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14th Crocodile Trophy - NE
Australia, October 21-30, 2008
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 7 - October 27: Mt. Mulgrave - Laura, 148 km
Vermeulen gifted stage win as combatants suffer in the sand
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The gutsy Belgian from Team Lingier, who has earned respect all-round at this race, found himself in the survivors' group, not a breakaway as such, containing race leader Ondrej Fojtik and his team-mates Tomas Trunschka, Ivan Rybarik and Martin Horak. In another display of sportsmanship, the Czechs decided to honour their opponent, opting not to attack Vermeulen in the final kilometres as the race headed into Laura. Had they attacked, Vermeulen would have found himself faced with an almost unwinnable scenario.
"I think it was a gift from the Czechian team," Vermeulen admitted after his win. "The (Czech) team is too strong for me. I can attack but they ride four against me, but I'm happy with the stage win. Thank you."
Confronted with a one hundred and fifty kilometre journey, on roads littered with bull-dust pits and long patches of soft sand, many riders suffered as the fierce elements helped rip apart the general classification.
Australia's solo entrant Craig Gordon, was one riding feeling the heat. He fought doggedly in a stage where pure power counted for much and he finished 23 minutes down on the race leader in the general classification, with his hopes of winning the race effectively extinguished.
"I hate that bulldust. I disappeared into it, gone," Gordon said as he wiped dust from his eyes.
"I struggled today with the bulldust and the sand, maybe I've just gotta get psyched and be on it. Of course I’d love to win a stage but it’s very, very tough with these guys. I'm not gonna give up, but certainly days like today just don't favour me at all."
The stage began with an ambitious breakaway that featured two Australians in Nick Both and Reece Stevens along with Belgian Kris Hertsens and stage six winner Kejval Lubos. Rolling through the undulating country to the west of the Laura Ranges. The break group was never far out of the sight of the GC leaders.
For Australia's Stevens, the breakaway move was a gamble worth taking on a stage that's earned itself the reputation as the toughest of the race. "Yeah, longest stage of the tour. I think, the longer they are the more testing they are," Stevens said.
"The Czechs came through, and I got dropped with about 50 or sixty kilometers to go and had to do the last 50 or 60km on my own which was pretty hard work. It was the toughest stage to date, and the last 10km were the toughest 10km of my life."
The biggest threat to race leader Ondrej Fojtik came from within as team-mate Martin Horak joined in the attacks being mounted by Belgian Nic Vermeulen. Horak sits just 38 seconds behind the race leader in the overall standings and it appears the temptation to race for individual glory is proving to difficut to ignore. Fojtik, whose long-term dream has been to win the Crocodile Trophy, remains wary of the man most capable of dislodging him from the top spot - even though that same cyclist is one of his team-mates.
"I must watch martin because he attacked with Nicolas," Fojtik observed. "It's not so hard a physical but psychological stage for me. It will be very hard for me to lead this race (at the end) in Cape Tribulation."
Bennett extends lead in women's race
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It was at the Palmer where Bennett edged away from her GC rival Karen Steurs of Belgium. Steurs clearly struggled in the bull-dust pits and sand patches, where pure power is required to turn over the pedals.
Bennett revealed at stage end, that she had been training back home in Western Australia, with this stage of the Crocodile Trophy in mind.
"I actually don't mind the sand it's one of my stronger points and I know it's probably one of Karen's weaker points," Bennett said as her team celebrated at race end.
Today, the entire Merida Flight Centre men's team dropped back to assist the women's race leader and the move reaped rewards as Bennett extended her lead by several minutes.
"I just put it in a bigger gear and pushed it through as hard as I could," Bennett said. "We have a little bit of sand back home and I've been practicing, I knew it was out here."
Steurs also had some strong support today in the form of legendary Belgian Eric Vanderaerden, but even with the help of the former Paris-Roubaix champion, she struggled to maintain momentum on the constantly changing road surface.
Mountain climbs on the next two stages are expected to favour the Belgian, but Bennett is feeling hungry for success.
"I'll push as hard as I can. I want this thing," Bennett said.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by John Flynn / Crocodile Trophy
- The Merida Flight Centre team
- Jo Bennett (Merida Flight Centre) is the women's race leader.
- Karen Steurs (Team Ride for Stars) struggled in the sand.
- Nic Vermeulen wins the stage.
- Race leader Ondrej Fojtik (VIG+Racing Team 2) takes a turn at the front.
- Matt Powell leads a group of riders through a water crossing.
- Nic Vermeulen leads the bunch across the dry, sandy Palmer River.
- Philipp Zenklusen of Switzerland leads a group across the Palmer River.
- Race leader Ondrej Fojtik powers along the road to Laura.
- Riders embark on the epic stage to Laura.
- Steers hoof it as the riders approach.
- Steven Bourg of Belgium dismounts in the sand.
- The breakaway passes through Mount Mulgrave station.
