EES #3 Kronplatz - Day 1: Practice and Prologue

This weekend, the European Enduro Series visits Kronplatz in South Tyrol. As usual, practice was scheduled for Saturday and around 170 starters used the opportunity to train on the six exciting special stages.

An diesem Wochenende gastiert die European Enduro Series am Kronplatz. Am Samstag stand wie üblich das Training auf dem Programm. — Good times during the training on Saturday – tomorrow is race day!

Es galt, sich sechs Stages möglichst und insgesamt über 2500 Tiefenmeter bestmöglichst einzuprägen. — With more than 2500 meters of descent and six stages, all conditions for exciting racing are met!

Lange Stages mit zahllosen Anliegern bestimmten einen Großteil des Tages. — Long stages with countless berms are great fun – especially stage three was perfectly build.

Wer früh ins Training startete, kam am Start der offenen Stage noch in den Genuss einer grandiosen Aussicht, später verhüllte Nebel das Panorama. — Those who started early with practise were rewarded with a great view from the start of stage four. Later it got quite foggy at the top of the mountain.

Während Stage 1 und 2 über naturbelassene Trails führten, spielten sich die restlichen Stages auf künstlich angelegten Abfahrten ab. — While stages 1 and 2 had a more natural character, the other stages were on build tracks with lots of berms.

Alles geben beim Prolog! — Prologue time!

Before the main race gets underway tomorrow, first there was a short prologue, providing a chance for riders to check out their competition and go against the clock for the first time: On a short track located closed to the main start/finish area, riders fought for seconds, all eager to put down an early advantage.

After a short climb, followed by some stairs – uphill! (thankfully this year the organisers had fitted a ramp over the steps so it could be ridden) – riders had to deal with a small kicker into a meadow and then a fun slalom course. While the weather was good all day, it started to rain two hours before the prologue. The rain stopped just in time for the start of the first rider, but the slalom course was now pretty slippery – a challenge for the riders and good fun for the spectators.

Die Aufgeweichte Strecke sorgte für einige Rutscher - Wiesenslalom vom Feinsten! — Slip and slide during the prologue.

Nach einem Sprint über eine Rampe ging es wieder hinab zu Zielbogen. — After a short climb right after the start, the track of the prologue went over a kicker jump.

Mirco Widmer (SUI – Giant Swiss Team) proved both his pedal power and cornering skills and had the fastest time in the Pro Men category (35.144), closely followed by Robert Williams (GBR – UK WTB Enduro Team) and Premek Tejchman (CZE – Commencal FDF).

Raphaela Richter mit Biss und Spaß - und Erfolg! Sieg bei den Pro Women! — Raphaela Richter won the Pro Women Category

The fastest lady on track was Raphaela Richter (GER – Radon Factory Enduro) in front of Birgit Braumann (AUT – Trek Gravity Girls) and Sandra Börner (GER – Fahrwerk Fahrnau / SG).

Matthias Stonig am Start. — Matthias Stonig at the start.

In the Masters Category Rüdiger Jahnel (AUT – Specialized-mountainbiker.at) put down the fastest time on the track, with Nicolas Siedl (AUT) and Damiano Rossa (ITA – A.S. Dillettantistica) behind him. In the Amateur category, Felix Förster (GER – Meins) and Stephanie Frankl (GER – WOMB Girlsridetoo.de) took the win.

Wer beißt gewinnt! — Pedal to the Metal!

So the prologue is done, the first times are set, but the main race is still to come: With more than 2500 meters of descent spread over six stages, it will be an exciting race for sure!

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