Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Stefan Rothe riding for Tulsa Tough and partner Wes Jerman of Alchemy Racing took the win at the 28th annual Tour de Gruene two-man time trial.
The traditional end of season time trial was held on the roads along the Guadeloupe River just north of San Antonio.
Rothe and Jerman, both 30, completed the 27-mile course in 58:59, finishing more than 5 minutes ahead of 38-year-old former US Postal & Telekom rider Kevin Livingston and his 23-year-old teammate Stephan Hirsch who posted a 1:04:06. Third place went to Jason Bentley and Michael Pincus in 01:04:38.
The Tour de Gruene has a long history in the Southwest that dates back to 1984. Former winners include Livingston and Lance Armstrong. Armstrong rode with Eddy Merckx in 1996, a month after his diagnosis for testicular cancer. Most recently, Armstrong and his friend John Korioth took the win in 2008.
Even without the former Tour de France winner present, the non-sanctioned Tour de Gruene weekend was a great success with sold out fields in the individual and team time trial events.
Team time trial winners Rothe and Jerman never competed in the team event before but still came out ahead at the end of the day. “It’s a beautiful time trial course,” said Rothe. “The most exciting time trial I do all year. You race along the river, you got four or five bridge-crossings, plenty of turns, some climbing, fast descents and with a bit of rain and wind it was definitely a challenge.”
Fellow Austin, Texas, resident Jerman commented, “It’s hard to find a rhythm like you would do in a traditional, 40km flat time trial.”
38-year-old Ian Stanford of Team Grandstay Hotels won the 16-mile individual time trial on Saturday, after finishing third in 2010 behind then-winner Tom Zirbel.. He finished 19 seconds ahead of Stefan Rothe and Dan Cassidy, in third.
Quick resultsIndividual Time Trial, November 5:
- 1. Ian Stanford, 35:07
- 2. Stefan Rothe, 35:26
- 3. Dan Cassidy, 36:06
Team Time Trial, November 6:
Overall TTT:
- 1. Wes Jerman / Stefan Rothe 0:58:59
- 2. Jason Bentley / Michael Pincus 1:01:38
- 3. Steve Waters / Edwin Braun 1:03:18
- 4. Kevin Livingston / Stephan Hirsch 1:04:06