The Colombian racer from Hubbers-Polimedical and the German racer of the Buff-Megamo Team established their presence in the 52-kilometer opening stage with 1800 meters of elevation gain, with start and finish in Castelnovo ne’ Monti, by distancing the duo from the DMT Racing Team in the men’s race, and Debora Lana in the women’s.

They started out as race favorites, and they didn’t disappoint. Diego Arias and Naima Diesner are the winners in the opening stage of Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2022 that took place on Sunday, September 4, with start and finish from Piazza Gramsci in Castelnovo ne’ Monti (Reggio Emilia, Italy). The Colombian racer from the Hubbers-Polimedical team and the German racer of the Buff-Megamo Team took the race reins from the very first kilometers by forging a pace that their rivals were compelled to follow.

The 52 kilometers and 1800 meters of elevation gain of “La Matildica” immediately allowed the athletes to sample the challenges of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race. After sizing up the race in the opening kilometers, Diego Arias took over the race at kilometer 10 and, meter after meter, increased his lead. Behind him, the DMT Racing team duo of Miguel Munoz Moreno and Francisco Filipe tried to mount a chase.

At the race’s midpoint at Castello di Carpineti, the lead that the Colombian racer from Hubbers-Polimedical had opened up stood at four minutes. Arias drove up the pace to progressively widen the gap to more than seven and a half minutes at kilometer 39. By the finish in Piazza Gramsci, the Colombian had completed the stage in 2:26:16, with a lead of 4:01 over Francisco Filipe and Miguel Munoz Moreno. The DMT duo took advantage of a mistake by Arias in the last ten kilometers to reduce the gap at the finish.

Fourth place went to 2021 defending champion, Felix Fritzsch, who paid a 9:13 time debt to the stage king, while Gosse van der Meer (Euro Cycling) finished fifth at 11:29.

“It was a beautiful but tough day,” Diego Arias said at the finish. “The course was treacherous because of the continuous ups and downs, and it was not easy to find a race rhythm. Hard climbs and beautiful descents were made slippery by yesterday’s rain. I felt good and tried to make a move from the first kilometers by driving the pace. Despite a mistake in the final kilometers, I managed to win the stage with a good lead. I will have to watch out for the duo from the DMT Racing Team, but I will do my best to win this wonderful race.”

NAIMA DIESNER PICKS UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF

The year has changed but not the result for Naima Diesner, who after her success in Piazza Peretti last year has repeated her win in Piazza Gramsci. The German racer from the Buff-Megamo Team laid down the law from the very first kilometers to win with a time of 3:29:12.

By the race’s midpoint, Naima Diesner’s lead over Debora Lana was already more than five minutes, and around eight minutes ahead of Camilla Marinelli. This allowed the German to take command of the second part of the stage, and finish 4:21 ahead of Debora Lana (Bici Scoot). Completing the podium was the other Italian, Camilla Marinelli (ASD Bike and Fun Team), who paid a time debt of 19:53 to the leader at the finish line in Piazza Gramsci. A little further back was Ukraine’s Elena Novikova at 22:00, while Rozanne Slik (Wv Nordholand) arrived as expected in fifth, more than a half an hour down from Diesner.

“I am delighted to be here again,” commented a beaming Naima Diesner after the race. “It’s only the first stage, but it was already a very tricky stage because of the very steep climbs and the mud after yesterday’s rain. It immediately reminded me how beautiful the Apennines are. I already have a good advantage and I hope to manage it during the next stages, which will certainly be more difficult.”

IT’S CASTELNOVO NE’ MONTI’S TURN AGAIN

After the opening stage, it will still be a loop around Castelnovo ne’ Monti that will test the athletes in the second stage. With its 62 kilometers and 2,350 meters of elevation gain, “The Rock” offers a very fast first part on uphill paths and forest roads until kilometer 25. After passing by Lago Calamone, a climb will take the athletes to the crest of Monte Pastorale, which will lead into a 5-km descent with 700 meters of elevation loss. The finale is a series of ups and downs in the shadow of the Pietra di Bismantova.

