It is Jarvis’s fourth win at the iconic Austrian event and possibly his sweetest victory in what turned out to be a tough, fast-paced Erzberg this year.
Early leaders Manuel Lettenbichler and Billy Bolt were looking strong for the win in the first hour, making mincemeat of Erzberg’s classic climbs like ‘Machine’ and then riding together through the legendary Carl’s Dinner.
Switching back through the ‘Diner’ for two assaults this year, Mani and Billy were setting a fast pace. At this point Jarvis had already picked riders off from an early 17th place to close in on Jonny Walker in third.
Arriving at the steep uphill section called Grune Holle (Green Hell) it was to be the race-changing section of the 2018 Erzberg Hare Scramble. Lettenbichler and Bolt got caught up, blowing energy and time helping each other. It was all the invitation Jarvis and Walker needed to close in and take up the reigns.
Jarvis left Green Hell in front and maintained his lead through the last tough section, Dynamite, and down the mountain again to the finish in a mind-blowing 2h:05m:59s total running time.
“I just can’t believe it.” Said Jarvis on the finish line. “I was just hanging on and hanging on for the win. I hit Green Hell well at the bottom and managed to get a fair way up but still had to do some pushing. That’s where I got by the guys and I was cramping up after that. Really I was just hanging on but I managed it.”
