Stage 1 – Dili to Laclubar – 11 September 2011

“Biggest climb I’ve done in Timor” –Adrian Jackson

The first stage of the 2011 Tour de Timor has been taken out in 4h12:59 by returning champion “AJ” from the Rapid Cycling team. Second place was taken by Paul van der Ploeg in 4h17:25, third by Luke Fetch a further 1:12 behind – both of team Search to Retain – then in fourth was Tinker Juarez also in the Rapid Cycling team with a time of 4h19:41.

Jackson came in 4:26 minutes ahead of van der Ploeg “it was very tough, probably the biggest climb I’ve done here in Timor.”

“I was working with Ben Mather, we sat in the group and tried to encourage everyone to take turns. When we hit the climb, all of us who were sitting back were feeling a bit fresher.”

“Neil (van der Ploeg) was off in the front group with Tinker, I was a bit worried about them, but then we obviously caught them, also with us were their team mates Paul and Scott”. Jackson finished noting that “It’s a long race, anything could happen.”

Second place and first placed U23 winner was Paul van der Ploeg “This is my first Tour de Timor. It started off nice and calm, my brother got in with an early break which meant we didn’t have to work too hard in the flat section so I could conserve energy for the Mountain Climb.”

“It is completely different to cross-country racing, I can’t remember the last time I was on the bike for four hours straight at the threshold, so very different type of racing”. The Australian Champion was impressed with the Tour de Timor: “Racing the world’s best back in Europe you feel it could be easy, but it has been very humbling, they really put me in the hurt-locker”.

Legendary rider Tinker Juarez made an early break at the turnoff before Manatuto. While he rode hard during the Mountain Climb, earning himself the King of the Mountain jersey, he was eventually reeled in by riders Adrian Jackson, brothers Neil and Paul van der Ploeg and their teammates Luke Fetch and Scott Liston. As the riders took the chance to cool down “It got really hot”, said Juarez. “You just kinda do what you gotta do, it would have been nice to have someone to ride with on the break away”.

The Malaysia team had three riders – Shahrin Amir, Mohd Razif Mohd Salleh and Muhammad Fauzan Ahmad Lufti arrive 10,11,12 19:27 behind the winner. Lutfi “It was quite a switch for me to do TdT, I am a road racer, so Mountain Biking is very different”. “I tried to stay with the peloton throughout the race because we knew the front runners were fast, we’re going to target a team win”.

Portuguese national and trainer of the Timorese National Team, Nelson Silva, finished in 4h33:21, in 13th place. Indonesian national Ahmad Yani of the team KGB Jakarta arrived in 4h48:50.

Peta Mullens of the team “Nothing good can come of this” was the first woman to arrive, coming in 21st place with a time of 4h44:10. Her team mates Katherine O’Shea and Naomi Hansen

The first place Timorese rider today was Jacinto da Costa at 33rd, arriving with brother Orlando in 5h03:31 and 32 respectively. They rode together and kept in the peloton until well after the 40km mark. “We worked well together to keep a good pace, but the top guys are really good”, Jacinto said that he was really happy with the level of support, which is getting better and better each year. “I am really happy with how this went, it is a great event and I would like to send special thanks to President Ramos-Horta, the support we have received has been fantastic”.

The 111km stage continued the Tour de Timor tradition of starting hard and testing riders from the outset. While the first 65km was relatively easy along good bitumen road winding along the picturesque North Coast of Timor-Leste, the move inland led to significant difficulties for the riders.

The town of Laclubar itself is this year’s only mountain stopover. As in other years, the mountain villages are defined by their slower pace of life, majestic scenery and convivial local villagers. The town of Laclubar is the capital of the sub-district, also named Laclubar, and part of Manatuto district. President HE José Ramos-Horta is himself a local of the area coming from Soibada.

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