Tiago Ferreira wins Brasil Ride’s second stage for the third time, and leads GC with Hans Becking (N

Guaratinga (Bahia) - Portuguese Tiago Ferreira, along with his DMT Racing Team partner, dutchman Hans Becking, confirmed that they were the favorites to win Brasil Ride second stage. After winning the stage between Arraial d’Ajuda, in Porto Seguro, and Guaratinga, with Belgian Roel Paulissen in 2016 and Portuguese José Dias in 2017, Ferreira got his third win in a row, since the ultramarathon moved to the extreme south of Bahia. Victory came in 4h39min59sec, 3min19 ahead of Brazilian Henrique Avancini and German Manuel Fumic, from Cannondale Factory Racing, granting Ferreira and Becking the leadership in the competition with a 1min13sec gap.

With 131 Km, the second stage had six duos leading between Km 20 and 95. Besides Ferreira/Becking and Avancini/Fumic, who attacked on km 100, the front peloton had Hugo Prado Neto (BRA) and Roel Paulissen, OCE/Cannondale, who finished third today, Alexey Medvedev (RUS) and Francesco Failli (ITA), Specialized Italia, Lukas Kaufmann (BRA) and Sherman Trezza (BRA), Cannondale Brasil Racing, and Sebastian Fini (DIN) and Martins Blums (LAT), CST Sandd American Eagle MTB Racing Team, between fourth and sixth places, within less than a minute.

“Brasil Ride has started this Monday. Winning this stage is important, and we opened a gap ahead of the main contenders, and this was the best part. I am very happy for having won the second stage in the last three seasons, always with different partners”, celebrated Ferreira. “Hans and I worked very well together, and we have a similar way of competing. So, we know we can fight for the win”, completed the winner of Brasil Ride 2012.

“Today, the peloton moved together for a long time. In the beginning of the race we had a lot of mud on our way, and I wasn't feeling so well. To be honest this was not a good stage for me, my legs weren't good. Tiago was the engine of the team and I just followed”, assessed the Dutch, winner of Brasil Ride in 2014 and 2015.

Just like in the prologue, the second stage had a lot of mud leaving Porto Seguro, and rain in the region of Guaratinga. The current champion of Brasil Ride, Brazilian Henrique Avancini, commented the dispute for this season. “The stage was heavier than what I expected due to the climate. In the first two and a half hours, the ground was heavy and wet. Around Km 90, I felt that Tiago and Hans intended to attack, and we responded. Right after that, in a not so heavy climb, we lost them, and they opened little by little. The stage was good for Tiago, after all. We lost time, but we still have the possibility to fight for the win, although this is not comfortable.

Women’s elite - In the women's dispute, the winners were Brazilian champion Jaqueline Mourão and Canadian Cindy Montambault, from Jacky & Cindy. This time, though, the gap was small. Mere 11 seconds ahead of the riders with the jersey of best team in the Americas, Viviane Favery e Marcella Toldi, from Cannondale Brasil Women, who finished in 6h11min41seg. The podium was completed by Spaniards Sandra Santaynes and Anna Ramirez, Olympia/Esteve Team.

“The day gave us plenty of opportunities, and also plenty of traffic on the singletracks in Avatar. There was a moment when Cannondale Brasil Racing Team girls approached us, and we woke up. We could feel the dispute will be tight from now on”, assessed Jaqueline. “I am exhausted. We started very strong, and then we slowed down. We worked well as a team, and the wind was strong in the end, making us spend too much energy. We alternated positions back and forth, trying to recover, but it was hard. Too much mud, end to end”, told Cindy.

Third stage - The third stage leaves Guaratinga and has a change in the landscape. The ground is still dirt, but there will be plenty of rocks, like Corcovado. A pictoresque scenario, riding between and around monolyths. Half the course is composed by singletracks, and the other half is on large dirt roads. Short, but steep climbs. Some sections among cocoa plantations, that are no longer operating.

