MendelRace 2019

6/4/2019

Michael Spögler dethrones serial winner Andrea Zamboni and crowns himself for the first time on the Mendel Pass - Christina Rausch fastest lady in new fabulous time

In the previous editions of the cycling race up the Mendel Pass, the mountain specialist Andrea Zamboni from Trento had always left his mark on the race - in a total of 3 starts he was able to take just as many victories. He is thus the undisputed king of the Mendel Pass.
In this 4th edition of the MendelRace, there were again some top-class riders at the start, who wanted to try again to snatch the sceptre out of his hand, so to speak. And one of them should succeed this year ...

On Saturday 6 April 2019, the time had come again: the crème-de-la-crème of mountain bikers from home and abroad met in Eppan for the first test of strength of the season. On the programme was the MendelRace, traditionally the start of the South Tyrolean series for amateur mountain bike races Südtirol.Berg.Cup. As every year, the aim was to cover almost 15 kilometres with a total altitude difference of 958 metres.
Shortly after the start, Wolfgang Hofmann (GER; E-Racers Augsburg) from Germany attacked and was able to break away from the rest of the field. He was also the one who won the DigiSprint - the sprint classification on the Kalterer Höhe.
As unfortunately predicted by the weather service, light rain soon set in and the temperature slowly began to drop.

Up to the halfway point of the race, the pace in the peloton was rather leisurely due to the headwind: at the height of Matschatsch after about 8 km, it was Alessandro Sogne (ITA; Biemme Sirio Sport) who caused the first increase in speed. As a result, the peloton split up; there remained a leading group of about 10 in which Michael Spögler (ITA; Team Corratec / ASC Sarntal), one of the favourites for the race victory, took over the command shortly afterwards.

The high rhythm of the young Sarner had the consequence that the front peloton decimated more and more in the following kilometres, and only 4 riders remained at the front: besides Spögler, these were Andrea Zamboni (ITA; Carina Brao Caffè), Benjamin Koch (GER; Coup Cycle Göppingen) and Hans Peter Obwaller (AUT; KTM Bikes). Hofmann was already caught up in the meantime and could not keep up the high pace from then on.
At the top of the Tumor valley - about 3.5 km before the finish - the surprise came: Zamboni suddenly had to let go.
Spögler, still the driving force of the leading group, had noticed this and kept the pace high.
Next it was Koch who had to say goodbye to the leading trio. So this race would be decided once again in a sprint: Spögler or Obwaller - in any case there would be a new winner!
At the top of the pass it had become really cold; the spectators were already waiting impatiently for the new winner. On the last kilometre, the two exchanged the lead several times and from the last bend, the tactics began.
In the last 200m, Obwaller started the sprint, but Spögler successfully countered and was celebrated as the winner of the Mendel Pass in a time of 40.05 minutes, just 1 second ahead!
The German Benjamin Koch crossed the finish line in 3rd place, 36 seconds behind the two, followed by Zamboni as the fastest of a small chasing group, another 6 seconds behind, ahead of Franz Wieser (ITA; Rodes Val Badia) and Roberto Dalsant (ITA; CC Rotaliano).
From the organiser Dynamic Bike Team Eppan it was Michael Mitterhofer who was the first of the blue and white to cross the finish line: for him it was an excellent 20th place (42.26 min).

There was also a new winner in the women's category this year: Christina Rausch (GER; Carina Brao Caffè) pulverised the previous fastest women's time at the Mendel Pass and celebrated her first Mendel Race victory in 42.54 min. With this time she even placed in the TOP-30 of the race (28th overall).

The Dynamic Bike Team Eppan would like to take this opportunity to thank the many volunteers (start number distribution, course marshals, course preparation, prize distribution, work in the background, etc.), who have contributed to the success of this event.
Thanks also go to the municipality of Appiano on the Wine Route with Mayor Wilfied Trettl, as well as to the municipal police of Appiano and Caldaro.
What would such a great event be without our sponsors:
Arthur and his Team from Sanvit Bike & Fitness / KIKU Apples / DigiPrint – www.digiprint.net / Möbel Planer / Pur Südtirol / Raiffeisenkasse Überetsch / Aktiv3 / Bricocenter Straudi / FEA srl autoricambi / Peer.tv / Würth Italia / Kellerei Schreckbichl – Cantina Colterenzio

Fotos: Nino Lazzarotto

MENDELRACE 2019 - official results

Men
1. Michael SPÖGLER – ASC Sarntal/Raiffeisen Rad – 40.05 min
2. Hans Peter OBWALLER – KTM-Bikes – 40.06 min
3. Benjamin KOCH – Coup Cycle Göppingen – 40.06 min
4. Andrea ZAMBONI – Carina Brao Caffè – 40.58 min
5. Franz WIESER – Rodes Val Badia – 41.00 min
6. Roberto DALSANT – Club Ciclistico Rotaliano – 41.00 min
7. Alessandro SOGNE – Biemme Sirio Sport – 41.12 min
8. Wolfgang HOFMANN – E-Racers Augsburg – 41.12 min
9. Diego FENAROLI – ASD Isolpi Racing Team – 41.35 min
10. Riccardo CARLIN – Carina Brao Caffè – 41.41 min

Women
1. Christina RAUSCH – Carina Brao Caffè – 42.54 min
2. Lorna CIACCI – ASD Sportler Team – 50.12 min
3. Bianca SOMAVILLA – Deniflcycling.com – 50.52 min
4. Annalisa ADAMI – Bici & Sport – 52.41 min
5. Andrea PARIGGER – Polisportiva AVI Bike Team – 53.25 min
6. Barbara ZAMBOTTI – SOMEC-MG.K VIS-LGL – 54.09 min
7. Klara URSCH – /// – 57.31 min
8. Melanie KINZNER – Team Physio 1.0 – 1:06.56 h
9. Christiane BÜSEMEYER-JÖCHL – Radsport Stanger Kitzbühel – 1:09.01 h
10. Angelika HOFER – Polisportiva AVI Bike Team – 1:14.25 h

DigiSprint powered by DigiPrint (after 4,25 km)
1. Wolfgang HOFMANN – E-Racers Augsburg – 10.29 min (24.3 km/h)
2. Roberto SACCOMAN – Carina Brao Caffè – 11.06 min
3. Eduard RIZZI – ASD Sportler Team – 11.11 min