Africa Triathlon

Excellent weather and snow conditions were waiting for the athletes in the morning at the first ITU Winter Triathlon World Cup race in 2006, in Freudenstadt, Germany. The course was very well prepared and the athletes made most part of the disciplines on hard snow.

The men and the women athletes started together, but immediately after the first hundreds metres the men and the women field were separated. One of the pre-race favourites, Arne Post from Norway went to the front immediately, followed by a group of three athletes included Daniel Antonioli from Italy, Victor Lobo from Spain and David Roderer from Germany. In the women field the young Austrian athlete, Carina Wasle was the best on the run and she could build a gap between her and the former European and World Champion, the top favourite Sigrid Lang from Germany. Sarka Grabmullerova came in third position.

In the second part of the run the Antonioli, Lobo and Ruderer caught Post and they entered the transition almost together. On the bike course this four athletes did not loose each other and did the whole bike discipline together. In the women’s race Carina Wasle managed to come in front for the bike, but she was not able to build up a bigger than 15 seconds gap on Sigrid Lang. In the men’s race there were no change in the front, but in the women’s Lang and Jutta Schubert from Germany passed Wasle. The two Germans finished the bike segment within 25 seconds from each other with Lang in the front.

The four men changed for the cross-country ski together, but Post immediately after the Transition could make a gap on the other three athletes. Antonioli could keep the second place, but the other Norwegian, Alf Roger Holme, passed Lobo and Ruderer. After a very spectacular and fast race Post came first, Antonioli second and Holme in third position.

In the women’s race there were no question any more that Lang will win the World Cup, but there was a big fight between Schubert and Wasle. The Austrian was better on the ski, so she came second to the Finish after Lang and Schubert finished in bronze position.

Freudestadt-Knebis became an excellent host of the World Cup with the lead of Uli Mutscheller and the support of the local Municipality and the sponsors.

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