Over 1500 athletes starting in Capoliveri, synonymous that the Elba race is now a must for the MTB world. Departure at 9 am with the male agonists, followed by the women and then the master categories.
Immediately after the start it is Vincenzo Nibali who attacked passing on the 1st GPM with about 10 seconds advantage over the group of pursuers, which includes all the favorites of the eve. The ups and downs of the race Elbana makes selection and 4 remain in front: Leonardo Paez, Fabian Rabensteiner, Vincenzo Nibali and Juri Ragnoli, with Diego Arias Cuervo acting as an elastic.
Impressive Vincenzo Nibali downhill, who proves to have great skills even on dirt as well as on the road, not losing the wheels of the best in the more technical sections. Vincenzo's pedaling, however, gradually gets harder and Leonardo Paez's forcing puts Juri Ragnoli and Nibali in crisis, who lose contact. On the second hard climb of the day towards the Garitta, the highest point of the race (about 400m above sea level) it is Fabian Rabensteiner who lights the fuse.
The South Tyrolean of Team Wilier Pirelli, who had been covered up until then, increased the pace and the Colombian couple Paez and Cuervo were struggling. During the descent to Punta Calamita, Leonardo Paez is the victim of a puncture and loses contact. Meanwhile Rabensteiner's forcing continues and Arias Cuervo also has to give up the frenzied pace of the athlete Wilier Pirelli.
Rabensteiner wins with a time well below 4h: an impressive time considering the 80km with 3000m of elevation gain. Second place for Juri Ragnoli who recovered in the last km on the Colombian Arias Cuervo who finished 3rd. Great performance by the young Andrea Siffredi of Team Scott (4th place). 5th place for an unlucky Leonardo Paez. Vincenzo Nibali is 9th.
Vincenzo Nibali declared at the end of the race that he suffered badly from the neck and the upper body in general, certainly a part of the body not stressed on the road bike. Vincenzo has shown that he has a great engine and, with specific training, he could be a great biker.
In the women's race domination of the Italian champion Claudia Peretti (Olympia Factory Team - here our interview), worried only at times by the German Stefanie Dohrn (Canyon Orthware). Third position for the Swiss Irina Luetzelschwab (Team Bulls), who completed the prestigious international podium.
CLASSIC ROUTE
The Classic course was practically identical to the Marathon, with only one lap instead of the two planned for the main race and included 50 km x 1.700 D +, which for the first time passed through the Ginevro mine, a passage reserved only for the Marathon over the years. past.
In the Classic course Matteo Spinetti wins ahead of Mattia Zunino and Cristian Vaira. Among the women, always in the Classic course, Federica Sesenna won ahead of Denise Faziani and Luisa De Lorenzo.
It is possible to watch the match on Rai Sport HD today (Saturday 15 October) at 15.50 pm.
MEN'S RACE RANKING
| 1 | RABENSTEINER Fabian | WILIER PIRELLI TEAM | 03:51:22.40 |
| 2 | RAGNOLI Juri | SCOTT RACING TEAM | + 2: 18 |
| 3 | ARIAS CUERVO Diego Alfonso | HUBBERS _ POLIMEDICAL | + 3: 04 |
| 4 | SIFFREDI Andrew | SCOTT RACING TEAM | + 7: 42 |
| 5 | PAEZ LEON Hector Leonardo | Soudal Leecougan Mtb Racing Team | + 8: 44 |
| 6 | PINK Maximum | Soudal Leecougan Mtb Racing Team | + 9: 46 |
| 7 | SAMPARISI Nicolas | KTM BRENTA BRAKES | + 10: 08 |
| 8 | DORIGONI Jakob | TORPADO FACTORY TEAM | + 12: 01 |
| 9 | NIBALI Vincent | ASTANA QAZAQSTAN TEAM | + 12: 14 |
| 10 | HEM Ole | WILIER 7C FORCE | + 13: 12 |
FEMALE RANKING
| 1 | PERETTI Claudia | OLYMPIA FACTORY TEAM | 04:56:57.85 |
| 2 | DOHRN Stephanie | CANYON ORTHWARE MTB TEAM | 04:58:52.10 |
| 3 | LUETZELSCHWAB Irina | TEAM BULLS | 05:01:06.61 |
| 4 | MAIRHOFER Sandra | RDR ITALY LEYNICESE RACING TEAM | 05:04:42.62 |
| 5 | PLAIN Deborah | TRACK TEAM | 05:05:51.63 |
