Genze and Kugler sprint to their first TransAlp stage win

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Hannes Genze and Andreas Kugler clinched the queen stage of the TransAlp from Livigno, Italy, to Ponte di Legno, Italy, on Thursday due to a sensational comeback and outstanding downhill skills, thus repeating their 2010 victory on the same course. Team Multivan Merida Biking secured its first 2012 TransAlp stage win after 106 kilometers and 3,451 meters in climbing. The pair sprinted to a win in a time of 4:46:47.

Urs Huber and Konny Looser of Team Stöckli came in second and took over the third spot in the overall classification after Team Bulls withdrew due to illness.

Alban Lakata and Robert Mennen of Topeak Ergon Racing jumped up into the top spot of the GC by finishing today's race in 4:46:51 and in third position, 1:45 ahead of the yellow jersey wearers, who came in fourth in 4:48:36.

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Markus Kaufmann and Thomas Stoll are now some 30 seconds behind, sitting in second position of the overall ranking. However, both still have two more days left to attack.

According to the re-shuffling of the ranking, Lakata was pleased with the successful attack on the leader jerseys. "I'm very happy that it worked out today. It was a very hard stage, especially as it was very hot out there."

The 2010 marathon world champion and his German team partner Mennen launched the decisive attack in the climb on the last of four passes, the feared Passo Mortirolo, side by side with Team Stöckli, and were able to break away and ride into yellow.

"I hope that we will have strong legs again over the course of the next two days and that we will be able to defend the number one spot," said Lakata.

However, the dethroned yellow jersey wearers, who have been dealing with some health problems, are willing to give the new leaders a hard fight.

"We aren't disappointed. It was an honor to have the yellow jerseys for four days. Now, we are 30 seconds behind. That's nothing. If we recover well, we will certainly seek our chances again," said reigning German marathon champion Markus Kaufmann.

While the two top overall teams were having a tough fight for the 2012 TransAlp title, the Multivan Merida Biking Team came out successfully in a sprint duel with Team Stöckli for the stage win.

"We didn't expect this as I had a very bad first half of the tour and as we were already two minutes behind at the second intermediate on Passo Mortirolo. But we had nothing to lose and pushed the pedal to the metal. It's amazing that we caught up again. In the end, I guess our experience paid off," said Genze.

Indeed, Urs Huber had crossed the finish line first but his comrade-in-arms Konny Looser was beaten by Multivan Merida. After finishing in the runner-up position for the third consecutive time Huber said, "Well, I'm pleased, especially as we had some real problems in the beginning of the TransAlp. But now it's time for a stage win."

Women leaders kill it on queen's stage

Milena Landtwing and Sally Bigham are still showing no mercy for their rivals. Team Centurion-Vaude/Topeak Ergon crossed the finish line in Ponte di Legno after 5:50:45 and therefore was 43 minutes faster than Catherine Williamson and Louise Stopforth of Bizhub-fcf (6:34:22).

Andrea Kuster and Angelika Niklaus of Team Metz-Kraftwerk once again brought home a podium result, finishing third (7:01:42).

First win for Press Riva del Garda in mixed category

In the mixed category. Team Press Riva del Garda was the fourth duo to win a stage. Lorenza Menapace and Claudio Segata mastered the sixth TransAlp stage in 5:52:32, thus cementing their second rank in the mixed GC.

Antonia Wipfli and Patrick Jauch of leading Team Gisler came in second (5:53:09) while Daniela Storch and Torsten Mützlitz of Scott freaky fi'zi:k Friends finished third (5.59:48).

Team Adamelloski with six-peat in masters' race

Just like the days before, Massimo De Bertolis and Marzio Deho were once again unbeatable in the master category (4:56:12). Quite the contrary, the blue jersey leaders mixed it in the elite classifier by nailing the fifth overall rank.

Second rank went to Andreas Laner and Johann Grasegger of Team Scott (5:21:26), the third rank to Viktor Paris and Thomas Piazza of Sunshineracers Nals (5:29:10).

The two mountain bikers residing in South Tyrol rolled in more than 30 minutes ahead of Anton Warter and Heinz Zörweg of Cube Factory (5:26:34) thus edging off the Austrians from rank three in the master class.

Swiss senior masters on the road to their first title

Bringing home their third consecutive stage win (5:51:33), Renato Burch and Bärti Bucher of BiXS Suisse underlined their claim to the senior master title in the category reserved for the teams with a total age of 100+.

Georg Niggl and Walter Perkmann of Craft and Friends 7 secured rank two (6:07:50) while Thomas Herrmann and Hartmann Stifter of Team Sigma rounded out the podium as third (6:10:09).

The seventh and thus penultimate stage of the 2012 TransAlp will lead riders over 72 kilometers and 3,234 meters in climbing from Ponte di Legno, Italy, to Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, on Friday.

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