Top 5 overall :

Men's: 
1-Tiago Ferreira (POR) / Hans Becking (NED) - 5h31min46seg
2-Henrique Silva (NED) / Manuel Fumic (GER) - 5h32min59seg
3-Sebastian Fini (DIN) / Martins Blums (LAT) - 5h35min54seg
4-Lukas Kaufmann (BRA) / Sherman Trezza (BRA) - 5h36min06seg
5-Alexey Medvedev (RUS) / Francesco Failli (ITA) - 5h37min40seg

Women's:
1-Jaqueline Mourão (BRA) / Cindy Montambault (CAN) - 7h18min26seg
2-Viviane Favery (BRA) / Marcella Toldi (BRA) - 7h21min28seg
3-Sandra Santanyes (ESP) / Anna Ramirez (ESP) - 7h51min37seg
4-Paula Gallan (BRA) / Franciele Almeida (BRA) - 8h04min57seg
5-Cristiane Pereira (BRA) / Eliana Pinheiro (BRA) - 8h11min22seg

2018 Brasil Ride Stages:
Etapa 3 - Guaratinga - 77,4 km and 2.106 m de altimetry
Etapa 4 - Guaratinga - 101 km and 2.665 m de altimetry
Etapa 5 - Guaratinga to Arraial d'Ajuda - 140 km and 2.336 m de altimetry
Etapa 6 - Arraial d'Ajuda - 32,4 km and 664 m de altimetry
Etapa 7 - Arraial d'Ajuda - 43,8 km and 497 m de altimetry

Live Schedule - The ninth edition of Brasil Ride will follow the schedule of the last two editions, with live streaming for eight days, in the official fan page: www.facebook.com/BRASILRIDE. Check the days and times (GMT-3):

Tuesday - 10/23 - Start at 7:40 a.m.; Finish at 12:30 p.m.; and Prize ceremony at 6:45 p.m.
Wednesday - 10/24 - Start at 7:40 a.m.; Finish at 12:30 p.m.; and Prize ceremony at 6:45 p.m.
Thursday - 10/25 - Start at 7:40 a.m.; Finish at 12:45 p.m.; and Prize ceremony at 8:45 p.m.
Friday - 10/26 - Start at 9:40 a.m.; Finish at 11:25 a.m.; and Prize ceremony at 6:45 p.m.
Sunday - 10/27 - Start at 8:40 a.m.; Finish at 12:00 p.m.; and Prize ceremony at 8:45 p.m.  

The event - Considered the Giro d'Italia of the world MTB, the ultramarathon scheduled for 21-27 October in Bahia offers a challenge for the 540 participating athletes from all over the world. For seven days, the participants will ride for 600 km and endure almost 11,000 m of accumulated altimetry, between tracks and dirt roads that connect Arraial d'Ajuda, in Porto Seguro, to Brasil Ride Village, built annually in Guaratinga. On the last day of the competition, on Saturday (27), another 1,200 cyclists from all over the country join the stars of the international mountain bike race for the Marathon of the Discoveries. A unique opportunity to ride side by side with the bestmountain bikers in the world.

The ninth edition of Brasil Ride has Specialized, Shimano, Caixa and Unidas as sponsors. Government of Bahia, through the SUDESB (Superintendence of Sports of the State of Bahia) and Bahiatursa (Superintendence of Tourism Promotion of the State of Bahia), also sponsor the ultramarathon, while the Municipalities of Porto Seguro and Guaratinga are among the supporters.

Videos and slideshows: youtube - wetransfer

Stage 1:
Vídeo - https://youtu.be/CcduJ8RGGww
Slideshow - https://youtu.be/8lbrO1xTLMU
Wetransfer - https://we.tl/t-t644YMd1G3

Stage 2: 
Vídeo - https://youtu.be/_oBSy4DLihU
Slideshow - https://youtu.be/zMYfhZZr0F0
Wetransfer -https://we.tl/t-5rewGncXHP

Results on www.brasilride.com.br

Brasil Ride: More than a race, a stage in your life.

Website: http://www.BRASILRIDE.COM.BR
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BRASILRIDE
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brasil_ride
Instagram: https://instagram.com/brasilride

Gustavo Coelho / Doro Jr. - Mtb 13209
E-mail: gustavo@zdl.com.br / dorojr@zdl.com.br
Phone: +55 11 32855911 / Cell phone: + 55 11 9.8457-9699

Translated by: Rosita Belinky - robelinky@gmail.com

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