin Loo (Est) InfoTre Lee Cougan1:42:05
2Hannes Metzler (Aut) Muskelkater Genesis Team0:00:06
3Mattias Rupp (Swi) Team Firebike Droessiger0:02:28
4Matthias Leisling (Ger) Muskelkater Genesis Team0:02:56
5Szilard Buruczki (Hun) Euroone-Cube MTB UCI Team0:03:56
6Sebastian Szraucner (Ger) Team Berg0:04:15
7Evgeny Pechenin (Rus) Forward-Udmurtia0:06:14
8Wolfgang Krenn (Aut) Bike Team Kaiser0:06:41
9Christopher Maletz (Ger) Team Easton Rockets0:06:56
10Benjamin Büchi (Swi) Swiss GS Domaine du Frigoulet0:08:15
11Robby Debock (Bel) Waasland MTB Team0:08:38
12Shlomi Haimi (Isr) Focus MIG0:08:46
13David Simon (Ger)0:08:57
14Georgios Pattes-Toumanis (Gre) Greece0:09:40
15Marek Csielka (Hun) Euroone-Cube MTB UCI Team0:11:26
16Dimitrios Antoniadis (Gre) Greece0:11:34
17Idan Shapira (Isr) CCC0:12:27
18Dror Pekatch (Isr) Israel Go Pro0:12:54
19Christian Bickel (Swi)0:14:01
20Alexios Kokovikas (Gre) Greece0:14:12
21Kirill Kazantsev (Kaz) Kazakhstan0:14:17
22Paul Beales (GBr) Orange Monkey - Cannondale0:16:24
23Anton Korolev (Rus) Forward-Udmurtia0:17:08
24Marco Schaetzing (Ger)0:17:13
25Itai Bireboim (Isr) For Galilee Cycle0:17:23
-1lapEliad Daniel (Isr) CCCRow 25 - Cell 2
-1lapOded Danon (Isr) CCCRow 26 - Cell 2
-1lapZsolt Juhasz (Hun) Euroone-Cube MTB UCI TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
-1lapGabor Bogar (Hun) Euroone-Cube MTB UCI TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
-1lapAlexey Belokrylov (Rus) Forward-UdmurtiaRow 29 - Cell 2
-1lapTal Koler (Isr) TeaMisgavRow 30 - Cell 2
-1lapNoam Strashnov (Isr) For Galilee CycleRow 31 - Cell 2
-1lapRon Shimaon (Isr) ECO TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
-1lapBenjamin Shemidt (Isr) TACCRow 33 - Cell 2
DNFAndras Parti (Hun) Euroone-Cube MTB UCI TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
DNFBen Roff (GBr) Orange Monkey - CannondaleRow 35 - Cell 2
DNFAnton Michaelov (Isr) TACCRow 36 - Cell 2
DNSGeorge Fattas (Cyp) CyprusRow 37 - Cell 2
DNSAndras Szatmary (Hun) Euroone-Cube MTB UCI TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
DNSNikolay Zaitsev (Kaz) KazakhstanRow 39 - Cell 2
DNSArtium Golovachshenko (Kaz) KazakhstanRow 40 - Cell 2
DNSYoav Tal (Isr) Emek HaosherRow 41 - Cell 2
DNSOri Crulovich (Isr)Row 42 - Cell 2
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Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Barbara Benko (Hun) Euroone-Cube MTB UCI Team1:47:15
2Inbar Ronen (Isr) CCC0:00:43
3Kristien Nelen (Bel) Scott - Goeman UCI Team0:07:29
4Noga Korem (Isr) TeaMisgav0:08:57
5Paz Bash (Isr) TACC0:11:57
6Anna Konovalova (Rus) Forward-Udmurtia0:16:47
-1lapIdit Shub (Isr) CCCRow 6 - Cell 2
-1lapGili Tamir (Isr) CCCRow 7 - Cell 2

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