TWO PODIUMS FOR THE TEAM IN THE ANDALUCIA BIKE RACE
ANDALUCÍA BIKE RACE 2023
09 / 03 / 2023
The Andalucía Bike Race is one of the most important events of the season for the team and also the race before the Cape Epic.
The race, which is part of the UCI calendar and with SHC category, started on February 27th and finished on March 4th. A race with 6 stages of pure MTB with a total of 339km and 9400m of elevation gain. The first days of competition were very demanding due to the low temperatures and the state of the circuit because of the snow and the mud.
The formed pairs that have ridden together through the trails and contrasts of Jaén and Córdoba are:
Hans Becking and José Dias
Enrique Morcillo and Hugo Drechou
Txell Figueras and Janina Wüst
In the first stage the 3 pairs covered a total of 48 kms and 1828m of elevation gain between the trails of Torredelcampo.A first stage where the female team got the first position after a hard fight with the second classified. Janina and Txell were far superior to the rest of the riders in the technical terrain and downhills, positioning themselves as leaders of the race and highlighting the excellent performance of their Megamo Track bikes to face these difficult terrains.
The two male pairs were more conservative and got, Hugo and Enrique, a fifth position and Hans and José a seventh. All of them finished in the Top10.
The second stage took place in Jaén with a total of 53km and 1425m of elevation gain.
On this day, Janina and Txell climbed back on the podium, but this time in third place, maintaining the lead in the overall standings.
Both men pairs continued in a conservative mode and entered the Top10 of the general classification. Hans and José crossed the finish line in fifth position and Enrique and Hugo in eighth.
We reached the halfway point of the race with the queen stage consisting of 64km and 2233m of elevation gain. The longest day that took place in Jaén.
A stage where the BUFF -MEGAMO TEAM got 2 podiums. Hugo and Enrique were in 3rd position as well as Janina and Txell.
Hans and José were also close to the podium and finished the stage in 4th position.
All the pairs went from being in the Top10 to being in the Top5 of the race, a great achievement that just few teams have obtained. After the great performance of the team in the queen stage, the team faced the time trial stage with 31km and 887m of elevation gain.
It was the shortest stage of the race, but probably one of the most demanding in which Txell and Janina managed for the fourth consecutive day to climb the podium, this time in second place and maintaining third place in the overall standings.
Hugo and Enrique also took second place, placing sixth overall. José and Hans climbed onto the podium for the first time, taking third place and fifth overall.
The fifth stage was the first day which was held in Cordoba with a total of 92 kms and almost 2000m of elevation gain. Hugo and Enrique did a great race and managed to cross the finish line in first position, placing fourth overall.
Janina and Txell were on the podium again, this time in third position and still third overall.
José and Hans overcame a tough stage due to some physical problems suffered by José, finally achieving a fifth place and maintaining this position in the general classification.
The race ended with a stage of 49Kms and 1074m of elevation gain in which the 3 pairs had to do a great role to be able to climb the podium of the general classification.
The day started with sad news, José and Hans could not compete in the stage due to José's physical problems.
The other 2 pairs gave their best and got a second place for the boys and a third place for the girls, both in the stage and in the general classification.
The girls were unstoppable throughout the race, climbing the podium in each of the stages and finally securing a well-deserved third place.Hugo and Enrique went from less to more, always within the Top10 in the qualifying and showing strong in the last stages.
The BUFF -MEGAMO TEAM returns home very happy and more eager than ever to travel to Cape Epic after some incredible results in the Andalucía Bike Race.
Reaching as a team 11 podiums out of a possible 18, giving an impeccable image and with a brutal synchronization in the pairs.
Congratulations for this great job team!