A festive eve in Castelnovo ne’ Monti with “Appenninica lovers,” which brought fans along the race route of the first stage of Appenninica MTB, scheduled for tomorrow, September 4, 2022. Marathon world champion runner-up, Diego Arias, is the race favourite, while the women will fight for Naima Diesner’s crown

There couldn’t have been a warmer welcome by the Bismantova Rock. Castelnovo ne’ Monti (Reggio Emilia, Italy) was festively coloured on the eve of Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2022, just in time for racers to take to the trails of the Emilia-Romagna Apennine in this edition. Scheduled from tomorrow, September 4, until September 10, 135 participants will take part in the Italian stage race.

The bike has already played a main role, thanks to the Castelnovo Bike Fest, organized in collaboration with Appennino Reggiano Bike assosiations, which brought fans along the race route of the first Appenninica stage. Piazza Gramsci, location of the start/finish for Stage 1, “La Matildica,” (52 km with 1800 meters of elevation gain), hosted the eve day in a festive atmosphere, where food trucks and musical entertainment took the spotlight. 

From tomorrow onward it will be serious business and all eyes will be on Diego Arias. The runner-up mtb marathon world champion will start out as the race favourite, but he will have to reckon with Felix Fritzsch, who doesn’t intend to leave the throne unchallenged. The athletes of the DMT Racing Team are also out to win, with Miguel Munoz Moreno leading the Italian team, while the Dutchmen, Gosse van der Meer and Evert Koning, could each play the role of outsider, and so could the Italian, Filippo Bertone.

In the women’s field, Naima Diesner is back with every intention to confirm her position as Appenninica’s queen, but she will have to face a tough bunch of fierce rivals, starting with Ukraine’s Elena Novikova, who’s an expert in long-distance racing, to former Olympic road athletes, Maaike Polspoel and Rozanne Slik. For Italy, the ranking hopes are on the shoulders of Camilla Marinelli, while Lithuanian Ieva Venckute starts as an outsider.

THE ROUTE

After the first section, a loop around Castelnovo ne’ Monti through the region of Matilda di Canossa to warm up the legs, the second stage “The Rock,” on Monday, Sept. 5, will start to raise the level of competition with its 62 kilometres and 2350 meters of elevation gain, thanks to a very fast first segment followed by a second one full of ups and downs.

This will only be the appetizer for the “High Mountain Queen Stage” scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 6, and starting from Castelnovo ne’ Monti to Fanano. 105 km with 3600 meters of elevation gain will determine the general classification through the Monte Cusna area before the climb toward Pian Cavallaro, the last ascent before the finish line in Piazza Corsini.

On Wednesday, Sept. 7, it will be time for some extra fun with the “Pippo Yeah 2.0,” the stage designed by trail builder Pierpaolo “Pippo” Marani. 55 km and 2200 meters of elevation gain with start and finish in Fanano, will face the climbs of Passo del Colombino and Passo di Croce Arcana, with technical descents and numerous single-track sections in between.

From Fanano to Porretta Terme, on Thursday, Sept. 8, Appenninica racers will tackle 67 kilometres with 2,200 meters of elevation gain along the Linea Gotica (Gothic Line), after which the stage is named. Two technical descents before the finish could make the difference for the final stage victory.

The penultimate route, “Il Corno,” scheduled for Friday, Sept. 9, from Porretta Terme to Lizzano in Belvedere, has plenty of pitfalls. The first 30 km will cross untouched forest trails absent of human settlements, while in the second part of the 63-km stage with 2700 meters of elevation gain, the climb of the Passo dello Strofinatoio will test the athletes.

The grand finale is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10, and counts 37 kilometres with 1550 elevation gain for the “Monte Pizzo” stage, which is immersed in the trails of the Monte Pizzo bike park. Much of the general classification may already be decided, but the route – with start and finish in the village of Vidiciatico, in the municipality of Lizzano in Belvedere, hides several pitfalls, in grand Appenninica style.

The 2022 edition (September 4 to 10, 2022) of the race in the Apennines of Emilia-Romagna confirms its global character. Plenty of stories and curiosities among the nearly 150 competitors at the start

Appenninica MTB Stage has so much more than just the run for victory in it. The nearly 150 competitors who will line up for the 2022 edition (September 4-10) will come with an enticing luggage of stories and experiences, ready for personal challenges with themselves or come to join friends and relatives, or simply in memory of someone.

There will be 28 Nations at the start in Castelnovo ne’ Monti, with all five Continents represented. In addition to the “traditional” Countries in the Appenninica peloton, such as the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom and USA will also field a significant group this time out. For the 2022 edition, the famous Emilia-Romagna hospitality will embrace also athletes from Australia, Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica and South Africa.

