After 10 years, this European MTB Marathon Championships for the first time in Lusatia as part of the Malevil Cups in the Czech Republic. Steep climbs, rugged descents and a prominent starting group: in addition to the reigning European champion Natalia Fischer (SPA), European and world champion Andreas Seewald (GER) and Olympic champion Jaroslav Kulhavy (CZE) also lined up at the start in Jablonné v Podjestedi. And five-time Cape Epic winner Karl Platt (GER) also tried to defend his European Championship title in the Masters class. Spoiler: unfortunately without success.
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The men in the elite class had 100 rocky and rooty kilometres ahead of them. After the Italian Fabian Rabensteiner from the Wilier Triestina - Pirelli Factory Team initially saved his energy and rode with the field, he really stepped up his game in the second part of the race. He chased down the Polish rider Krzyszstof Lukasik, was finally able to close the gap to him and took the jersey of the European MTB Marathon Champion. The Czech Olympic champion Jaroslav Kulhavy crossed the finish line in third place. This makes Fabian Rabensteiner the European Marathon Champion and Italian Champion, which he won last September. The best Germans in the elite men's race: Jakob Hartmann in 8th place and Simon Schneller in tenth place.
"What a wonderful day! Everything went as planned, I prepared for this event with the utmost commitment and knew that I had good fitness. The fact that I was able to win is really a dream come true."
- Fabian Rabensteiner
For the reigning European MTB marathon champion, Andi Seewald, on the other hand, the race in the German-Czech border region was not very successful: he finished 16th, more than 15 minutes behind Rabensteiner. Karl Platt - as already mentioned - had to settle for bronze in the Masters class 40-44.
Reigning and new European champion: Natalia Fischer
There were no surprises in the leading group in the women's race over the 90-kilometre course from Jablonné v Podjestedi. The reigning European champion in the mountain bike marathon, Natalia Fischer (Spain), also won this race. She finished on the podium with Janina Wüst (2nd place, Switzerland) and Claudia Peretti (Italy). The German riders finished in 9th and 21st place, with Stefanie Dohrn a good 18 minutes behind the first-placed Fischer ahead of Dörte Martischewsky.
