Last year’s winner Leonardo Paez from Colombia and European Champion Adelheid Morath from Germany won the 28th Dolomiti Superbike in fantastic weather on Saturday. Two South Tyroleans also celebrated in the two elite races, as Fabian Rabensteiner (Villandro) and Agnes Tschurtschenthaler from Sesto both finished on the podium in second place. Almost 3000 bikers from 41 different countries delivered a great spectacle in the region 3 Zinnen Dolomite.
Leonardo Paez and the Dolomiti Superbike – a legend story crowned with success. The Colombian athlete, who will celebrate his 41st birthday on Monday, triumphed for the fifth time in the marathon classic in the region 3 Zinnen Dolomite. At first, other bikers were ahead on the 123 kilometre long distance with 3400 metres of ascent. After just under half of the course, the South American was in sixth place, two minutes behind Juri Ragnoli from Brescia.
On Baranci, there therefore after a racing time of three hours, Paez had halvedthe gap and rode in a strong chasing pack, which included Martin Stosek from the Czech Republic as well as Italians Diego Rosa, Fabian Rabensteiner and Lorenzo Samparisi. As so often in the Dolomiti Superbike, the die was cast, on Prato Piazza, where Paez made his decisive attack and was able to gain almost a minute on the chasing pack. He then defended this lead and crossed the finish line as the winner after 4:37.39 hours. Fabian Rabensteiner, who narrowly edged out Martin Stosek, won the sprint for second place. The athlete from Villandro put all his eggs in one basket on the last downhill and eventually won by a razor-thin margin.
Adelheid Morath celebrates a start-finish victory
In the women’s elite class, Adelheid Morath won the middle distance with a length of 85 km and 2360 metres of ascent. The 38-year-old from Stegen in the Black Forest took enormous risks and put tremendous pressure on the top field. The reigning European Champion gradually extended her lead and won the 28th edition of the South Tyrolean classic with a time of 3:46.04 hours. Agnes Tschurtschenthaler surprisingly came in second. The athlete from Sesto did not start with the elite racers, but ten minutes later with the peloton. With a net time of 3:52.39 hours, the former world-class athlete outperformed the top bikers and also benefited from a “diversion” that Morath’s pursuers had to take because they had missed a turn-off. Third place went to Costanza Fasolis from Turin, who also surged ahead because athletes such as last year’s winner Claudia Peretti took one wrong turn. Fasolis finished in 3:53.02 hours.
The winner of the men’s 85 kmis Lorenzo Trincheri. The U23 racer from Liguria won with a time of 3:17.32 hoursand relegated Christian Cominelli(Brescia/3:18.47 hours) and Belgian Roel Paulissen(3:20.26), who lives in Antholz, to the places of honour.
The 28th Dolomiti Superbike also included the classic distance of 60 kilometres and 1570 metres of ascent. Here, Klaus Fontana from Olang triumphed in the men’s race after 2:21.07 hours. Second place went to an Austrian biker, Daniel Webhofer from Strassen, while Benjamin Schwingshackl from Val Casies was happy with his third place (2:22.28).
In the women’s race, Poland’s Anna Urban repeated her victory of last year. This time the 43-year-old from Lodz prevailed in 2:59.09 hours and stayed just underthe magic 3-hour mark. Two South Tyroleans, Daniela Brugger (Dobbiaco) and Hannah Wiesthaler (San Candido) completed the podium. Greta Recchia from Fondi made the annals of the 28th Dolomiti Superbike as the winner of the women’s 123 km distance.
Dolomiti Superbike 2023
123 km Overall Elite Men
1. Leon Hector Leonardo Paez 4:37:39,6 (COL)
2. Fabian Rabensteiner 4:38.34,5 (ITA)
3. Martin Stosek 4:38:34,6 (CZ)
4. Lorenzo Samparisi 4:38.35,5 (ITA)
5. Diego Rosa 4:38:41,7 (ITA)
123 km Overall Women
1.Recchia Greta 6:26.19,0 (ITA)
2.Caprari Elisabetta 6:58.56,0 (ITA)
3.D Introno Barbara 7:06.44,1 (ITA)
4.De Biasio Egizia 7:11.34,0 (ITA)
5.Tamburini Christiana 7:21.12,7 (ITA)
85 km Overall Elite Men
1. Lorenzo Trincheri 3:17:32,5 (ITA)
2. Cristian Cominelli 3:18:47,9 (ITA)
3. Roel Paulissen 3:20.26 (BEL)
4. Andrea Candeago 3:21:18,1 (ITA)
5. Michele Guadagnini 3:22.12 (ITA)
85 km Overall Elite Women
1. Adelheid Morath 3:46:04,1 (GER)
2. Agnes Tschurtschenthaler 3:52:39,2 (ITA)
3. Costanza Fasolis 3:53:02,4 (ITA)
4. Irina Luetzelschwab 3:54:20,4 (CH)
5. Sandra Mairhofer3:54:20,7 (ITA)
60 km Overall Men
1. Klaus Fontana 2:21:07,7 (ITA – Torpado Südtirol)
2. Daniel Webhofer 2:21:34,9 (ITA – dolomite.bike)
3. Benjamin Schwingshackl 2:22:28,1 (ITA)
4. Philipp Plunger 2:23:42,4 (ITA – Martini Team)
5. Alberto Magnani 2:23:44,2 (ITA)
60 km Overall Women
1. Anna Urban 2:59:09,6 (POL)
2. Daniela Brugger 3:05:34,3 (ITA)
3. Hannah Wiesthaler 3:08:56,4 (ITA – Team Eirisch Grill)
4. Andrea Brugger 3:14:50,3 (ITA)
5. Sophie Auer 3:15:18,5 (ITA)
View full results HERE