- The peloton heads toward Laura.
- The Czechs show how it's done at the water crossings.
- The early morning break in the savannah lands of lower Cape York.
- Tomas Trunschka glides through the sand.
- It was a little dirty out there.
- A beast keeps a close eye on the progress of Karen Steurs.
- Alfred Schabauer changes a flat tire.
- Alfred Schabauer gets muddy.
- Australian Isaac Tonello enjoys every moment.
- Craig Gordon grits his teeth in the deep sand.
- Englishman Phil Smith in last place, but enjoying the ride.
- Eric Vanderaerden lends a hand to Karen Steurs.
- Isaac Tonello
- Jo Bennet in fine form
- Jo Bennett concetrates at the race start.
- Karen Steurs focuses at the race's start.
- Marc Roggen leads his group through a water crossing.
Results
Elite men 1 Nicolas Vermeulen (Bel) 5.03.57 (29.22km/h) 2 Ivan Rybarik (Cze) VIG+Racing 1 0.14 3 Martin Horak (Cze) VIG+Racing Team 2 4 Ondrej Fojtik (Cze) VIG+Racing Team 2 5 Tomas Trunschka (Cze) VIG+Racing 1 0.15 6 Craig Gordon (Aus) Rockstar Racing 4.41 7 Benedikt De Vreese (Bel) Winter Vreese 18.24 8 Tomas Kozak (Cze) Laser Steel Plzen 18.26 9 Nathan Dyke (Aus) TKM / Slattery team 28.06 10 Raf De Bakker (Bel) 11 Tim Bennett (Aus) Merida - Flight Centre 1 30.37 12 Nick Both (Aus) Merida - Flight Centre 1 13 Karel De Winter (Bel) Winter Vreese 14 Adrian Jackson (Aus) Merida - Flight Centre 1 15 Christophe Huybrighs (Bel) Team Ride for Stars 34.49 16 Robert Novotny (Cze) VIG+Racing Team 2 34.51 17 Gillis Van Loon (Bel) Team Ride for Stars 35.46 18 Tim Calkins (USA) TKM / Slattery team 55.24 19 Christian Birngruber (Aut) 56.32 20 Steven Boury (Bel) 1.01.52 21 Alfred Schabauer (Aut) 1.15.33 22 Petr Uhlik (Cze) 1.15.34 23 Stefaniak Wojciech (Pol) 1.41.25 24 Bart Decroubele (Bel) Team Belgian Power 2.03.46 Elite women 1 Joanne Bennett (Aus) Merida - Flight Centre 2 5.34.34 (26.54km/h) 2 Karen Steurs (Bel) Team Ride for Stars 4.11 3 Naomi Hansen (Aus) 38.59 M1 men 1 Kris Hertsens (Bel) 5.09.36 (28.68km/h) 2 Stephens Reece (Aus) TKM / Slattery team 4.27 3 Daniel Wyss (Swi) swisscrocs08 13.25 4 Peter Geldhof (Bel) teamNomaDesk.com 22.04 5 Guido De Jong (Ned) 24.58 6 Kejval Lubos (Cze) VIG+Masters 7 Zdenek Kriz (Cze) VIG+Racing 1 8 Issac Tonello (Aus) 29.11 9 Philipp Zenklusen (Swi) swisscrocs08 30.07 10 Gunter Selleslagh (Bel) 45.35 11 Matt Powell (Aus) 49.44 12 Mikkel Wichmann (Den) 1.11.10 13 Ermanno Piccaro (Ita) ASD Vigili del Fuoco-Latina-Cinelli-Corratec 1.12.47 14 Bart Vancayzeele (Bel) 1.16.13 15 Erik Goeleven (Bel) Team Moozes 1.32.00 16 Guy Lemmens (Bel) Team Moozes 1.57.58 17 Kristof Vanspauwen (Bel) Team Belgian Power 1.58.06 18 Mario Vandeweghe (Bel) 2.22.56 19 Bruno Verwee (Bel) 2.33.41 20 Bert Apers (Bel) 3.26.58 21 Philip Smith (GBr) 4.01.10 M2 Men 1 Axel Strauss (Aut) 5.22.20 (27.55km/h) 2 Darren O'Grady (Aus) Rockstar Racing 12.14 3 Ladislav Drda (Cze) VIG+Masters 4 Jiri Kriz (Cze) VIG+Masters 29.40 5 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) Marc Herremans Foundation 33.56 6 Marc Roggen (Bel) 36.59 7 Thomas Sollich (Ger) Rockstar Racing 58.23 8 Ruedi Senn (Swi) swisscrocs08 58.24 9 Jos Kerkhofs (Bel) Marc Herremans