“Every year, the confines of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race family keep extending, and we can only be happy about this trend. Year after year, the athletes who take part in the race spread a positive image of our territory, the atmosphere and the competition, and this motivates and encourages new athletes to join us”, said Beppe Salerno and Milena Bettocchi, co-organizers of the event.

Among the athletes, some will reach Castelnovo ne’ Monti with a personal challenge to face or with the goal of narrating a unique adventure. This is the case of young Dutch cyclocross rider Gosse Van der Meer, who will ride with a GoPro to report on his experience in the Apennines, or Spencer Powlison, a well-known American athlete in the bikers’ community. Coming back to Appenninica from the US for the second year in a row is Mark Anolik, a former international Downhiller, who will seize the chance to rejoin his friend Pierpaolo “Pippo” Marani in Fanano.

Aiming at a significant goal are also those five riders with a chance of entering the Appenninica Hall of Family by achieving a third finisher’s medal: Anton Tieleman, Stefan Kiene, Thomas Jauner, Peter Wouters and Zbig Mossoczy. This last one will also lead a group of Polish athletes to whom he recommended the Appenninica experience.

Among the competitors at the start will be James Hunt and Nathan Hunt, father and son coming from the UK to experience the race together. After being unable to participate last year due to travel restrictions, Israeli doctor Michael Gdalevich – who has been at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic for the past two years – will finally be at the start. He will be accompanied by his wife on this adventure, as that’s the case for South Africans Tim and Louise Ferreira.

Finally, Frenchman Jeremy Mahot, a former Transalp 2021 finisher, will participate in Appenninica, riding with the aim of creating awareness about depression and raising funds for support programmes. A former jockey living in the UK, Mahot lost a friend during the lockdown due to a concussion that caused him severe depression, and he will participate in the Appenninica adventure with the aim of raising awareness on this issue.

The fourth edition of the MTB stage race (September 4-10) shows a positive curve also in terms of number and quality of partners, including cycling brands as well as Made in Italy excellences

Since the first edition in 2019, the rise of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race has been for everyone to see, not only in technical terms, but also based on the number and stature of the partners joining the project, either from the bike industry and from the excellences of Emilia-Romagna. A virtuous trend that rewards the efforts of the ASD Happy Trail MTB organizing company, led by Milena Bettocchi and Beppe Salerno.

For the 2022 edition, scheduled from 4 to 10 September, many established partners have remained on the side of the organizers, obviously starting with the strategic support Emilia-Romagna Region, given Appenninica’s crucial role in shining a light and promoting the active tourism opportunities in the Appennines in the summer period.

Cycling brand partners include Look, the renowned French brand, which is the official pedal of the event from 2021, and Komoot, the navigation and planning app for outdoor activities, which is the official race routing app. A recent addition to the Appenninica family, Enervit is the event’s new official nutrition partner.

Technical partner since 2020, Natali Sportwear will again dress the classification leaders. The Bologna-based bike accessories and spare parts brand Barbieri PNK has confirmed its confidence to the event to promote its NXT Tube inner tube, and Dutch wheel manufacturer 9th Wave Cycling will also be returning with its van and coffee station for all competitors. The mechanical assistance service will be delivered by Sport Bike Alicante, while bike lubricant manufacturer Squirt Cycling and Hibros Sport, producing creams, oils and warming and defatigue gels, also will show up at the race.

A race such as the Appenninica MTB Stage Race, that crosses an area rich in gastronomic excellence, must properly refuel the riders after each effort, in quality and quantity. Therefore, the organisers have teamed up with important food brands, including Barilla, which will supply the caravan with its best products for pasta parties at the end of the races.

According to tradition, the opening of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wheel will not be missed, while the official water to rehydrate after the effort will be provided by Sem Group, one of the leading bottling operators in Italy. Thanks to the new partnership with Iren, a giant jug will be installed in Castelnovo ne’ Monti allowing bikers to fill their water bottles, while a smaller parallelepiped will provide water for the bike wash.

For those who prefer a different kind of hydration, the colourful stand of DeQuo Action Beer will return to Appenninica with its beer designed for sportsmen and women for quick energy recovery. Thanks to a partnership with Coop Alleanza 3.0, biological products from the Vivi Verde range will also be available. GSI Casa Modena Salumi also associates its name with Appenninica, offering participants the unique flavours of its products as well as the production experience handed down from generation to generation, combining tradition and innovation.

