Congratulation! WTB Europe is happy to announce Radek won the 7th stage of Crocodile Trophy 2007 using WTB tires such as Nanoraptors, Vuplines and Exiwolfs, saddle SILVERADO and Weirwolf grips. Hereinafter you can find some words describing his winning race from Mulgrave to Laura.

After several attempts followed by 45km long breaking away has Radek Sibl, representing NORTH.bikezone.cz, finally achieved historically first victory in one of the most difficult stage competitions in all over the world. Sibl, having five minutes ahead, has won one of the longest stages of this year’s race from Mount Mulgrave to Laura.

Shattering 148 km long journey was extremely strenuous, mainly because of unbearable heat, so it was definitely clear to have four pits on the journey and prepare ten wotter bottles. Since the beginning the competitors set hot pace. Radek got better at the moment when Bettin was put off by defect. “He called me a bastard, as if he has ever waited for me when I am defecting.” told Radek. Leading men of the competition Mauro Bettin has only changed the rear wheel with help of team rider Joachim Benoit and ten minutes later this group catch up Radek again.

But it didn’t last long and at the 50 kilometer of the stage Radek set a hot pace again and left the group behind. Radek depicted quite ridiculous situation: “Bettin commanded that he needs to oil his chain. Whole group stopped almost as Bettin was declared to be the race director.” The breakaway lasted 20kilometers and then Radek was reached by group of eleven riders. “Bettin almost stoned me to death, “ added team racer of NORTH.bikezone.cz.

“At the 80 kilometer our group of twelve people got into gear, time to time somebody dropped behind. After leaving third pit they all seemed to have just about enough of that, so I decided to go at it. I felt like the hot weather is helping me unlike the others. Into my hand also played that Rucker was not present because of defect, Benoit passed his bike on Bettin. So the only competitors were Borup, who wasn’t strong enough, Bettin who didn’t want it so much, and Ondra, who is my fellow rider so he was at the back slowing down the group. For rest of the others the stage was beyond their strength” explained the situation Radek Sibl.

And what he said he did. Though, he had to survive 45 kilometers of solo escape. Last 20 kilometers were extremely exhausting due to corrugations in sand and strong headwind. “In the beginning I thought they drop a minute behind for purpose and then, suddenly, I couldn’t see them. Three times I said to myself that I can’t do it and I should wait. Luckily there were Italians with their car around and Cesare provoked me a lot,” said about course of the stage Radek.

Finally Radek finished first. Fell down under the water tap. After spending there 15 minutes he has liven up to normal state. Five minutes after Redek’s triumph arrived group with Borup, Belgian Haegdons, Keller, Bettin and Ondrej Fojtik.