Race leader Frendo claims stage 2 of Crocodile Trophy
Hessens takes women's victory
Australian Mark Frendo claimed his second Crocodile Trophy stage during a marathon from Cairns into Lake Tinaroo and defended his overall leader's jersey. He increased his race lead, winning ahead of the Austrian pro-road racer Josef Benetseder and the Canadian Marathon National Champion Cory Wallace. Liesbeth Hessens was the fastest woman for the second day in a row, showing a strong performance on the gruelling climbs through the Dinden National Park.
Most of the riders in the Crocodile Trophy race had regarded stage 2 as the real start of the action. After yesterday's lap race at Smithfield for stage 1, the 90km stage 2 had its official start high above town on the road towards Copperlode Dam. A large lead group of almost 30 riders set a high pace right from the start.
After gruelling climbs and steep descends that seemed to never end, the first feed zone was located deep in the tropical bushland of Dinden National Park, and by then, an Austro-Australian breakaway group had formed with race leader Mark Frendo and the two Austrian racers Wolfgang Krenn and Benetseder. With a gap of only a minute, Wallace and the Czech rider Jan Fojtik were in hot pursuit, followed by Matthew Page, Jiri Krivanek and M1 rider Mario Färberböck.
Prooving his strong endurance skills, Benetseder attacked just before the second feed zone and surprised his fellow riders with an impressive climbing ability. On the steep ascent towards Mount Edith, the highest point in Far North Queensland, he was able to increase the gap to over two minutes, with Wallace and Frendo chasing hard.
A more than 10km rapid descend to Kauri Creek was the reward before the finish at Lake Tinaroo and only Frendo was able to catch up, cross the finish line for his second stage win with over a minute gap.
"Benetseder was really strong on the climbs today, but luckily on the last downhill I had an advantage over him," said the mechanical engineer and passionate mountain biker from Brisbane at the finish.
On the picturesque shores of Lake Tinaroo, Wallace finished in third ahead of Krenn and Krivanek. It was bad luck for Fojtik, the young Czech rider, who had started so strongly. He faced sharp, chronic pain in his lower back and had to retire 30km before the finish.
Stage 3 preview
Tomorrow's third stage will be an 80km marathon with more than 2,500m of climbing, featuring a 30km loop on the new Atherton mountain bike trail network before heading towards the historic mining town of Irvinebank across rough Outback roads and spectacular river crossings.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Mark Frendo (Aus) | 3:29:56 |
2 | Josef Benetseder (Aut) Team Eybl | 0:01:03 |
3 | Cory Wallace (Can) Kona-MBC | 0:07:12 |
4 | Wolfgang Krenn (Aut) Zwillingscraft Stevens - SC Knauf Liezen | 0:11:24 |
5 | Jiri Krivanek (Cze) Prestige | 0:13:48 |
6 | Matthew Page (GBr) A Cycling/Pivot | 0:17:05 |
7 | Steve Rankine (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans | 0:22:05 |
8 | Paul Mashford (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans | 0:33:46 |
9 | Bart Duraj (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Patrick Schörkmayer (Aut) Team-Beniva | 0:41:13 |
11 | Sander Cordeel (Bel) | 0:41:14 |
12 | Adam Cobain (Aus) Amy Gillet Foundation | 0:45:27 |
13 | Bevan Spratt (NZl) | 1:00:31 |
14 | Alessandro Bianchi Perugini (Ita) asd s.martino emmedue bikepoint | 2:00:48 |
