Int. Oberösterreich GP - Linz-Passau-Budweis - 2.7.1Austria, August 31-September 2Stages
Stage 1 - August 31: Budweis - Bad Leonfelden, 141.3kmReports by Brian Stephens, Australian Institute of Sport We are in Northern Austria for the GP Linz, World Cup Under 23, 3 day tour. Due to some injuries and late changes of programs, we are starting this one with a reduced team of 4 riders when everyone else has 6. The team is Scott Davis, Simon Gerrans, Daniel Mackey and Gene Bates. Today's stage started in Budweis in the Czech Republic and finished in Bad Leonfelden in Austria, crossing 3 tough climbs. The stage was good and bad for us with Daniel Mackey crashing in the last 10km but just after the fall Scott Davis joined the decisive break of 4 riders to arrive 3rd in the stage and take 3rd on the GC. Daniel finished the stage and was taken to hospital for x-rays immediately after. The verdict is that nothing is broken but his elbow is sprained. Results
1 Phillip Gilbert (Bel) Belgium National 3.24.46 (41km/h) 2 Christan Pfannberger (Aut) Austrian National 3 Scott Davis (Aus) AIS Australia Mapei Aqua 0.02 4 Ben Thaens (Bel) Belgium National 0.03 5 Kim Vanhuffel (Bel) Belgium National 0.25 ... 16 Simon Gerrans (VIS) AIS Australia Mapei Aqua 0.32 18 Gene Bates (Aus) AIS Australia Mapei Aqua 81 Adam Hansen (Aus) Regional Rapso 86 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Rabobank 105 Daniel Mackey (Aus) AIS Australia Mapei Aqua 16.17 Stage 2a - September 1: Linz - Passau, 102kmIn my haste I forgot to mention a couple of other Australians at this race. Canberra's Rory Sutherland is here riding for Rabobank and Adam Hansen from Cairns is riding for the Regional Rapso team from Austria. Rory was 86th yesterday at 32 seconds and Adam was 81st at the same time. Today was a split stage with the morning stage over 98km with 1 major climb and a fast run in along the Donau River to Passau. The climb made the race with, unfortunately Scott Davis unable to make the front group of 11 which did include Aussie Rory Sutherland from Rabobank. The group was able to make 2 minutes 40 sec over the main bunch. Results1 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Austrian National 2.23.37 (41km/h) 2 Harald Starzengruber (Aut) Austrian National 3 Phillipe Gilbert (Bel) Belgium National 4 Bas Giling (Hol) Rabobank 5 Szymon Kurdyniwski (Pol) Polish National ... 9 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Rabobank 14 Scott Davis (Aus) AIS Australia Mapei Aqua 4.40 55 Adam Hansen (Aus) Regional Rapso 58 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AIS Australia Mapei Aqua 79 Gene Bates (Aus) AIS Australia Mapei Aqua Stage 2b - September 1: Passau - Hellmonsodt, 89kmThe afternoon stage from Passau to Hellmonsodt is the toughest of this tour with a 25 kilometer climb to the finish. It has not stopped raining since the race started adding to the difficulties. A group of 30 battled out the final kilometers with Scott making ammends for the morning dissapointment with another 3rd place after attacking the group with a kilometer to go. Only the 2 leaders of the tour were able to hold him off with Christian Pfannberger taking the stage and the race lead. Results1 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Austrian Nationa 2.10.47 (41km/h) 2 Phillipe Gilbert (Bel) Belgium National 3 Scott Davis (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 0.09 4 Martin Mares (Cze) Brno 0.12 5 Peter Magyarosi (Ger) German National 0.14 ... 21 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 0.20 22 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Rabobank 34 Adam Hansen (Aus) Rapso Regional 2.26 77 Gene Bates (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 7.12 Stage 3 - September 2: Oberneukirchen - Aschach, 114kmThe final stage was fairly tough and the only one where it didn't rain but one where a bunch sprint was likely. The Australians had some problems in the middle stages when Scott Davis crashed, breaking a brake/gear lever. Gene Bates gave him his bike and took the spare but this cost him contact with the group. The lead changed again with the win going to Belgian, Phillipe Gilbert. Results1 Robert Retschke (Ger) Team Kostritzer 2.40.54 (43km/h) 2 Arno Walaard (Hol) Lowik 3 Phillipe Gilbert (Hol) Rabobank 4 Moritz Veit (Ger) Team Kostritzer 5 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Austian National ... 15 Scott Davis (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 17 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 31 Adam Hansen (Aus) Rapso Regional 59 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Rabobank 72 Gene Bates (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 7.50 Final General classification 1 Phillipe Gilbert (Bel) Belgium National 10.39.42 2 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Austrian National 0.03 3 Ben Thaens (Bel) Belgium National 0.44 4 Harald Starzengruber (Aut) Austrian National 0.58 5 Bas Giling (Hol) Rabobank 1.01 ... 9 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Rabobank 1.10 12 Scott Davis (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 3.07 22 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 3.52 34 Adam Hansen (Aus) Rapso Regional 5.57 73 Gene Bates (Aus) AIS Australian Mapei Aqua 18.33 |