Rugby World Champion joins Appenninica MTB Stage Race
Any rugby fans out there? The rider that we present today is a great example of drive in life and in sports. Sophie Hemming is a retired international rugby player from England. Her team became World Champion in 2014 and in her career she had 6 Six Nations wins (5 as Grand Slams). She took up mountain biking in 2015 and placed very well at the national elite level.
She has something very interesting to tell us about her transition from rugby to MTB. We are thrilled to have her and her strong teammate, Melanie Alexander.
– What has rugby taught you that you brought into mountain biking? They are two different sports in many ways…
Although rugby is a very different sport to mountain biking, it has taught me many transferrable attributes! I used to play prop, which tends to attract bigger, stronger, power athletes who are perhaps not best known for their endurance! During my career, I was told many times that I was too small to play prop and that I would never play for England. This instilled a fiery determination to do everything I could to succeed in my goals, a love of challenges and a work ethic that I will no doubt need to get to the start line, and hopefully the finish line, of The Appenninica. During my rugby career, I had to follow a very strict training program, alongside working as a full time vet. As a result, I had to become very disciplined, organised and determined to get my training done. This has definitely helped me in biking too – especially now I am having to juggle this between nappy changes and feeding a baby!
Rugby has also taught me how to control my fear when faced with challenges, as a result I tend to approach technical sections like roots, drops and steep descents, rationally.
There are some skills that I have been able to adapt from my rugby playing days too. When running with the ball and the opposition were trying to tackle me, I was taught to focus on the other side of my opponent. I think that this has helped me in mountain biking, as when I am riding a technical descent, I try to focus on the other side of an obstacle, and this helps me to ride over it, hopefully avoiding any crashes! In the event of crashing (which I confess I have had plenty of!), rugby has also taught me how to fall – as fortunately I used to fall many more times in a game than I do in a mountain bike ride! Learning how to fall is perhaps more important in mountain biking than in rugby – as landing on trees and rocks tends to hurt a lot more than falling on the ground or on people…
– What prompted you in going for Appenninica next Summer?
Following the birth of my first baby in October, and the all clear from my Doctor, I’ve relished being back on the bike! I’ve been determined to ramp up the training with a view to returning to racing, although I confess that I had completely underestimated the toll that having a baby would have. Having managed to fit in a good block of base training despite the endless nappy changes and inevitable sleep deprivation, I have been searching for a big challenge to target in the summer. My search came across The Appenninica – and I was immediately impressed and excited by this new stage race. The trails look incredible in an area with amazing scenery, great food and fantastic friendly people. I am excited to be racing and supporting The Appenninica in the inaugural edition.
– Tell us about your team. Do you have a team name yet?
I am racing with seasoned XC racer Mel Alexander as Team BW Cycling. Mel and I have raced against each other in many cross country races and two stage races. We have had plans to enter a stage race together for a couple of years, and I’m really excited to be taking part in The Appenninica with her. Mel will bring a great deal of experience to our team, having raced in numerous stage races over the years. She is a great technical rider and I’ll have to work hard for my little legs to keep up with her on the climbs!
EthicSport Official Sport Nutrition Partner
EthicSport is the Official Sport Nutrition Partner of Appenninica MTB Stage Race
An endurance race must be sustained not only by an adequate physical condition but also by optimal nutrition and food supplementation. Nothing can be left to chance because months of training can be thwarted without a plan on how to best meet your energy, hydration and recovery needs.
Appenninica MTB Stage Race presents a tough course with a Queen Stage (after 5 stages in the legs) of an incredible 112 km and over 4000 meters in elevation gain.
The format of the race – the first of its kind along the Apennines – includes 7 stages preceded by a prologue while the Appenninica4 version includes 4 stages. As you can imagine the recovery after each stage will be crucial.
How to fuel so not to compromise the result or even having to give up without more energy to spend?
Thanks to an important partnership the participants in Appenninica MTB Stage Race can count on the support – both in the preparation and during the race – of EthicSport, an Italian company (with its headquarters in Emilia Romagna), which is leader in sports nutrition in particular for endurance sports.
