SRT-PROTECTIVE-Factoryteam at the Maxxis Bike Trans Alp
Viktria Zeller, Michaela Barz-Herold, Johannes Holzfurtner, Philipp Bertsch and Michael Stieglbauer of the SRT-PROTECTIVE-Factoryteam in the international top 10!!!
Last week the local MTB aces lined up at Europe’s hardest stage race across the Alps. This year the route led in 7 stages from Nauders via Graun a. Reschensee, Livignio, Bormio, Male, Valle del Chiese and Valle di Ledro to Riva del Garda. With a total of 550 km and 18,000 m of climbing spread over the 7 stages, it was a properly sporty affair.
A special incentive: the UCI (the world cycling federation) listed the race as an S1 Stage Race in the two-rider team categories Elite Women and Elite Men, so important world ranking points were up for grabs.
The women’s SRT-PROTECTIVE-Factoryteam started with Viktoria Zeller and Michaela Barz-Herold from Gesundheitspark Dreiländereck. With 3 stage wins, they could be more than happy with 2nd place overall in the end, and each took home 125 world ranking points.
The men’s team with Philipp Bertsch and team boss Michael Stieglbauer rode a consistent race from day one. “Every single day it felt like everything was at stake for the men (laughs). It’s really brutal to watch how the world’s best ride at the front,” said Bertsch after the race. But with 7th place in the final result the men were more than happy too, and each added 60 points to their account.
Johannes Holzfurtner, who had been there as support crew for the past two years, had luck on his side and won one of the coveted starting places in the solo category from the main sponsor. Holzfurtner put in a top performance at his first stage race! With two third places on stages one and six, he secured 5th place overall!
Special thanks went to the support crew Franz Stielgbauer, Tobias Ludwig and Lars Herold, whose perfect organisation and punctuality in the feed and tech zones made the results possible in the first place.
The bike crew from Scott Sports Germany-Austria also did excellent work, which allowed the riders to concentrate fully on the race.
Thanks also went to Metron Eging GmbH and junior boss Matthias Kainz for their financial support. We at F&E PROTECTIVE GmbH are also happy when we can support local teams at international competitions so they can live out their passion.
The riders are back in action this coming Saturday! Philipp Bertsch heads to the German Cross-Country Championships in Albstadt. Viktoria Zeller is taking a short break before the Austrian national marathon championships on 29 July. Michaela Barz-Herold, Johannes Holzfurtner and Michael Stieglbauer will be on the start line at the “Tag des Sports” in Neureichenau and hope to have recovered well by then.