The former Belgian road cyclist, now a nutritionist for Van Aert’s Jumbo-Visma, is ready to take on the Appenninica MTB Stage Race (4-10 September) ten years after her Olympic adventure in London. “I’m looking for a challenge to push my limits”

The reigning queen, Naima Diesner, has cited her as a rival to keep an eye on, but Maaike Polspoel swears that she does not think about the Appenninica MTB Stage Race final victory. Whether the Belgian is bluffing or not, will be discovered as of 4 September 2022, when the Emilia-Romagna Apennines will be the judges from the start in Castelnovo ne’ Monti.

Born in 1989, ten years ago the Belgian finished 29th in the Elite Women’s Road race at the 2012 London Olympics. Today she is preparing to experience Appenninica (4-10 September 2022) after returning to her first love, mountain biking.

“Mountain biking was my first real love when it comes to cycling. As a little kid, I loved spending time in nature with my mountain bike. Before becoming a professional road cyclist, I was active as a biker in the international junior and U23 categories. I switched to road cycling after an injury during a World Cup cross-country race. However, the love for the mountain bike hasnever left me and after my career as a road cyclist, I picked up mountain biking again,” said Maaike Polspoel.

That’s why the decision to come to Emilia-Romagna for a mountain bike stage race thrilled her.

“The Appenninica MTB Stage Race is unique. It will be very challenging and pushing limits will be needed. And that’s exactly what I’m looking for… Challenging and pushing my limits. And all this in an incredibly beautiful environment and wonderful nature. These are all the ingredients for an unforgettable experience” .

After finishing her career as a professional road racer, with stage win at the Profile Ladies Tour in 2011 and the Erondegemse Pijl in 2013 standing out as her best results, Maaike Polspoel has remained in the cycling world. Once finished her studies as a nutritionist, she has recently joined the Jumbo-Visma team of the last Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard and the fellow Belgian talent Wout Van Aert.

“A well-balanced fueling and nutrition strategy is crucial to successfully finish a demanding stage race like Appenninica. The repetition of efforts, every stage demands a lot from your body, so you have to give it the energy to recover and to be fuelled for the next day. Carbohydrates play an important role in this, so Italian pasta will be welcome after each stage!”, the Belgian rider explained.

In spite of defending champion Naima Diesner picking her as one of the possible favourites for the overall victory, Maaike Polspoel prefers to shy away from the race for the overall win, but not without mentioning a name to watch out for.

“I don’t think I will be able to win this edition. It is the first time I will participate in the Appenninica, and it’s been a while since I have done some competition, so I will take it one day at a time and enjoy each stage. With her experience from last year, I think Naima has the best chance of winning again. I also expect a lot from Rozanne Slik, I know her from when she was a professional cyclist and expect that she will be at the start in excellent condition. In any case, I am looking forward to it,” Maaike Polspoel said. 

Whether it is just pretactics or not, the women’s race at Appenninica certainly promises to be exciting.

Spain’s Miguel Munoz Moreno and Portugal’s Francisco Filipe will take the start at Appenninica MTB Stage Race (September 4-10) for Andrea Marconi’s team, always in the core of the action in recent years. “We can think about the overall,” says the DMT Racing Team duo

In 2020, Hans Becking won it all, patrolled by Tiago Ferreira. In 2021, Ilias Periklis was stopped by a crash when he was wearing the leader’s jersey, which he had just snatched from eventual winner Felix Fritzsch. On every occasion so far, the DMT Racing Team has been an absolute protagonist at Appenninica MTB Stage Race.

That is why the team led by manager Andrea Marconi cannot be overlooked with thinking of the contenders for Appenninica 2022 (4-10 September). This year, the DMT Racing Team will line up an Iberian duo at the start of Castelnovo ne’ Monti: Spaniard Miguel Munoz Moreno and Portuguese Francisco Filipe.

For both, it will be the first participation at Appenninica, but considering what their predecessors have done, it’s fair to expect they will be in the discussion for stage successes as well as the overall podium.

“This is my first time at the Appenninica MTB Stage Race. I am looking forward to that, I have never competed in this area, but I have asked my teammates for information and watched some race videos. I expect a very tough week, full of pitfalls in all the stages”, said Francisco Filipe.

