ENDURA Alpen-Traum
Enrico Zen Dominates & Nadja Prieling Defends Her Title
News Release / 17.09.2015
Magnificent landscape, fantastic races, exuberant champions: The 3rdENDURA Alpen-Traum in a nutshell. Benefitting from optimal external conditions, Italian racer Enrico Zen (Beraldo Greenpaper team) garnered first place in Sulden am Ortler after 252 kilometers (157 miles) and 6,078 meters (19,941 feet) of elevation change. After taking second place last year, this year last year’s second clocked 8:34.04 hours, ahead of Roman Herrmann from the state of Baden-Wurttemberg (Continental team) by 16.38 minutes and ahead of Robert Petzold from Saxony (21.14 minutes behind), when he crossed the Finish line in the winter sports resort at 1900 m (6234 ft.) above sea level. For the outstanding Zen, the victory in the Alpine dream and nightmare race, the ENDURA Alpen-Traum, was the second most important victory within two weeks after his triumph in the Ötztal bike marathon.
There was just no recipe for beating this lightweight cyclist of only 56 kg (124 lbs.) from Veneto. When the 29-year-old arrived at the bottom of the Umbrail pass after 210 km (130.5 mi.), the decision of who would take first place in the third edition of the ENDURA Alpen-Traum was already more or less a done deal. Nobody from the 10-person leading group even came close to matching Zen's speed. The Italian was out of the saddle most of the time while climbing to the top of the pass at 2501 m (8,205 ft.) and was almost 10 minutes ahead of Robert Petzold. At the highest point, the Stilfser Joch pass at 2757 m (9045 ft.) above sea level, Zen still found enough time to pull on his gloves and windbreaker for the racy downhill with 48 switchbacks. After that he took the final climb to Sulden like a breeze and was only three minutes over last year's best time despite the strong headwind.
“Enrico is simply in a class of his own. For me, though, this second place counts the same as a victory,” cheered a fatigued, but blissfully happy Roman Herrmann at the Finish. After third place in 2013 and 8th last year, the racer from the state of Wuerttemberg clearly missed the winner’s step, but did achieve an extremely tactical and physical performance just the same. During the climb up the Stilfser Joch pass, the 34-year-old was almost beat in the battle for 2nd place, but then fought his way up to Petzold again and came to within 20 seconds of him at the top of the pass at 2757 m. (9,045 ft.) above sea level. “If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s downhills,” laughs the racer from Upper Swabia, Hermann. In Gomagoi, at the end of the descent, he was two minutes ahead of Petzold, who lost three more minutes in the final ascent, but didn’t fret. "I get to stand on the winner's podium, so what more do I want," says the student from Freiberg near Dresden.
At the Start at 6:30 AM in Sonthofen, the racers who had signed up for the long distance encountered ideal conditions.
At the speed of an intercity train, the racers rode over the Oberjoch pass (1200 m/3937 ft.) to the Hahntennjoch pass (1894 m/6214 ft.), fought a stormy headwind up to Pillerhöhe (1559 m/5115 ft.), continued south to the Reschen pass (1507 m/4944 ft.) - and after that, into the Vinschgau region in Italy. A group of eleven with all the favorites had formed at the head after the Pillerhöhe pass. They were hindered slightly by livestock being driven from their summer pastures; other than that, though, they rode together famously.
“With the wind, there was absolutely no way you could break away and go it alone early on,” explained Enrico Zen. Despite the snowfalls of the previous days on the Stilfser Joch pass, the route couldn’t have been better. 13° C (55 F) at the top of the pass and beautiful sunshine made the 3rd ENDURA Alpen-Traum Alpine dream and nightmare into a wonderful dream and adventure for the 809 participants.
In the Woman's class, Nadja Prieling (Austria) took first in the long-distance race with a time of 10:32.10 hours, thereby successfully defending her title of the previous year.
Christian Weber (from Spreitenbach, 9:11:24 hours), was the champion in the Master’s Class, making him Bernd Hornetz’s successor. Hornetz from Karlsruhe, the best German marathon rider, had cancelled shortly before the race due to illness. In the Senior Master Men’s Class, Ex-Telekom pro Mario Kummer was in good shape, but fell behind the lead group on the climb up to Pillerhöhe. With a time of 9:41:09 hours, he came in fourth behind the Italian victor, Stefano Pilo (9:30.02 hours).
In the short-distance race of 146 km (91 mi.) with the Start in Landeck and the Finish in Sulden, the Austrian, Daniel Wabnegg crossed the Finish line first in the Men’s class with a time of 5:37.15 hours. Like last year, the Italian, Marina Ilmer was the fastest woman (6:21.48 hours).
First place in the Men’s Class in the 118 km (73 mi.) race starting in Landeck and following the direct route though Prad and to Sulden went to Daniel Biehler (Austria, 4:23.11 hours). In the ladies’ competition, Julia Agerer (Austria) came in first after 6:26.36 hours.
You can find all the results at: http://services.datasport.com/2015/velo/alpentraum/
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