They were the strongest for the whole week and they wanted to reiterate it also in the last stage, 37 km and 1550 meters in altitude with arrival and departure from Vidiciatico in the municipality of Lizzano in Belvedere. The fourth edition of Appenninica MTB Stage Race 10 ended on Saturday 2022 September, won by Diego Arias and Naima Diesner.
Source: press release
The Colombian from Hubbers-Polimedical started with the underdogs and confirmed, day after day, to be the strongest. Even in the seventh stage, which ended in 1:56:13, the leader of the general wanted to leave his mark, setting a high pace from the first kilometers on the paths of Monte Pizzo. Behind him finished Miguel Munoz Moreno (DMT Racing Team) at 3:57 and Felix Fritzsch with a gap of 5:50.
Arias' first time in Appenninica was therefore crowned by five stage victories and the scepter of the general classification. The Colombian completed the seven stages for a total of almost 450 km and 16 meters of total elevation gain in 22:05:11. Behind him the two drivers of the DMT Racing Team took the podium, with the Portuguese Francisco Filipe second at 34:42 and the Spanish Miguel Munoz Moreno third at 1:08:05. The Dutch Gosse van der Meer (Euro Cycling), fourth, and Federico Mandelli (Piraz Coaching MTB Academy), fifth and first Italian of the general, completed the top five of Appenninica 2022.
“I come out of Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2022 with good legs, I managed the race well during all seven stages. It was a very nice week, in a fantastic area with a mixed route full of climbs. I am happy to have had this experience and I hope it will be possible for me to return next year to defend the title. Now head to the MTB Marathon World Championship: I believe there could not have been a better preparation for the world championship challenge ”, Diego Arias' final comment after the victory.

NAIMA DIESNER CONFIRMS ITSELF
She had already beaten the competition last year, it has been repeated even more clearly in this 2022 edition. Naima Diesner wins the general classification among women for the second consecutive year, this time without leaving anything to her opponents. Seven out of seven stage wins as Esther Süss in 2020, finishing her effort with a final time of 30:48:27.
Diesner also won in the last stage in 2:45:42, with an advantage on the finish line of Lizzano in Belvedere of 12:31 on Debora Lana and 20:51 on Camilla Marinelli. The two Italians have respectively obtained second and third place also in the general with more than an hour of delay from the German of the BUFF-Megamo team. Elena Novikova, in fourth place, and Rozanne Slik, fifth, completed the women's top five.
“It was a wonderful adventure again this year, I'm very happy to have confirmed myself. For me Appenninica MTB Stage Race is like a family, I love the atmosphere of friendship that exists after the hardships of the stage, it makes me feel at home. I can't wait to come back next year too ”, Naima Diesner's comment after a week as an absolute protagonist.

MASTER, GRAND MASTER, GREAT GRAND MASTER: ALL results
Not only the challenge for the absolute results for men and women, at Appenninica MTB Stage Race it was also a week of battle for three other categories in the race: Master (over 40 years old), Grand Master (over 50 years old) and Great Grand Master (over 60 years).
Among the masters to win the general was the Russian Andrey Dianov in front of Francesco Gaffuri and Thomas Jauner. The Slovenian Peter Vesel won the Grand Master category, while the Italians Paolo Viglione and Federico Celeghini completed the podium in second and third position. Another Slovenian success also in the Great Grand Master category where Aleš Boben won ahead of Evžen Reitschläger and Raffaele Verzella.

96 FINISHER AND A WORLDWIDE PROMOTION FOR THE APENNINES OF EMILIA-ROMAGNA
With 28 nations represented at the start of Castelnovo ne 'Monti, Appenninica was confirmed as the perfect promotional event for the Emilia-Romagna Apennines. A postcard that left the beauty of the landscape and the culinary delights of the area in the eyes of the participants, confirming a winning formula capable of growing year by year.

“Also this year we have found the great satisfaction from the participants, confirming the good work done in recent years. Appenninica MTB Stage Race is increasingly known and appreciated internationally, and this also thanks to the experience told by those who have already participated. The goal is to continue on this path, offering a race that is increasingly a mix between race and adventure, a hard and demanding challenge to be experienced immersed in the beauties of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines ", the final analysis of the organizers of Asd Happy Trail MTB Beppe Salerno and Milena Bettocchi.
