Transrockies Challenge 2004

Stage 1 - Fernie to Crowsnest Pass

Stage 1 Results- Fernie to Crowsnest Pass (PDF)
Official Timing by Race Management Team

Tight race for lead in toughest mountain bike race in the world

Blairmore, Alberta -- Cyclists from around the world today set a blistering pace on the first stage of the world's toughest mountain bike race, the TransRockies Challenge,The first stage of the seven-day, 600 km trek through the Canadian Rocky Mountains from Fernie, B.C. to Canmore, Alberta finished with a tight race for the lead.

The Rocky Mountain Bikes team of Andreas Hestler of Vancouver and Karl Platt of Germany led the 95-km stage and crossed the finish line in Blairmore, Alberta in 3:40:22, just three seconds ahead of last year's champions, Andreas Strobel, of Germany, and Silvio Wieltschnig, from Austria. The foursome led the field of 235 racers all day at an average speed of almost 28 km per hour.

"This was the hardest day of cycling in my entire career, said the exhausted Hestler at the finish line. "Karl kept a good pace but we were pushing to keep the lead," he said.

In the Masters' category, Karl Arnold, 43, and Stephan Ruttimann, 40, both of Switzerland, finished in 4:08:35. They were followed 31 minutes later by Canadians William Letham, 47, and James Shellard, 40.

Canmore, Alberta's Niclas Christoffersson and his team mate Marg Fedyna of Edmonton led the mixed category with a time of 4:25:24. They wereust ahead of Americans Eric Warkentin and Louise Kobin, a member of last year's women's championship team, who finished in 4:27:44.

The German women's team of Karen Eller and Sabrine Grona finished today's stage in 5:00:06 followed by Isabelle Dube of Canmore and Maria Hawkins of Banff, representing Team Drake, with a time of 5:20:01.

Although the weather at the noon start in Fernie was picture perfect, the climate changed by day's end, with colder temperatures and drizzling rain greeting riders at the finish in Blairmore.

Forest fires in the area forced a last minute change in the course by race officials last year. This year's forest fire threat is only moderate due to recent rains in the Rocky Mountain interior. The weather greased the track that made the steep climb up to the summit of Ptolemy Pass challenging for riders.

The TransRockies Challenge continues tomorrow with a slightly shorter, 84 km stage taking riders 2,600 vertical metres from Blairmore and up Racehorse Pass before decending to Dutch Creek in Kananaskis, Country Alberta. The competition will finish in Canmore, Alberta this Saturday, Aug. 14, where winners will share $20,000 in prize money.

Inaugurated in 2002, the TransRockies Challenge is based on the successful TransAlps Challenge. Both events are organized by upsolut mv. Gmbh of Munich, Germany. Sponsors of the TransRockies Challenge are Travel Alberta, Sugoi, Devinci, Glenmore Audi, The Bike Shop and Refresh.

Stage 1 Results- Fernie to Crowsnest Pass (PDF)
Official Timing by Race Management Team

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