Transrockies Challenge 2003 - Fourth Stage

14.08.2003 - Today's roller coaster fourth day course of the Transrockies Challenge mountain bike race wasn't tough enough to slow leaders who maintained their positions in the toughest mountain bike race in the world.

Overall leaders Andreas Strobel and Silvio Wieltschnig, finished the 3,200-vertical metre course in 3:50.29, for an overall time of 18:08.01, even though they lost about five minutes today with a wrong turn off the course. Second place overall continues to be held by Matt Decore and Andreas Hestler of Vancouver who overall are trailing the leaders by about an hour with a cumulative time of 19:12.35. Third place ranking continues to be held by the Ontario based team of Matthew Patterson and Greg Reain who finished today in 3:57.53.

Americans Christina Begy and Louise Kobin finished the day in 3:50.29, a little more than one hour over the overall leaders to keep first place in the women's division with a cumulative time of 19:36.17, well ahead of the Canmore team of Jeanie Godfrey and Valerie Thompson who now have a total time of 23:34.28.

The Austrian husband and wife team of Martin and Simone Hornegger kept in front of the mixed division today finishing in 4:35.10 for an overall time of 21:53.38. They are well ahead of Marvin and Karen and building a commanding lead of more than two hours over the second place mixed team of John Gibson and Jean Mcallister, both of Canmore.

Michel Leblanc, 39, and Gilles Morneau, 44, moved up to first place in their division with a finish today in 4:10.52 for a cumulative time of 21:14.31. They are about 13 minutes ahead of Tony Routley, 47, and Eric Crowe, 43, both of Whistler, B.C, who finished today in 4:23.56.

The Transrockies Challenge continues 106 km tomorrow from the Sandy McNabb Campground in Kananaskis Country to Bragg Creek, just west of Calgary. Riders gain and drop some 1,075 metres of altitude with some very technical climbs over two high summits. 

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