“It will be my first time at this race, and I think it will be a fantastic but very challenging week. Riding in this area is new for me, but I think it will be an incredible and unique experience for all participants”, said his teammate Miguel Munoz Moreno.

Among the two, Miguel Munoz Moreno will aim for the GC after finishing fourth La Leyenda de Tartessos and the Brasil Ride paired with Tiago Ferreira.

“I am getting to Appenninica in fairly good shape, so victory is in our mind. I have already studied all the stages, and the toughest will certainly be the High Mountain Queen Stage with 105 kilometres and almost 4,000 metres of altitude gain”, explained the Spaniard.

Francisco Filipe’s task will be to support his companion towards victory, pursuing some stage results in the process.

“I am preparing well and will try to help my team win. I think the third stage will be the one to make the difference”, commented the 24-year-old Portuguese rider.

Those looking for overall victory in the Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2022 would better keep an eye on DMT Racing Team. The history of this stage race in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines says so, and the Iberian duo is on its way to confirm it.

After its debut last year, the town in the province of Bologna will host the conclusion of the 2022 edition on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th September. Appenninica MTB Stage Race returns to the Corno alle Scale area, where Alberto Tomba built his greatest successes

People always return where they have had a good time. This is true in life as it is for the Appenninica MTB Stage Race, which will conclude its 2022 edition (4-10 September) in Lizzano in Belvedere. After making its debut in last year’s edition, the mountain resort in the Province of Bologna returns as the venue for the stage race in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines. 

A great comeback for the town whose name is linked to the Corno alle Scale ski area, where Alberto Tomba used to train. On Friday 9th and Saturday 10th September, Lizzano in Belvedere will decide the 2022 edition of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race with the last two stage finishes that will define the overall classification.

The athletes will arrive in Lizzano on Friday 9 September, after the start from Porretta Terme, having faced a route of 63 km and 2700 meters of total elevation gain. The stage “Il Corno” will see an initial part of the route on forest paths immersed in the woods, without human settlements, before Km 37 when the athletes face the demanding climb towards the Passo dello Strofinatoio, with the last 500 meters of portage. From there, we will tackle the ridge towards Scaffaiolo Lake before the final slope through trails and single tracks towards the finish.

The seventh and final stage “Monte Pizzo” measures 37 kilometers with 1550 meters of elevation gain. Scheduled on Saturday 10 September, this stage may appear to be the classic final parade, but pitfalls are just around the corner. Starting and finishing from Piazza XXVII Settembre in Vidiciatico, much of the route is set in the natural bike park in a loop that will take the athletes through the “Cuplina” trail twice and the “Albaré” trail once. The grand finale will then take place at the Conca del Sole swimming pool in Vidiciatico.

“Our town strongly believes in the Appenninica MTB Stage Race project, and we are happy to host a stage here again this year. This commitment was also shared with the Metropolitan City of Bologna, whose support for the initiative was key. Our local stakeholders are ready to host athletes and staff to promote the beauty of Corno alle Scale”, said Sergio Polmonari, Mayor of Lizzano in Belvedere. 

LIZZANO IN BELVEDERE, BETWEEN NATURE, HISTORY, AND SPORTS

The name of Lizzano in Belvedere recalls the Corno alle Scale Natural Park, which from its highest point, at an altitude of 1945 meters asl, offers a stunning view toward North and the Alps, East and West and the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian seas. In the area, the Sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Acero, which with its monumental trees and nature’s silence, is the ideal place for meditation.

Lizzano in Belvedere was also home to the well-known Italian journalist Enzo Biagi, one of Rai’s most famous characters with his “Il Fatto” program. Italian ski legend Alberto Tomba also used to train in the Corno alle Scale area, where he built his greatest successes: a winning alchemy with this magical territory.

At the end of the 2022 edition (4-10 September), Appenninica will induct the participants who were able to complete the stage race in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines for three times as members of the Appenninica Family. An exclusive club that five athletes could join already this year

The Appeninica MTB Stage Race is a challenge to yourself. Those who have already made this experience know how demanding the route of 450 km and 16,000 metres of total elevation gain is, and how much willpower is needed to reach the finish line. Completing Appenninica is an achievement: doing it several times is a real highlander’s feat.

For this reason, the MTB stage race in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines wishes to celebrate those riders who are able to wear the finisher’s medal for three times.