The credo of the company, appreciated and chosen by many top teams and athletes, is the uncompromising quality aimed at meeting the fueling needs of amateurs and professionals. Italian champions Samuele Porro and Mara Fumagalli, and European champion Alexey Medvedev are just some of the MTB stars who have been relying on EthicSport for their sport nutrition for years. Lorenza Menapace, fresh dominator of the Trans Andes Challenge and confirmed at the start-line of Appenninica, is also an EthicSport athlete.
All products are not only effective but very digestible and with a great flavor.
Informative content pieces prepared by the EthicSport experts on nutrition and food supplements and a specific stage-by-stage integration program, will be published on the Appenninica website and the EthicSport experts will be available to create customized sport nutrition programs and to answer riders’ questions.
During the week of the race, there will be products – in the form of drinks, gels and energy bars – available at the start of the stages and along the feed zones along the route.
Furthermore, the recovery zone EthicSport will be positioned right next to the finish line. Appenninica organizers will also have beverages and a warm carbo-protein dish at the end of each stage.
Keep following us!
Team Garmin South Africa at Appenninica MTB Stage Race
We recently reached out to Team Garmin (South Africa) as they have confirmed their participation to the 2019 Appenninica MTB Stage Race. With their team, Appenninica adds a new country and another continent to the starting list.
Yolandi du Toit and Ben Melt Swanepoel are very familiar faces in the MTB stage race circuit and they are ready to tackle the Apennines next July.
– How was your 2018 season? Give us a highlight.
We are very happy with our 2018 season. We raced 64 days in total making it a full year for us with many wonderful experiences and memories. If we have to mention a highlight then it would be our participation at The Pioneer NZ. It was our first trip to that part of the world and participating on unknown terrain is always an exciting experience no matter the outcome. As a bonus New Zealand turned out to be one of the most beautiful and bike friendly destinations we have ever visited.
– Have you been to Italy before and why Appenninica appealed to you?
We have raced in Italy before but only in the North during the Craft Bike TransAlp and some marathon races in the Tirol and the Dolomites. Back then we already fell in love with the beautiful countryside and the warmth of its people. When the opportunity arose to explore a different part of Italy by bike, especially an area as attractive as Emilia Romagna and the Appennine Mountains, we couldn’t resist. Now we can’t wait to see what the Appenninica MTB stage race has in stall for us.
Team Garmin is a solid and experienced mixed team. Yolandi and Ben know how to approach a long stage race and we expect them to be competitive while charming everyone with their usual great attitude.
Follow Team Garmin on FB: https://web.facebook.com/TeamGarminMTB
Appenninica4All, The stage race for everyone
More approachable, less demanding but equally intense and complete, Appenninica4 condenses in 4 stages the essence of a proper Stage Race: make sure you don’t underestimate it.
While the long-distance Appenninica is going to mean business only for the most physically and mentally prepared athletes, thanks to Appenninica4 the dream of a MTB adventure over more days is going to be within reach for all, and still not an easy undertaking, by any means. For many riders, it is going to be the sporting challenge of a lifetime. For others, it will be the springboard and the rehearsal for the bigger brother, in which stages will be seven (plus the Prologue).
Appenninica4 is still going to be a 265 km-long Stage Race with 8,780 m of climbing spread over 4 days of competition; a race that requires serious preparation, planning, managing; a challenge in which an expert observer would find all the same ingredients that characterize the Full Race.
Leaving aside the fact that this race is specifically dedicated to SOLO participants, plenty of other things are common to both Appenninica4 and its bigger brother, Appenninica Stage Race:
- A tough race course that reaches its crescendo in the Queen Stage: once that stage is in the bag, it will only be a matter of enjoying the grand finale, staying focussed all the time though.
