LUCCIOLA AND VANDEN BRANDE WIN THE "CYCLING CRAFT"

Fabrizio Lucciola and Edith Vanden Brande grab their first Marcialonga Cycling Craft

Jarno Calcagni and Martina Zanon dominate the ‘short’ race

Over 2,000 cyclists on the Italian Dolomites

XC skiing Olympic champion Cristian Zorzi joined the race too

 

 

Italy’s Marcialonga Cycling Craft, the long-distance cycling race through the Italian provinces of Trento, Bolzano and Belluno, crowned Fabrizio Lucciola from Caserta and Belgium’s Edith Vanden Brande winners of the fifth edition, yesterday. At the end of the 135 km course, Lucciola sprinted on the finish line in Predazzo preceding the Lithuanian champion Dainius Kairelis, while Giuseppe Corsello came in third. Among women, Vanden Brande crossed the line almost 10 minutes ahead of Monica Bandini, while the other Italian Raffaella Carloni arrived third.

At the end of the 80 km ‘short’ course, Italy’s Jarno Calcagni and Martina Zanon both celebrated their first victory at the Marcialonga Cycling Craft event.

Clear blue skies and shining sun welcomed a huge group of over 2,000 participants in Predazzo town centre, and the first to take the lead approaching the first uphill of the day in Monte San Pietro, was the eight times mtb master World Champion Silvano Janes. The athlete from Trento grabbed the KOM title too on Lavazè pass, where the cyclists had also the chance to see the snow from very close, as it had heavily snowed two days before. However, along the following downhill, the fugitive Janes was reached by Calcagni, who passed him and eventually entered all alone in Predazzo, cheered by the crowd while the church bell were ringing loud.

The ‘short’ course was now over, but the ‘long’ one was getting to the heart of the matter. Italy’s Lucciola and his direct opponent Kairelis attacked the 11 km uphill to San Pellegrino pass and the following downhill, both showing great skills in the lead. The two cyclists reached the Valles pass still side by side, but along the final downhill Lucciola looked faster than the Lithuanian, and sprinted first in Predazzo. Among women, Vanden Brande wore the winning crown quite easily as Italy’s Bandini and Carloni came in a few minutes afterwards.

The XC skiing Olympic champion Cristian Zorzi joined the 2011 Marcialonga Cycling Craft and finished 60th in the 80k course. Two other Italian skiers, namely Bruno Debertolis and Lorsi Frasnelli, arrived 42nd and 189th in the long and short race, respectively.

Info: www.marcialonga.it

 

Standings:

 

80 Km course (male)

1) Calcagni Jarno (Team Light Abbronzatura) 2.16.14; 2) Giussani Niki (Team Carimate Kuota) 2.16.31; 3) Mich Roberto (Amateursportverein Bike Club Egna) 2.17.09,1; 4) Unterthurner Stephan (Bergner Brau) 2.17.09,5; 5) Van Orsdel David (Avesani Bike) 2.19.09,3; 6) Lechthaler Massimo (Bren Team Trento) 2.19.09,5; 7) Camozzi Antonio (Team GF Ferca) 2.19.09,6; 8) Bettoni Iacopo (Team Pianeta Bici Cervelo) 2.19.10; 9) Rizzi Eduard (Sportler Bike Team) 2.19.11,2; 10) Spiazzi Davide (Avesani Bike) 2.19.11,9

 

80 Km course (female)

1) Zanon Martina (Asd Ca’ 30 Schio) 2.29.53; 2) Vaccaroni Dorina (GS Alpilatte) 2.38.20; 3) Girardi Antonella (Asd Team Battaglin) 2.40.04; 4) Gazzini Serena (L’Arcobaleno Carraro Team) 2.43.17; 5) Tedesco Marta (Spk Cicli Patos) 2.45.06; 6) Coato Marisa (Green Team) 2.45.10; 7) Egger Martina (RV Edelrot Lana) 2.45.37; 8) Fossati Bellani Laura Maria (Team Arona) 2.47.28; 9) Bee Gloria (Asd GS Fonzaso) 2.48.39; 10) Chiogna Angela (Bren Team Trento) 2.49.34

 

135 Km course (male)

1)    Lucciola Fabrizio (Team MG K Vis LGL Viner) 4.05.29; 2) Kairelis Dainius (I & Bike Asd) 4.05.32; 3) Corsello Giuseppe (Gianluca Faenza Hymer Team) 4.07.36; 4) Coopman Frederic (Veltec Gran Fondo) 4.07.38; 5) Bertuola Alessandro (Viner Factory Team Natuilus) 4.07.38; 6) Lombardi Tiziano (Team MG K Vis LGL) 4.07.39; 7) Varesco Jarno (L’Arcobaleno Carraro Team) 4.08.32; 8) Sorrenti Mazzocchi Giuseppe (Team X Bionic) 4.09.19; 9) Corradini Antonio (Viner Factory Team Natuilus) 4.09.44; 10) Muraro Carlo (Asd Panozzo (4.09.51

 

135 Km course (female)

1)    Vanden Brande Edith (Veltec Gran Fondo) 4.33.49; 2) Bandini Monica (Tubozeta MG K Vis) 4.42.53; 3) Carloni Raffaella (Tubozeta MG K Vis) 4.45.16; 4) Ilmer Marina (AmateurradSportverein Vinschgau) 4.47.09