On the 15th & 16th December 2018, the last austrian cross-country races took place before christmas. On Saturday the SK Voest organised a race at the Oedtsee. Chase-teammember Manfred did not get off to a good start in wintry conditions and light snow on the ground. After the bad start he had to fight hard to get to the top. However, he succeded and from this point he was fully back in the race for victory. The initially large leading group was continuously getting smaller. Three laps to go, there were still three men battling for victory. In the end, Manfred was narrowly beaten but with rank two he got the next podium place!
Just a day later, the international C2 World Ranking Race was on the program at the horse center Stadl-Paura. Manfred’s goal was to be among the top 10. For such a rank in the high-profile international starter field everything has to fit together. Unfortunately that was not the case for Manfred that day. He never really got into his rythm and had to settle for the 16th place with some disappointment.
/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/handcrafted-01-vergrößert-280x300.png00Manfred Zöger/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/handcrafted-01-vergrößert-280x300.pngManfred Zöger2019-07-01 12:55:132019-07-01 13:17:06Cross-country in Traun and Stadl-Paura
At the last austrian race in the calendar year 2018, the two Chase-teammembers Felix Ritzinger and Manfred Zöger ensured a double victory with the Chase mud bikes.
Manfred took over the command right after the start and led the field of riders in the long climb. Behind him, Felix came quickly to the front and at the end of the first lap the two were already ranked 1st and 2nd. This constellation remained throughout the whole race. Felix drove consistent lap times, Manfred was always just a few seconds behind on 2nd place. The rest of the drivers followed within a considerable distance. Therefore, it was a very successful end of the year with two podium places!
/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/handcrafted-01-vergrößert-280x300.png00Manfred Zöger/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/handcrafted-01-vergrößert-280x300.pngManfred Zöger2019-07-01 12:26:092019-07-01 12:29:02Double victory for Chase in Schwarzenbach
The area around the “Seedose” in St. Pölten has been the site of the traditional 3-Könixcross-cross country race for many years.
The competition was also the first official race in the new calendar year. Chase team member Manfred got off to a good start and took the lead from the beginning along with Philipp Heigl. During the race the lead switched several times between the two athletes. On and on, the two set themselves apart from the other pursuers. Approximately at the half of the race Manfred had a small lead, but the few seconds were quickly closed again and so the duo was once again on the road together. The preliminary decision fell only in the second to last round. Manfred changed his bike and at the same time Heigl attacked. That small gap was enough to decide the race. Heigl won the race after 60 minutes, Manfred ranked second. Thus, the new year starts very successfully and exactly as the old one has ended – with a second place!
Völkermarkt and Diex were this year’s venues for the Austrian Mountain National Championship in road cycling. Nearly 100 starters started at the main square of Völkermarkt on August 18th to determine the fastest climber in the country. After 3.5 laps or approx. 60 kilometres around Völkermarkt the final 9-kilometreclimb up to Diex follows. The initial phase of the race was marked by several attacks, but no rider was able to distance himself decisively. Thus, the elite field entered the final climb almost closed. The ascent to Diex has an average gradient of 8%, but mainly includes steeper passages at the beginning and end.
At the foot of the mountain, the pace was immediately picked up at the top and the field broke up into several groups. Chase team rider Manfred managed to stay just behind the leading group and drove a strong race. He completed the climb in about 25′ and was able to catch up another group of drivers shortly before the finish. With the Chase-Up wheels and the Chase seat post he also had optimal material at his disposal to bring his bike as close as possible to the regulated 6.8 kg minimum weight. In the Austrian Championship scoring Manfred just missed the top 10 and finished with a strong 11th place!
Mid of July – Summer, Sun, Salzkammergut Trophy: For all mountain bikers, this event in Bad Goisern is an annual must. More than 5,000 participants started on one of seven possible distances in the 21st edition of this classic.
Felix was the first rider for the Chase team to enter the competition at 5.00 a.m. – insiders know what this early start time means: 210 kilometres and 7,100 metres of elevation gain, the extreme distance through Salzkammergut! Since for the experienced long-distance athlete such ultra distances are nothing completely unusual anymore, he also showed an accordingly high performance! After 13 hours and 18 minutes he reached the finish line very tired although extremely satisfied.
