René Haselbacher, Kevin Hulsman, and Josef Benetseder have or have had a great career on the road, but these days they can be spotted on a mountain bike. All three are currently racing the Crocodile Trophy in Australia (October 18 to 27), a very tough mountain bike stage race. Today's stage winner, Jeroen Boelen, is less known but has also raced on the road. He was performing against Hulsman in the 1999 U23 World Championships in Verona, Italy.
Boelen sprinted to victory against Wolfgang Krenn, overall leader Urs Huber and Benetseder. Hulsman came in tenth, just over four minutes back and Haselbacher was one place further, five and a half minutes behind.
Haselbacher raced professionally until last year and has regained some fitness now. "I did my best", said Haselbacher. "In 2011 I was only 20 or 30 times on the bike. So, I may not complain. Moreover I will get better every day. I am here to enjoy cycling." The Austrian was a professional road racer from 1998 to 2010. "I have to be honest, I've missed cycling since I retired last year. This is fun for me."
It is fun for him regardless of the weather. "Oh yes, also when we have to ride in the rain and sleep in wet tents. This adventure, and believe me, is much better than riding for 200 km in a Flemish classic in the rain. Here the rain is not cold, you don't even need a rain jacket." Australia has its own version of a spring classic, one on the trails and with river crossings not uncommon.
Hulsman, a former Quick Step professional, was the first to give it a go in stage four, but Huber stuck to the Belgian's wheel on all of the attacks. Huber wasn't just going to give up his overall lead. Haselbacher was the next to attack, taking Krenn and Mike Mulkens with him. Krenn decided to save his energy, while Mulkens had to wait for Haselbacher on the uphills. Strong wind would have made it a suicide move to go it alone.
A six-man chases was behind the leading duo, but when their efforts were dominated by too much infighting, Hulsman attacked - against the wind. He came in within 45 seconds of Mulkens, who had shed Haselbacher a little earlier. "Mulkens lives in my neighborhood in Belgium", said Hulsmans. "When we leave for a training ride he rides with us. We on a race bike, he on a mountain bike, and we always need to tell him to go slower. Strong guy."
Today he wasn't strong enough, as the chase group caught him with four kilometers to race. Boelen then took the sprint. "Before the race my team owner Bart Brentjens had briefed me that I would always be able to win a the sprint against Huber, but I had no idea about the sprinting skills of Krenn. First Benetseder misjudged the last corner, and then I passed Krenn and I won. I am very happy. This is also a victory for Bart Brentjens who should have been here."
Boelen is one who is looking to make the switch from road biking to mountain biking more often. "I think I am more talented as a road rider, but I needed a new challenge. This year I started in six road races, I won three of them, so I didn't forget how to do that, but I am as happy now." he also won three mountain bike races. "I hope I can win more stages to win the points classification, but I don't give up hope on that red jersey either."
In his former road career Boelen won two stages in Olympia's Tour (Netherlands) and was overall winner of the Tour de Liège (Belgium) ahead of Robert Gesink and Johnny Hoogerland and the Route Nivernaise Morvan (France).
Haselbacher was with the Gerolsteiner team from 1999 to 2006, before joining Astana for two seasons. He then ended his career with the Vorarlberg team, for which Benetseder is still racing. Hulsman was with Quick Step from 2000 to 2010, before going to Donckers Koffie - Jelly Belly. Haselbacher was Austrian road and time trial champion. He won a stage in the Tour of Austria and took overall victory in the Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt. He now lives in South Africa with his wife, who is from there. Haselbacher names one of his hobbies as "sleeping in movie theaters."