Racing in the ten-day, 1,200km Australian Crocodile Trophy stage race has began, and after one day of hot and dusty racing Czech team VIG+ have made a dominating start, taking all three of the men’s podium places.

The Czech team attacked immediately following the race start on the opening 80km stage from Mareeba to Irvinebank, using all of their six elite riders to build a winning lead before the real action on the first proper off-road trails began. There’s experience in this team which will count for a lot as the race progresses, Ondrej Fojtik has finished second twice before.

Crossing the line first was Tomas Trunschka, who finished the first 80km stage in just 2hrs 37mins 10secs, a stage which went according to plan. “We decided to ride together as a team on the opening asphalt section, but when we went into the bush it was every man for himself,” Trunschka says.

“It was very good and we are happy we place in the first three, but the race is very long and this is only one day,” the experienced Fojtik added. “We are six people and the other guys are one or two. It’s very important to have a team in this race and for me it is the first trophy when I have a team.”

Fourth placed Belgian Nicolas Vermeulen and sixth placed Australian Craig Gordon both struggled with the early pace on the asphalt, but both made up valuable time when the Crocodile Trophy moved to its favoured surface on the rocky washed-out trails of Australia’s remote Far North.

“That road section at the beginning, I was in the second group and the Czech guys went away with the Merida guys,” commented Craig Gordon. “As soon as we got to the dirt I picked my game up, but I was just caught napping.”

Hopes of an Australian team win were dashed when one member of the Merida Flight Centre team crashed hard on a technical descent in the outback scrub west of Mareeba. “Just on the really technical, rough descent I wasn’t paying attention enough and got in a rut and went over the hangers,” says Adrian Jackson.

There’s better news for Australian hopes in the women’s category, here Jo Bennett (Merida Flight Centre) leads by nearly 4mins. Bennett’s background in Ironman triathlon is sure to be a benefit as she looks to consolidate her position during tomorrow’s second stage, a 128km journey from Irvinebank to Koom-booloomba dam.

And our sole British competitor Philip Smith? He finished 64th overall with a time of 4hrs 3mins 20secs.

Results

Men

1. Ondrej Fojtik
2. Martin Horak
3. Nicolas Vermeulen
4. Ivan Rybarik
5. Craig Gordon
6. Tomas Kozak
7. Nick Both
8. Tim Bennett
9. Adrian Jackson
10. AdrianJackson

Women

1. Joanne Bennett
2. Karen Steurs
3. Nicolas Vermeulen

Stage 2, Irvinebank to Koombooloomba, sees riders compete on a 128km stage with 1,400m of climbing.

Find out more at www.crocodile-trophy.com.