In the meantime Manfred had also completed his race. He started on the 55 km “All-Mountain”-distance, which contains the most difficult downhills of the region. An extremely exciting course of the race developed on this track. On the last climb, the top group of four fell apart after an attack by the German Simon Gessler, only Manfred could follow the pace. In the final descent and on the last flat kilometres towards the finish, the two rivals even worked together to maintain their advantage on the rest of the competition. The decision had to be made during the sprint and Manfred was unbeatable – he won with a 2 hours and 40 minutes race time, only 1 second ahead of Gessler.
Chase GmbH: In the heart of Maria Enzersdorf directly on the border to Mödling, our workshop is located with our own carbon part production. In Laut + Luisa’s great Magazin, which introduces the living worlds of the St. Gabriel site, you can get a nice impression of the small colorful world behind the beautiful brick walls of the monastery – including some insights into the company Chase!
/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/handcrafted-01-vergrößert-280x300.png00Caro/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/handcrafted-01-vergrößert-280x300.pngCaro2018-07-02 13:36:442018-07-05 14:23:05Chase in the magazine "aufgegabelt!"
For Austrian triathlon, the Ironman in Klagenfurt (Carinthia) is one of the biggest flagships in the scene. The race is internationally known and renowned. The long distance competition covers 3.8 km of swimming, followed by 180 km of cycling and completed by a 42 km long marathon. Each of the disciplines offers a special scenic feature. Swimming through a turquoise-blue Wörthersee with drinking water quality. The two 90 km laps of the bike course lead along the southern shore to the Fakeer See, over the Carinthian hinterland with a great panoramic view, back to Klagenfurt. Along the canal and through the heart of the city, the participants are constantly fighting against exhaustion and time.
In the short term there was the possibility to get a spot for the sold out spectacle. So it came to the Chasedebut at an Ironman event. For Felix, basically a bike specialist, this meant full concentration on a good cycling time.
The aerodynamically optimized material should form the basis for a fast wheel split. A skinsuit with an accurately pinned starting number, a disc wheel in a striking and matching design, fitting the Rams Cycling time trial bike and the newly developed Chase APS – Aero Performance System– a handlebar cockpit for time trial, track and triathlon bikes that enables an aerodynamic and at the same time power-saving posture.
Over a distance of 180 km, the management of forces as well as the fluid and energy balance is of the highest importance. Turning into the red area once too often or skipping a feed zones could affect overall performance.
The first lap was marked by many overtaking manoeuvres, but did not reduce the average speed. The Pacing was around 220-225 watts and felt good until halfway through the second round. Both the ascent to the Faker See, as well as the Rupertiberg with more than 300 watts could be attacked to immediately return to the aeroposition and to bring the bike up to speed.
After an average of 4:53 and 36.5 km/h Felix was able to park the bike in the transition zone.
At the end of June the Kitzalpbike MTB Festival took place in Kirchberg in Tyrol, for the 23rd time this year. At 9 a.m. the long distances started together, more than 1,000 participants waited for long and steep climbs, fast downhills and demanding single trails.
Chase team rider Manfred started at the Austrian National Championship on the longest distance with 90 kilometres and over 4,000 metres of altitude difference. On the first mountain he found a good rhythm and was well in the race. But already at the second long ascent up to Ehrenbachhöhe it didn’t run quite as smoothly, the legs didn’t turn really loose anymore. Already then Manfred suspected that today would be a “long” day. The route did not become any easier afterwards, it went on over the Mausefalle to the Hahnenkamm and to the Pengelstein, before after a longer descent the last ascent waited for the riders – again it went up to the Ehrenbachhöhe at 1,800 meters sea level.
At the end, after more than 4,000 meters of altitude difference, the more than 20 minutes long and demanding downhill run over the Fleckalmtrail waited for the riders. Manfred reached the finish after almost 5 ½ hours of driving time. He was exhausted and tired and at the same time disappointed about his performance – unfortunately things did not go well for him on that day. His goal was a time under 5 hours, which would definitely have been possible on a “normal” day.
The great magazine”Terra Mater” brings impressive reports from all over the world. Die FFG (Forschungs Förderungs Gesellschaft) advertises the student internships. The innovative young company Chase is also there.
/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/handcrafted-01-vergrößert-280x300.png00Caro/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/handcrafted-01-vergrößert-280x300.pngCaro2018-06-22 13:48:402018-07-05 14:22:36Chase with FFG-cooperation in the magazine "Terra Mater"
