Benetseder wins Crocodile Trophy stage 5 with monster solo effort

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Josef Benetseder won the fifth and longest stage of this year's Crocodile Trophy at Granite Creek Dam in the mining country of Far North Queensland with a massive 12-minute advantage over race leader Australian Mark Frendo and Cory Wallace from Canada. Benetseder took the victory after an impressive solo race over 163km.  Liesbeth Hessens won another women's stage and continues to lead the women's overall.

More than half of the more than 900km have been completed thus far. Four stages, including an individual time trial at Laura, still lie ahead before the finish on Cooktown's Grassy Hill this Sunday.

It had been his plan all along, said today's stage winner Benetseder of his monster solo race at the Crocodile Trophy. "During the first big climbs on the second stage, I felt really good and knew that I had a chance on smooth terrain. I took it easy on the technical sections on the last two stages and went right from the start today," said the pro road racer, who had suffered three flat tires during yesterday's stage into Mount Mulligan and admitted worrying about mechanicals all day today.

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None of the elite riders was able to catch up to Benetseder and at the Mitchell River Crossing, he had already gained eight minutes on the large field of more than 20 chasers. On the huge climbs through the Mt Windsor ranges west of the Daintree National Park the dry and radiating heat made riders suffer and the three elite race leaders Frendo, Wallace and Jiri Krivanek broke away from the chasing group. But Benetseder was in his element and kept increasing his lead to more than 10 minutes by the last feed zone 18km before the finish.

"I just tried to race consistently today and kept riding a fast but safe pace all the way. All went to plan, really," said the 30-year old Austrian as he arrived at the finish, covered in dust, mud and sweat.

Benetseder is no longer in contention for the general classification; however, he admitted that he still had his eyes on the Cooktown stage, which he won in 2012. "I might just give it another go," he said with a cheeky grin.

"I couldn't believe how strong Benetseder raced today," said Wallace at the finish, admitting that he had his eyes on the race leader Frendo all day and thought that they would catch Benetseder eventually.

"I tried to push the chase group really hard and kept attacking. But Frendo was there right away every time, and we wore each other out eventually."

Wallace finished third behind Frendo in a sprint finish at the end.

The Australian Frendo still has an 11-minute overall lead and will have to keep watching the Canadian on tomorrow's 118km stage to Laura.

During stage 6, racers will ride to Laura via the Old Coach Trail, an historic mining road. Rough and sandy terrain is in the cards as well as river crossings, and the riders are looking forward to re-entering civilisation in the little town of 80 residents near the Lakefield National Park.

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