In Willingen, Germany, Teus Ruijter finished second on Saturday in the 120 kilometer mountainbike marathon through the Sauerland. Ruijter was immediately part of a seven-man leading group. In addition to Ruijter, in the first feed zone the group consisted of four more men: Aaron Wilhelmi (Germany), Urs Huber (Switzerland), Mathias Pedersen (Denmark) and Niclas Ranker (Germany). Wilhelmi thinned the group to three men by riding at a punishing pace in front, but had to pass when Huber attacked at the end of the second loop. Ruijter was briefly stuck behind Wilhelmi and then started chasing the Swiss.
‘The gap to Urs was about thirty seconds entering the third and final loop. I kept seeing him but couldn’t close the gap. Of course I am more than satisfied with my second place, but if victory is within reach, you ultimately want to be on the highest step of the podium,” said Ruijter. Wilhelmi lost a lot of time in the last lap but managed to maintain his third place.