DNF | Jan Fojtik (Cze) Symbio+ Giant | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Liesbeth Hessens (Bel) | 4:31:08 |
2 | Maria Cristina (Ita) GS Cicli Matteoni FRW | 1:12:28 |
3 | Anne-Mette Mortensen (Den) Team Fit 4 Run | 1:35:39 |
4 | Giordana Sordi (Ita) SKYsport-Italy | 1:42:03 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | 33 | 3:52:01 |
2 | Johan Schrauwen (Bel) Houtambacht - Who killed Joe? | 0:06:55 |
3 | Kristof Schrauwen (Bel) Houtambacht - Who killed Joe? | 0:14:35 |
4 | Huub Tankink (Ned) GT-YellowWings Racing | 0:47:19 |
5 | Jürgen Hofer (Aut) | 0:56:59 |
6 | Vincent Baert (Bel) One life. Live it! | 0:57:19 |
7 | Martin Wisata (Aut) Il Pastaio / Rocky Trail Racing | 1:01:52 |
8 | Matthew Moroney (Aus) | 1:06:17 |
9 | Andreas Ueberrhein (Ger) Mountainbike-Freiburg | 1:16:20 |
10 | Bart Couckuyt (Bel) | 1:16:57 |
11 | David Vermander (Bel) Houtambacht - Who killed Joe? | 2:06:09 |
12 | Kurt Hannes (Bel) | 2:50:34 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Hans Planckaert (Bel) Smart Cycling Team | 3:51:49 |
2 | Hamish Morrin (NZl) | 0:21:08 |
3 | Peter Mühl (Aut) | 0:27:12 |
4 | Dennis Valerius (Ned) Jobkitchen.be | 0:38:21 |
5 | Kristof Roelandts (Bel) One life. Live it! | 0:46:15 |
6 | Phil Welch (GBr) Il Pastaio / Rocky Trail Racing | 0:50:04 |
7 | Andy Tubbs (USA) andy tubbs | 0:58:25 |
8 | Wolfgang Mader (Aut) Dreamteam Tirol | 1:07:43 |
9 | Zbigniew Mossoczy (Pol) Wertykal bikeBoard | 1:12:21 |
10 | Kurt Alderweireldt (Bel) | 1:13:09 |
11 | Steve Bunton (NZl) Cervo Rosso / Flat Out Forty | 1:20:51 |
12 | Georg Vinczencz (Aut) Radsport Waldherr | 1:21:54 |
13 | Christian Wenger (Aut) bikepalast | 1:26:39 |
14 | Giovanni Montini (Ita) SKYsport-Italy | 1:31:26 |
15 | Robert Waters (GBr) | 1:34:57 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Peter Selkrig (Aus) Il Pastaio / Rocky Trail Racing | 4:21:12 |
2 | Simon Gillett (Aus) Amy Gillett Foundation | 0:42:27 |
3 | Gerhard Grassmugg (Aut) Rofa-Sport Graz | 1:05:04 |
4 | Radim Novotny (Cze) Prestige | 1:15:03 |
5 | Daniele Bertozzi (Ita) GS Cicli Matteoni FRW | 1:22:24 |
6 | Robert Topfer (Aus) Amy Gillett Foundation | 1:26:07 |
7 | Chris Wessels (Aus) | 2:10:35 |
8 | Andrew Wily (Aus) Amy Gillett Foundation | 2:24:57 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Franz Schmidhofer (Aut) race4two - carinthia | 5:27:55 |
1 | Mario Slabe (Aut) race4two - carinthia | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
2 | Guy Palinckx (Bel) One Eight Five Vets 1 | 1:13:14 |
2 | Luc Peeters (Bel) One Eight Five Vets 1 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
2 | Marc Coninx (Bel) One Eight Five Vets 2 | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
2 | Drik Oostvogels (Bel) One Eight Five Vets 2 | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Brendon Skerke (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans CA | 4:36:24 |
1 | Jon Standage (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans CA | 4:36:25 |
2 | Isaac Tonello (Aus) AMDF - Australian Mitochondrial Disease Federation | 0:28:04 |
2 | David Stallan (Aus) AMDF - Australian Mitochondrial Disease Federation | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Mark Frendo (Aus) | 5:00:10 |
2 | Josef Benetseder (Aut) Team Eybl | 0:10:42 |
3 | Cory Wallace (Can) Kona-MBC | 0:11:02 |
4 | Wolfgang Krenn (Aut) Zwillingscraft Stevens - SC Knauf Liezen | 0:13:03 |
5 | Jiri Krivanek (Cze) Prestige | 0:21:17 |
6 | Matthew Page (GBr) A Cycling/Pivot | 0:26:02 |
7 | Steve Rankine (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans | 0:27:02 |
