Domper voor deelnemers Dolimiti Superbike

The strong rain and the snowfalls at Prato Piazza (2050 m) made it impossible to continue the race. 3067 bikers from 15 nations, with the Olympic champion Paola Pezzo, the World Cup winner Roel Paulissen (Belgium), the three-times winner Mauro Bettin among them, where stopped at the check points as well as the president of the provincial council Veronika Stirner-Brantsch and the tourism assessor Thomas Widmann.  Only the ranking of the short distance over 28 km has been confirmed. For the men the South Tyroleans got onto the podium: winner is Manuel Gschnell with a time 1:15,16, followed at 25 seconds by Günther Goller. Third was Wilfried Wisthaler (delay 1'48''). For the women the winner was the vice junior World Champion Eva Lechner with 1:23,59, leading with 18'02'' before Sonja Mair. Third was Simone Fabry from Germany (1:48,01). The organisers around OC president Kurt Ploner organized a shuttle service to bring all participants back to Villabassa. The bikes were brought to the Villabassa gym and to the Fire brigade hall. Kurt Ploner, OC president: "As the weather didn't seem to be improving, around 10 o'clock we decided to cancel the race. I told all check points to stop the bikers. Then in cooperation with the Carabinieri, Police, Guardia di Finanza, the Armed Forces and the helicopter of the Army we organised the assistance to the bikers. All participants were brought back to the finish, where hot drinks and blankets had been prepared." The athletes leading on the long distance over 111 km, Mauro Bettin (three times winner) and Roel Paulissen (Belgian champion, World Cup winner and Olympic participant) were stopped at Sesto, after about 56 km and after having passed Monte Elmo, where it was slightly snowing. "The decision to cancel the race was a right one. The organisation was perfect, which is not easy with 3000 participants. We were taken to a car and then straight to our hotel", both declared. The two times Olympic champion Paola Pezzo, who was leading on the 59 km when the race was cancelled, was stopped at km 40 at Prato Piazza: "I was stopped by an officer of the forest or finance police. I was feeling well then, during the climb to Prato Piazza my hands were freezing, but as long as I was cycling it was ok. I didn't expect to find so much snow up there. I thought of going on when they stopped me. I wish to thank the military forces and the fire brigade and all those who helped us, they were great. I also thank the two huts at the top (Prato Piazza e Albergo Croda Rossa) where they event gave us their wash machine to wash and dry our t-shirts before the descent. Now I'll go back home and train for the European Championships in Poland on August 1st.  This means I won't do the Italian Championships next week." On the 59 km middle distance for men crossed the finish. However no official ranking was made, as the other participants were stopped. Franz Hofer (at cancellation 2nd on the middle distance): "In front of me I could see the head bike, and suddenly I noticed that Marco Bui, who was in front of me, had gone. I could only see his track leading to the hut… He obviously had decided to stop in a warm place." Yesterday at Sesto the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the Dolomiti Superbike were held. Several Olympic champions such as Paola Pezzo, Ole Einar Björndalen, Armin Zöggeler, Christian Lahntaler (Paralympics) were there as well as the winner of the New York marathon Gianni Poli and the member of the Italian alpine ski team Manfred Mölgg and the cross-country skier Stefanie Santer. On this occasion the 14 athletes who have taken part in all 10 editions of the Alta Pusteria marathon were honoured. A word of welcome was given by the Assessor for tourism and participant Thomas Widmann and by the President of the Provincial Council Veronika Stirner-Brantsch. www.dolomitisuperbike.com