CECCHINI GOES CHECKMATE: 3 OUT OF 3 IN PREDAZZO

The new track of the Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa granfondo is a success
Cecchini wins three times in a row, Jessica Leonardi ceberates her first “long” success
In the medium distance Chiara Ciuffini and Stefano Stagni had the best time
The 13th edition wins the jackpot with the new track: everybody likes it

They say: “It comes in three”, and Stefano Cecchini believes in that. The cyclist from Lucca won for the third time in a row, with a great race from the first until the last of the 135 k of Marcialonga Craft, after climbing the Passes of Costalunga, Pampeago, San Pellegrino and Valles. Very good also Jessica Leonardi from Trentino, displaying the winner shirt she won at the World Championship of Varese in 2018. Last year she won the medium track race, which was conquered this year by Chiara Ciuffini and Stefano Stagni.
A new course was set for this year’s race, starting in Predazzo towards Moena instead of Cavalese, including the Passes Costalunga and Pampeago besides the traditional San Pellegrino and Valles, gaining enthusiastic consent from everybody.
Record of registrations with more than 2.000 road-bikers racing on the two distances with 80 k and 2.488 m elevation gain and 135 k with 3.900 elevation gain between Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa in Trentino and South-Tyrol, riding along the Carezza Lake, Nova Ponente and Obereggen.
The race started early in the morning (8 AM) towards Val di Fassa, with the racers moving in a long snake that started to loose after the villages of Moena, Soraga and Vigo, on the first climb of Passo Costalunga. The second selection happened on the climb that leads from Obereggen to Pampeago surrounded by the last snow at the border of the street.
Halfway up Federico Nicolini brought the challenge, prevailing on Stagni that fell behind into the group of the best riders with Pareschi, Cini, Romano and Cecchini.
The descent from Pampeago to the valley reached high levels of speed and Nicolini, far more experienced in alpine skiing descents, was caught up by Stagni and battled with him on the track all the way to the finish, where Stagni won over him by a few seconds with a time of 2h31'18" and Zonta a little bit behind. In the meantime, Cecchini, Cini, Romano and Bonanomi were cycling further on the long distance and the San Pellegrino climb that would test the cyclists.
Meanwhile, in Predazzo the ladies' medium distance podium got its places taken by Chiara Ciuffini (2h49'6"), indiscussed first place of her category with huge advantages of 9' on Deborah Rosa and 17' on Liviana Faoro.
The San Pellegrino Pass was the point that evidenced the big gap between Cecchini and the duo Cini and Romano. Thanks to his ability in curves, Cecchini reached the top on Valles Pass with an advantage of 2' on the other two riders. The remaining kilometers only confirmed him as the first in the long track with a time of 4h18'56". Second place goes to Domenico Romano and the third to Fabio Cini.
Jessica Leonardi released all her energies saved during the first part of the race on the San Pellegrino climb with the support of her teammates in the hardest parts of the track, especially on the Valles climb, increasing her advantage on the adversaries by 8'5" on Giuseppina Bergozza and by 10'27" on Arianna Marchesini.
This year's Marcialonga Craft attracted not only amateurs but also some famous names like Manfred Moelgg, tired and satisfied when crossing the finish line, and the Olympic silver medalist Peter Schlickenrieder, ex cross-country skier and current coach of the German team who got surprised by the high pace of the participants during the race.
At the finish in Predazzo, all the participants complimented the meticulous organization of the event and also the new track that challenged their performance but was also very gratifying. Great work of the volunteers, roots and benchmark of the Marcialonga family.

Info: www.marcialonga.it

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Medium distance Men
1 Stagni Stefano Asd Gianluca Faenza Team 02:31:18; 2 Nicolini Federico U.C. Valle Di Non 02:31:19; 3 Zonta Tiziano Asd Swatt Club 02:31:23; 4 Martinelli Christian Colnago Mg.K Vis 02:32:46; 5 Spiazzi Davide Asd Total Speed 02:34:40; 6 Pareschi Alessio Asd Gianluca Faenza Team 02:34:40; 7 Zamboni Andrea Carina Brao Caffe 02:34:41; 8 Pisanu Andrea Asd Ciclo Club Antonio 02:35:16; 9 Caravona Sandro Team Trapletti La Pace ASD 02:35:17; 10 Corsello Giuseppe Asd Gianluca Faenza Team 02:35:18

Medium distance Women
1 Ciuffini Chiara Team Isolmant Asd 02:49:06; 2 Rosa Deborah Team De Rosa Santini 02:58:23; 3 Faoro Liviana G.S. Zanolini Bike 03:07:02; 4 Zambotti Barbara Somec Ng. K Vis.Lgl 03:07:54; 5 Albanese Silvia Asd Team Rana Tagliaro 03:15:05; 6 Nicolini Cristina Lnc Jollywear 03:22:32; 7 Tondini Sarah Team Passion Faentina 03:23:19; 8 Benda Laura Ale' Cipollini Galassia 03:23:21; 9 Confortola Monica Sporting Club Livigno 03:23:22; 10 Mazzanti Lucilla Team Bike Jo.Er. 03:25:10

Long distance Men
1 Cecchini Stefano A.S.D. Cicli Copparo 04:18:56; 2 Romano Domenico Biemme Garda Sport S.S.D. 04:22:43; 3 Cini Fabio A.S.D. Cicli Copparo 04:23:20; 4 Bonanomi Stefano Asd Team Mp Filtri 04:26:01; 5 Zanrossi Riccardo A.S.D. High Road Team 04:27:18; 6 Zanichelli Stefano Nuova Corti Racing Team 04:29:50; 7 Ceragioli Giuseppe Cicloteam San Ginese 04:30:41; 8 Weststrate Roedi S.C. Marcialonga A.S.D. 04:31:05; 9 Zacchi Riccardo Colnago Mg.K Vis 04:31:35; 10 Unterthurner Stephan Carina Brao Caffe 04:31:35

Long distance Women
1 Leonardi Jessica Biemme Garda Sport S.S.D. 05:06:17; 2 Bergozza Michela Giuseppina Ktm Asd Scatenati 05:14:22; 3 Marchesini Arianna Somec-Mg.K Vis-Lgl 05:16:44; 4 Manzato Barbara Anita Somec-Mg.K Vis-Lgl 05:20:55; 5 Fedele Nicole Asd C-Bike Team 05:37:41; 6 Tasser Andrea A.S.C.Sarntal 05:38:40; 7 Coletti Cristina Free Bike Team 05:41:15; 8 Cecchi Monica A.S.D. Borello 05:42:41; 9 Zemmer Ruth A.S.V. Rodes Gherdeina 05:53:07; 10 Santi Stefania A.S.D. Borello 05:56:58