8 | Paul Mashford (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans | 0:40:59 |
9 | Bart Duraj (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans | 0:44:17 |
10 | Patrick Schörkmayer (Aut) Team-Beniva | 0:50:26 |
11 | Adam Cobain (Aus) Amy Gillet Foundation | 0:56:52 |
12 | Sander Cordeel (Bel) | 1:02:58 |
13 | Bevan Spratt (NZl) | 1:16:05 |
14 | Alessandro Bianchi Perugini (Ita) asd s.martino emmedue bikepoint | 2:29:17 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Liesbeth Hessens (Bel) | 6:25:02 |
2 | Maria Cristina (Ita) GS Cicli Matteoni FRW | 1:28:02 |
3 | Anne-Mette Mortensen (Den) Team Fit 4 Run | 1:58:33 |
4 | Giordana Sordi (Ita) SKYsport-Italy | 2:00:14 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Mario Farberbock (Aut) | 5:30:06 |
2 | Johan Schrauwen (Bel) Houtambacht - Who killed Joe? | 0:06:16 |
3 | Kristof Schrauwen (Bel) Houtambacht - Who killed Joe? | 0:17:53 |
4 | Huub Tankink (Ned) GT-YellowWings Racing | 1:01:09 |
5 | Martin Wisata (Aut) Il Pastaio / Rocky Trail Racing | 1:13:46 |
6 | Jürgen Hofer (Aut) | 1:14:46 |
7 | Vincent Baert (Bel) One life. Live it! | 1:19:02 |
8 | Andreas Ueberrhein (Ger) Mountainbike-Freiburg | 1:31:07 |
9 | Bart Couckuyt (Bel) | 1:40:32 |
10 | Matthew Moroney (Aus) | 1:43:46 |
11 | David Vermander (Bel) Houtambacht - Who killed Joe? | 3:05:04 |
12 | Kurt Hannes (Bel) | 3:12:55 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Hans Planckaert (Bel) Smart Cycling Team | 5:38:27 |
2 | Hamish Morrin (NZl) | 0:19:36 |
3 | Dennis Valerius (Ned) Jobkitchen.be | 0:38:52 |
4 | Phil Welch (GBr) Il Pastaio / Rocky Trail Racing | 0:52:04 |
5 | Kristof Roelandts (Bel) One life. Live it! | 0:55:09 |
6 | Andy Tubbs (USA) andy tubbs | 1:08:48 |
7 | Peter Mühl (Aut) | 1:17:34 |
8 | Zbigniew Mossoczy (Pol) Wertykal bikeBoard | 1:20:30 |
9 | Kurt Alderweireldt (Bel) | 1:28:59 |
10 | Steve Bunton (NZl) Cervo Rosso / Flat Out Forty | 1:38:21 |
11 | Christian Wenger (Aut) bikepalast | 1:39:28 |
12 | Georg Vinczencz (Aut) Radsport Waldherr | 1:41:46 |
13 | Robert Waters (GBr) | 1:47:20 |
14 | Giovanni Montini (Ita) SKYsport-Italy | 1:52:11 |
15 | Wolfgang Mader (Aut) Dreamteam Tirol | 1:58:05 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Peter Selkrig (Aus) Il Pastaio / Rocky Trail Racing | 6:08:42 |
2 | Simon Gillett (Aus) Amy Gillett Foundation | 0:59:18 |
3 | Daniele Bertozzi (Ita) GS Cicli Matteoni FRW | 1:24:50 |
4 | Gerhard Grassmugg (Aut) Rofa-Sport Graz | 1:24:59 |
5 | Robert Topfer (Aus) Amy Gillett Foundation | 1:50:10 |
6 | Radim Novotny (Cze) Prestige | 2:04:33 |
7 | Chris Wessels (Aus) | 2:53:46 |
8 | Andrew Wily (Aus) Amy Gillett Foundation | 3:12:23 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Franz Schmidhofer (Aut) race4two - carinthia | 7:35:41 |
1 | Mario Slabe (Aut) race4two - carinthia | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
2 | Drik Oostvogels (Bel) One Eight Five Vets 2 | 1:17:31 |
2 | Marc Coninx (Bel) One Eight Five Vets 2 | 0:00:04 |
3 | Guy Palinckx (Bel) One Eight Five Vets 1 | 0:00:27 |
3 | Luc Peeters (Bel) One Eight Five Vets 1 | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Brendon Skerke (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans CA | 6:23:38 |
1 | Jon Standage (Aus) Tenni's - Cairns Home Loans CA | 6:23:39 |
2 | Isaac Tonello (Aus) AMDF - Australian Mitochondrial Disease Federation | 0:34:21 |
2 | David Stallan (Aus) AMDF - Australian Mitochondrial Disease Federation | Row 3 - Cell 2 |

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