Germany’s Boris Stein and Yvonne van Vlerken of the Netherlands take the honours at the 2013 Challenge Kraichgau triathlon event – part of the global Challenge 2013 World Series – in Germany on Sunday.
Trending
‘Challenge Kraichgau’ would take the entrants over a course distance of more than 200 kilometres – 1.9 in the water, 180 on two wheels and 21 on foot as a half marathon.
In the men’s race, New Zealander Dylan McNeice was second out of the water behind Germany’s Jan Wolfgarten, but a tumble just two kilometres into the bike section effectively put an end to his race.
Wolfgarten also faded and by the end of the cycle discipline, Boris Stein stole a lead of more than two minutes over German compatriots Timo Bracht and Maik Petzold.
Stein could not be caught and crossed the finish line in 3 hours, 53 minutes and 7 seconds.
Petzold took second place and Bracht had to be content with third.
In the women’s race, another crash at the start of the cycle section had a direct effect on the result.
Danielle Sammler came out of the water in second place, but crashed at the first roundabout, damaging her bike so badly that she had to retire from the race.
Yvonne van Vlerken of the Netherlands was tenth fastest over the swim distance, but powered through the two-wheeled course to open up a lead of two minutes and 32 seconds over Germany’s Julia Gajer at the second transition.
Gajer shaved almost a minute off van Vlerken’s advantage going into the final 7 kilometres, but the 34 year-old Dutchwoman had plenty in reserve and comfortably won by a 37-second margin at the finish line.
Gajer held on for second and Jenny Schulz came home in third.