Foundation 1.09.19 10 Georg Vinczencz (Aut) 1.24.28 11 Luc Gielen (Bel) Team Belgian Power 1.45.22 12 Marc Withofs (Bel) 1.55.09 13 Patrick Van Gelder (Bel) Team Moozes 2.26.56 14 Ronny Potter (Bel) Team A.S.P.A 3.14.10 15 Patrick Mijlemans (Bel) Team A.S.P.A 3.14.12 16 Rudi Donckers (Bel) Marc Herremans Foundation 3.14.14 General classification after stage 7 Elite men 1 Ondrej Fojtik (Cze) VIG+Racing Team 2 27.05.23 2 Martin Horak (Cze) VIG+Racing Team 2 0.38 3 Tomas Trunschka (Cze) VIG+Racing 1 4.08 4 Nicolas Vermeulen (Bel) 10.40 5 Craig Gordon (Aus) Rockstar Racing 23.00 6 Ivan Rybarik (Cze) VIG+Racing 1 32.22 7 Tomas Kozak (Cze) Laser Steel Plzen 1.19.07 8 Robert Novotny (Cze) VIG+Racing Team 2 1.33.18 9 Adrian Jackson (Aus) Merida - Flight Centre 1 2.00.49 10 Benedikt De Vreese (Bel) Winter Vreese 2.08.31 11 Nick Both (Aus) Merida - Flight Centre 1 2.16.38 12 Christian Birngruber (Aut) 2.21.11 13 Tim Bennett (Aus) Merida - Flight Centre 1 2.31.18 14 Nathan Dyke (Aus) TKM / Slattery team 2.41.47 15 Christophe Huybrighs (Bel) Team Ride for Stars 3.21.02 16 Alfred Schabauer (Aut) 3.49.21 17 Gillis Van Loon (Bel) Team Ride for Stars 4.13.31 18 Stefaniak Wojciech (Pol) 5.17.53 19 Karel De Winter (Bel) Winter Vreese 5.19.06 20 Raf De Bakker (Bel) 5.19.59 21 Steven Boury (Bel) 5.34.49 22 Petr Uhlik (Cze) 6.23.33 23 Tim Calkins (USA) TKM / Slattery team 6.35.07 24 Bart Decroubele (Bel) Team Belgian Power 8.37.09 Elite women 1 Joanne Bennett (Aus) Merida - Flight Centre 2 30.19.28 2 Karen Steurs (Bel) Team Ride for Stars 5.12 3 Naomi Hansen (Aus) 2.56.34 M1 men 1 Kris Hertsens (Bel) 27.57.35 2 Stephens Reece (Aus) TKM / Slattery team 55.09 3 Zdenek Kriz (Cze) VIG+Racing 1 1.00.13 4 Daniel Wyss (Swi) swisscrocs08 1.29.53 5 Kejval Lubos (Cze) VIG+Masters 1.54.26 6 Issac Tonello (Aus) 3.06.52 7 Guido De Jong (Ned) 3.07.23 8 Matt Powell (Aus) 3.47.13 9 Philipp Zenklusen (Swi) swisscrocs08 3.56.46 10 Peter Geldhof (Bel) teamNomaDesk.com 4.37.47 11 Gunter Selleslagh (Bel) 5.44.31 12 Bart Vancayzeele (Bel) 5.51.59 13 Erik Goeleven (Bel) Team Moozes 6.01.23 14 Ermanno Piccaro (Ita) ASD Vigili del Fuoco-Latina-Cinelli-Corratec 6.48.16 15 Mikkel Wichmann (Den) 6.56.55 16 Guy Lemmens (Bel) Team Moozes 8.14.28 17 Kristof Vanspauwen (Bel) Team Belgian Power 8.29.26 18 Bert Apers (Bel) 11.32.18 19 Mario Vandeweghe (Bel) 12.13.51 20 Bruno Verwee (Bel) 16.30.00 21 Philip Smith (GBr) 18.15.09 M2 men 1 Axel Strauss (Aut) 29.23.25 2 Ladislav Drda (Cze) VIG+Masters 1.18.08 3 Jiri Kriz (Cze) VIG+Masters 1.33.23 4 Marc Roggen (Bel) 2.22.38 5 Darren O'Grady (Aus) Rockstar Racing 2.46.38 6 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) Marc Herremans Foundation 2.57.37 7 Ruedi Senn (Swi) swisscrocs08 3.37.58 8 Jos Kerkhofs (Bel) Marc Herremans Foundation 6.16.36 9 Georg Vinczencz (Aut) 6.20.46 10 Thomas Sollich (Ger) Rockstar Racing 6.45.55 11 Luc Gielen (Bel) Team Belgian Power 8.45.49 12 Marc Withofs (Bel) 10.17.31 13 Patrick Van Gelder (Bel) Team Moozes 10.20.22 14 Patrick Mijlemans (Bel) Team A.S.P.A 11.42.10 15 Ronny Potter (Bel) Team A.S.P.A 13.57.46 16 Rudi Donckers (Bel) Marc Herremans Foundation 14.52.46