- Stages that go across 3 different provinces following a route known as Alta via dei Parchi, throughout unique and unexplored territories stretched over 5 Protected Natural Areas
- Regional Park Corno alle Scale
- Regional Park of Suviana and Brasimone Lakes
- Regional Park Vena del Gesso Romagnola
- National Park of Casentinesi Forests, Monte Falterona and Campigna
- Interregional Park Sasso Simone e Simoncello
- Amazing atmosphere in the Race Village, that will make the time spent between finish line and start of the following stage an equally memorable experience for all participants, no matter what race they are in. All competitors will become part of a community, where friendships will grow stronger than competitiveness.
- Complete package of services for the athletes here.
Exactly like it happens for the Full Race event, some riders will take part in Appenninica4 mainly to live the experience and face the challenge of reaching the finish line, while others will be racing with the ranking in mind, to be on the podium of this very first edition of the event.
Despite that, they will all participate in the grand finale of Bagno di Romagna to be awarded – once they have crossed the finish line – the Appenninica4 finisher’s t-shirt. And then, back on their home trails, they will realize how this absolutely outstanding experience in the saddle has made them stronger.
These are the details of the 4 Stages (corresponding to the second part of the race route of Appenninica) that will take place between Wednesday 24 July and Saturday 27 July:
24 July – Porretta Terme: La Cronoscalata del Monte Piella (time trial)
Length 23 km – Elevation Gain 830 m
25 July – Porretta Terme – Castel del Rio: La Linea Gotica [The Gothic Line]
Length 90km – Elevation Gain 2300 m
26 July – Castel del Rio – Bagno di Romagna: Queen Stage
Length 112 km – Elevation Gain 4000 m
27 July – Bagno di Romagna – Bagno di Romagna: La Tecnica [The Technical]
Length 40 km – Elevation Gain 1650 m
Total distance: Km 265 – Total Elevation Gain: 8,780
Registration with Promo Code until January 27
APPENNINICA SOLO CATEGORY TO OPEN SOON WITH PROMOTIONAL ENTRIES
Appenninica is announcing the SOLO format in addition to the Team of two format.
“While we believe that the best way to experience a MTB stage race such as Appenninica is by participating as a team, we’ve got to recognize that there are several reasons that make the SOLO category a viable option.” Beppe Salerno – race co-organizer
MTB Stage racing has evolved and grown. The classic team of two formula is no longer the status quo and it’s emblematic that for the first time Transalp has opened to single riders. Several “newer” races were started and strived without following the team of two format.
Many riders perceive a MTB adventure as a single-rider endeavor and that comes down to personality, personal goals, and awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses.
“As racers ourselves, we know that finding the right teammate is crucial but that’s not simple because of logistics (time off for the race and time for training), character, and shared goals.” Milena Bettocchi – race co-organizer
On January 9th Appenninica opens registration to SOLO riders with the following two categories:
– Man SOLO
– Woman SOLO
Race rules are being updated to reflect that.
If the announcement was somehow in the air the biggest news of 2019 is another one: Appenninica4 MTB Stage Race.
It’s possible for SOLO riders to be part of Appenninica, but on a smaller scale. From Wednesday July the 24th through Saturday July the 27th riders can race the second part of Appenninica and therefore the following stages:
July 24 – Porretta Terme: La Cronoscalata del Monte Piella (time trial)
Length 23 km – Elevation gain 830 m
July 25 – Porretta Terme – Castel del Rio: La Linea Gotica
Length 90km – Elevation gain 2300 m
July 26 – Castel del Rio – Bagno di Romagna: Queen Stage
Length 112 km – Elevation gain 4000 m
July 27 – Bagno di Romagna – Bagno di Romagna: La Tecnica
Length 40 km – Elevation gain 1650 m
Pricing
Full race (prologue + 7 stages): Euro 1.450
Appenninica4 (4 stages): Euro 725
Promotion
Before Sunday January 27th entries:
Full race (prologue + 7 stages): Euro 1.050
Appenninica4 (4 stages): Euro 525
Finishers of the Appenninica4 will receive a dedicated Finisher t-shirt.
