18 maart werd de Gran Canaria Marathon verreden. Bij een temperatuur waar velen onder ons momenteel naar verlangen legden de 226 mountainbikers uit 11 verschillende landen de marathon af. In 101 kilometer moest 2500 hoogtemeters bedwongen worden. Spanjaard Hector Guerra Gracia won de wedstrijd bij de mannen. Bij de vrouwen verpulverde de Zweedse Åsa Erlandsson alles en iedereen. Op de volgende pagina vind je het engelse persbericht van de organisatie.
Hector Guerra Garcia and Åsa Erlandsson win second Gran Canaria Marathon
Gran Canaria (sgh) – Bright blue skies and temperatures around 20°C made for the perfect setting for Gran Canaria’s second Open MTB Marathon, the opener of the Austrian TREK Mountainbike Challenge 2006. 226 mountain bikers from 11 different countries started in Maspalomas on Saturday morning, three times more than in the inaugural race last year. Three road pros arranged the podium among themselves. Spaniard Hector Guerra Garcia won the 101 kilometre long lap with 2500 metres in elevation gain superiorly with a lead by more than 10 minutes. In the women category, Swedish Åsa Erlandsson destroyed her competitors. Her lead amounted to 55 minutes and 17 seconds when she reached the finish.
The dry, fast and rough marathon course, that just recently had to be rerouted due to heavy winter rainfalls, accommodated the roadies. Multiple Austrian Champion Hans Peter Obwaller hit the gas right after the start and set a very high pace which only Spaniard Hector Guerra Garcia was able to follow. Chasing the leaders were Spanish road pro Carlos Nicolas Coloma, Crocodile Trophy winner Roland Stauder (ITA), and Marathon specialist Tobias Heimkreitner (GER).
Gran Canaria’s second mountain bike marathon led the participants through several climate and vegetation zones, beautiful Canyons and stunning rock formations. The downhill sections across eroded volcano rocks were especially hard on man and material – quite a few bikers had breakdowns and flats. Hans Peter Obwaller, too, was unlucky. When he had his fourth mechanical, the third placed Austrian was supported by his competitor Tobias Heimkreitner who in an act of fairness stopped to help him repair his bike. “You are faster than I am”, he stated.
The diverse and well secured course put the best features of mountain bike paradise Gran Canaria on display. Spectacular views with deep gorges and the shimmering sea on the horizon awarded the Marathon participants for their stress and strains. They crossed the Ayagaures dam, rode through the picturesque Canary village Fataga, past the palm tree fringed reservoir of La Sorrueda, and climbed the gravel road to St. Bartholomé, where they could throw a glance at many ancient stone caves along their way. On the last few kilometres the riders had their sights on the deep blue sea. Knowing that the finish line is near made the last few demanding downhills on rough gravel paths where every millimetre of suspension was appreciated less dreadful.
Hector Guerra Garcia was the first to cross the finish line at Parque Urbano del Sur in Maspalomas after 4 hours, 11 minutes and 13 seconds. With an average speed of 24 km/h he established a lead by more than 10 minutes over compatriot Nicolas Carlos Coloma (4:22.04). Despite four mechanicals, Hans Peter Obwaller (4:29.27) managed to secure his place on the podium in front of Tobias Heimkreitner (4:31.44) and Roland Stauder (4:34.44).
Swedish rider Åsa Erlandsson had a ‚lonesome’ race. She only saw her competitors at the finish – about one hour after she had arrived in Maspalomas. With her time of 5:19.43, Åsa placed 18th overall and won the female category predominantly, followed by Spanish rider Fátima Blazques Lozano (6:15.18) on second place and German Sandra Sumerauer (6:20.58) on third.
German Four Cross World Cup rider Sascha Meyenborg participated in the short distance race over 38 kilometres and 800 vertical metres along with 70 other mountain bikers and came in third overall (first in his age group) with a time of 1:48.38.
„This Marathon was perfectly organised. The course was well secured and the feed stations along the route and at the finish line were outstanding. My compliments to the organisers”, stated overall winner Hector Guerra Garcia after the race. He wasn’t the only one. “We were praised a lot”, smiled Marathon organiser Petra Wonisch. “And that did us good, because it is the only reward we get for our hard work. After all, we are all volunteers. And there are countless helping hands involved in this event. Seeing so many happy and satisfied faces at our ‘Noche Latina’, our after race party where the participants danced and celebrated until dawn, made me forget the stress of the past days and weeks.”