TOUR Transalp 2012

South Tyrolean participants

TOUR Transalp 2012 - partecipants from South Tyrol

The South Tyroleans are once again the big favourites in this year's Tour Transalp by road bike, which starts on Sunday, 24 June in Mittenwald, Bavaria, and ends seven days later in Arco (TN) after 800 kilometres ridden and 19,000 metres of elevation climbed. With a total of eight victories, the South Tyrolean athletes have dominated the Tour Transalp since its first edition in 2003. Four victories went to the men, two to the masters and one each to the women and grand masters.

Werner Weiss from Eppan has already finished the most spectacular road bike stage race for everyone as the winner four times after seven stages: in 2008, 2009 and 2010 with his partner Andreas Laner from Pustertal and in 2011, after Laner's retirement, with the German Bernd Hornetz, who is also his partner again this year in the master category.

In 2007 Alexandra Hober and Petra Dibiasi were successful in the women's category, while Walter Platzgummer and Marco Poier won the Grand Master category in 2010. Poier is racing with the German Erwin Hickl this year. The Tyrolean Philipp Götsch, who won the Tour in the men's category together with Hanspeter Obwaller from Salzburg in 2010, is not taking part this year. The first South Tyrolean victory dates back to 2004 with Andreas Kofler and Stefano Casassa.

Among the favourites in the women's class this year is Marina Illmer from Vinschgau. She is a two-time national champion in mountain time trials and record holder in the ascent race to the Stilfserjoch. The 37-year-old is taking part in the Alpine crossing on a racing bike for the first time. "I have heard so much about this two-man race," she says. "The atmosphere is very good and I want to take on the challenge." She is riding together with German Beate Zanner and has prepared for the big adventure at various cycling marathons and mountain bike races as well as a training camp on Mallorca.

Weiss, Illmer and Poier ride for the German team "merkur-druck.com" from Hamburg. The partnership came about through Weiss' teammate, 44-year-old Karlsruhe physicist and amateur cyclist Bernd Hornetz. The two are gunning for overall victory in the masters class. "If we have enough strength," says Werner Weiss, "we will also attack in the overall classification of the general class. Austrian Hans-Peter Obwaller (41) and German Johannes Berndl (19) are among the favourites there." The two will start in the men's category. Obwaller won the overall classification two years ago with the Tyrolean Philipp Götsch and secured five of seven stage victories.

One of the favourites in the mixed class is the professional mountain biker Pia Sundstedt from Finland, who is preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games in London by participating in the Transalp, where she will compete in the road race. Her team partner is the multiple German mountain bike Transalp winner Carsten Bresser. The two-person team will have competition from Olympic fencing champion (Barcelona, 1992) Dorina Vaccaroni from Italy, who will form a team with Giuseppe Cadorin.

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TOUR Transalp 2012

South Tyrolean participants

TOUR Transalp 2012 - partecipants from South Tyrol

Dynamic Bike Team Eppan ASV