At the end of the 2022 edition, scheduled from 4 to 10 September 2022, the Appenninica “Hall of Family” will be inaugurated. The exclusive club will be reserved to those who have completed the hat-trick, defeating their limits and confirming their love and passion for Appenninica and its places year after year. Members of the Hall of Family will receive unique benefits and opportunities to feel increasingly part of what has become a true family over the years, as well as a place in the history and heart of Appenninica.

“We thought of creating this club to honor those who have decided to put their trust in us and participate in the Appenninica MTB Stage Race for several years. At the end of the 2022 edition, a special medal will be awarded to those who have completed the feat for the third time. We hope to see this community of enthusiasts grow over the years, creating a little hall of fame for our Appenninica Family,” said Beppe Salerno and Milena Bettocchi, co-organizers of Appenninica MTB Stage Race. 

Among the participants at the start in Castelnovo ne’ Monti on 4 September, no less than five athletes could reach the prestigious milestone. These include Peter Wouters, owner of 9th Wave Cycling, a sponsor of Appenninica since the first edition, who completed the race in 2019 and 2020, like Poland’s Zbig Mossoczy. Swiss Thomas Jauner will try to earn the triple crown after the 2019 and 2021 editions, the same challenge as Stefan Kiene and Anton Tieleman, both 2020 and 2021 finishers.

In addition to the stage finishes and the final classification, there will be an extra motivation for them: to make Appenninica MTB Stage Race history.

The two winners of the 2021 Appenninica MTB Stage Race are ready to take the start again in 2022 (4-10 September) to defend their titles. “Appenninica is a special race, and the Italian welcoming makes all the difference,” said the Germans

Giving it all and leaving nothing behind. With this spirit, Felix Fritzsch and Naima Diesner are preparing to defend the titles they earned on the finish line of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race just under a year ago. The two German riders will be back to the start in Castelnovo ne’ Monti for the 2022 edition (4-10 September), aware that the competition might be even fiercer this time.

For Fritzsch and Diesner, the overall victory in 2021 came in different fashions, but still tasted sweet. In the men’s category, the R2 MTN CREW rider took the title by emerging over the field of the pre-race favorites, proving to be the most consistent athlete throughout the week. In the women’s field, Diesner – now a Buff-Megamo Team rider – dominated the competition, winning four of the seven available stages and distancing the runner-up, Virginia Cancellieri, by nearly an hour.

“Last year, I competed without too many expectations, and I surprised even myself by winning the final classification so I will adopt the same strategy this year. My goal is to give everything and get the best possible result at the end of the seven stages”, said Felix Fritzsch.

On the other hand, Diesner shows more confidence on the heels of last year’s eloquent performance:

“Confirming that achievement will be difficult, but I will do everything to place myself in the top positions again and try to defend the title”.

The pool of contenders promises to be even richer and fiercer in both categories, leading to a more uncertain and spectacular race until the finish line in Lizzano in Belvedere.

“I know it will be very difficult to beat Diego Arias, but anything can happen in such a demanding race with several stages. After a complicated start of the season due to various physical problems, I am also regaining my best shape ahead of the start: I will give everything day by day“, explained Fritzsch.

“Compared to last year, there will be an Olympic athlete like Maaike Polspoel, which raises the level of an already demanding race and makes it even more fascinating. So far, I have had an exciting season, and I hope to continue like this at Appenninica as well”, commented Naima Diesner.

If the build-up for Appenninica MTB Stage Race was different for the two German riders, they once again agreed on the beauty of the race along the Emilia-Romagna Apennines, from Castelnovo ne’ Monti to Lizzano in Belvedere, passing through Fanano and Porretta Terme.

“Appenninica is a very well organised race, with a special atmosphere outside the competitive moments. An event that I would definitely recommend to those looking for an exciting race that combines adventure and a breath-taking scenery“, resumed Fritzsch.

“Last year was a magical race for me, thanks to the excellent Italian hospitality and the atmosphere created by the staff. I enjoyed it so much that not only did I want to be back, but also convinced two friends to join me, from Australia and Costa Rica”, echoed Diesner.

The closing line is about the chances of a repeat for the two Germans.

“Sharing the podium with a friend like Felix last year was special. Together we talked about returning to Appenninica, and I think it will be great to see us competing for the top positions again”, admitted Diesner.

“It will be very tough, but one thing is certain: whoever wins will have deserved the title, 100%”, concluded the King of Appenninica 2021.