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Der Andes Trail - von Quito nach Ushuaia

Nach 11.000 Kilometern, 106 Etappen und 4 Monaten quer durch Südamerika sind die Teilnehmer in der südlichsten Stadt Argentiniens, am "Ende der Welt", angekommen.

Biker am Rio Mantara, Peru (Foto: Wilbert Bonné, bike-dreams.com)

Biker am Rio Mantara, Peru (Foto: Wilbert Bonné, bike-dreams.com)

Ushuaia, Argentina, 15 December 2012 – After racing on bicycles for 138 days from the equator near Quito to the most southern city in the world, Ushuaia, German Jonathan Schäfer showed up as the strongest rider. Second in the ranking was Lee Stariha and Colin Boyd completed the podium, both from Australia. The victory in the woman’s race was for Babette Nijssen from The Netherlands.

“The Andes Trail” is a unique cycling race/expedition with a length of 11.000 kilometres through, over and along the longest mountain range in the world. A group of 30 cyclists left Quito at August 3rd to finish after 106 stages at the Beagle Channel in Ushuaia, nicknamed the “End-of-the-World”.

The riders from 9 different countries had to overcome extreme circumstances. The expedition doesn’t follow everywhere well paved roads, but the trail varies from rough sandy tracks to riverbeds, and from old railroads to salt lakes. The high Andes passes, the thin air and the Patagonian wind make “The Andes Trail” to one of the most challenging bicycle races/expeditions.

The improving roads in South-America, the relatively good weather conditions and of course the determination of the riders made it possible that 9 of them completed the full Andes Trail without missing one single inch.

It was already clear from the start in Quito that the competition was a race between Schäfer, Stariha and Boyd. The young Schäfer was strong in all kinds of circumstances and gained a number of hours on his both opponents in the high Andes mountains. Stariha had a weaker start in Ecuador, but when the Australian entrepreneur was adapted to the tough conditions in the Andes he grew into the race and became stronger every day. The former P.E. teacher Boyd cycled each stage strong and stable, and was for a very long time second in the ranking. It was finally Stariha which made up a lot of time in Patagonia and finished behind the sovereign German.

The first position of Schäfer was never in danger, except when he cracked his brand new frame after not more than 2.500 kilometers. The fracture between the top tube and the seat tube grow soon bigger and the irritating noise got louder. The lack of good bike shops in South-America and the eagerness to finish the ride made the PhD-student creative. He got the genius idea to fix a tie down strap between the frame and the saddle, which solved the problem for the last 7.500 kilometer till Ushuaia. German re-engineering.

Babette Nijssen was the full Andes Trail supreme and arrived on most stages as first female rider. She was accompanied on the podium by Ghily de Raeve from Belgium and Tamsin Moye from the UK.

The next edition of the “The Andes Trail” is organised in 2014. Find all information about the race/expeditions at the website of the organization www.bike-dreams.com or mail to info@bike-dreams.com.

Artikel vom 20.12.2012

 

 

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