Australia’s Naomi Hansen, the woman who for the past ten days has managed a smile, even in her darkest moments, was handed the ultimate accolade by her fellow Crocodile Trophy combatants today when the race reached its final destination of Cape Tribulation in Tropical North Queensland.

As the peloton rolled onto the beautiful beach, fringed with World Heritage Listed Rainforest, race winner Ondrej Fojtik (VIG+ Racing) steered his bike to one side, making way for the Coopers Shimano Dream Team cyclist, who crossed the finish line in first place to claim the stage winner’s boomerang.

In his role as leader of the peloton, a humble Fojtik approached Hansen at today’s final drink station on the road through the Daintree Rainforest to ask if the she would accept the honour of leading the bunch home. Under race rules, the final stage of the race is not timed, and ultimately it is up to the riders to decide how the race ends.

“It was amazing, I was just flattered actually when Ondrej came up to me and told me,” Hansen said. “I didn’t know what to say, I was just so grateful and it was just awesome.”

Hansen, the Noosa veterinarian who has taken time away from practice to pursue her cycling dreams, finished third in what will be remembered as the strongest women’s contest yet staged at the Crocodile Trophy. The dogfight between eventual winner Karen Steurs of Belgium (Race For The Stars) and Jo Bennett of Australia (Merida Flight Centre) was captivating.

Hansen’s efforts too were worthy of merit, but it was the upbeat Australian’s spirit of adventure, warmth and character around the race campsite that epitomised what the Crocodile Trophy is really about.

“It was full of ups and downs, like a roller-coaster,” Hansen said. “There were days when you felt really great, days when you felt like crying thinking you’re not go-ing to finish and then, in the end, it all came good. Just amazing to finish, amazing and I’m going to come back next year.”

When the peloton departed the village of Ayton this morning on its final journey through the mountains of the Daintree, the spirit of friendship in the peloton was everywhere to be seen. According to race tradition, bikers went in procession until the final drink station and the mood turned to one of celebration, not just for the riders, but also the event staff who kept the Crocodile Trophy caravan rolling.

On the road, cyclists who just weeks ago were complete strangers swapped jerseys and embraced as members of what race organiser Gerhard Schoenbacher has long described as the “Crocodile Trophy Family”.

Australia’s Craig Gordon, who toiled for days on end against the unrelenting might of the Czech Republic’s VIG+ Racing, shared much of the scenic stage with Ivan Rybarik, the man he came to describe as “the Ivanator” thanks to his habit of blasting away the opposition with pure power.

Gordon, who finished fourth, can expect a visit sometime soon from the bulky Czech, who plans to stay in Australia over the summer, to train in relative warmth.

“The Euros are very friendly people and they’re always willing to talk and help you out,” Gordon said. “I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe racing on the World Cup circuit and they’re good people. If some guys are here, I give them my address if they want to come and stay.”

Gordon hasn’t ruled out a return to the Crocodile Trophy after a 2008 campaign that can be best described as a great learning experience. He also won the event’s “Queen Stage” to Cooktown.

“I tell you what, I learned how to ride in sand and bulldust now – it took me maybe seven days but I’ve got it down-pat now,” he said.

It said much that the top three placings at the 2008 Crocodile Trophy (Ondrej Fojtik, Martin Horak and Tomas Trunschka) all went to Czech cyclists from the mountain biking juggernaut VIG+ Racing. The team came to the race with a plan and, as race supremo Gerhard Schoenbacher pointed out, it was a plan executed with military precision.

“There were seven riders, some of them very well known in the World Cup. They had a mechanic a masseuse, they had a doctor, they had everything that you need to win a bike race like this.”

Most of all, what VIG+ Racing had was Ondrej Fojtik, a cyclist with the right attributes, right attitude and, of equal importance, the knowledge gained from two previous campaigns.

Fojtik and his team-mates had every right to celebrate with a swim in the ocean at Cape Tribulation. Still, at the forefront of Ondrej’s thoughts was wife Pavla, a member of the Crocodile Trophy family, who this year stayed at home in the Czech republic awaiting the birth of the couple’s child.

“This is a very big day in my life,” an overjoyed Fojtik said. “It was my big dream and I am so happy now. This was the most difficult Crocodile Trophy for me, not so much physically, but psychologically.”

The physical and mental battle ultimately took its toll on Belgian Nic Vermeulen who, at least for a time, appeared to be the only cyclist capable of matching the Czechs in the variety of Crocodile Trophy disciplines.

Emotionally drained following the stage from Laura to Cooktown, Vermeulen’s tank ran dry yesterday on the infamous “Zig-Zag” track near Wujal Wujal. He too will consider a Crocodile Trophy comeback, but on vastly different terms.

“Next year I should come back with the entire Belgian National Team,” Vermeulen said in a light-hearted dig at VIG+ Racing. “I think I made the race a race against the Czechs, it’s a beautiful end of my season so I’m happy.”

It was also an end to the season for Belgian Karen Steurs, only in her case, the race helmet and gloves will no longer be needed – she’s retiring from racing. The winner of the women’s Crocodile Trophy finally released the pressure valve today, after being pushed all the way by Australia’s Jo Bennett. In the final analysis, Steurs experience on the road probably proved the difference between herself and Bennett, but the margin was always close.

“I came in with no expectations this race,” Bennett said. “It just thappened to be that another rider, we, were both very strong and we both battled it to the end and we had a very good time.”