Mount Vitranc above Kranjska Gora once more hosted the best European
masters riders racing for titles in both downhill and cross-country. In two
days of racing some new champions were crowned, some defended their titles
and we even got a double DH/XC champion.
Riders from 21
European countries took part in MTB Masters
Championships in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia; the venue already
hosted European elite and junior downhill championships in 2009 and Masters
championships in 2009 and 2011. For the second time in the row the titles
were awarded in both cross-country and downhill; first on schedule were
gravity riders.
Fastest among one hundred downhill riders was
Austrian Rüdiger Jahnel in the age group 30-34 years, who
was challenged also by the Slovenian riders, but in the end none could come
close. Host country still won two medals: Saša Merljak was
second in the age group 35-39 years and B (also the event director)
finished third in the 50-54 years group.
Special honors in the
downhill race go to Scottish rider Alastair MacLennan who
won the title in all three championships in Kranjska Gora. Fastest women on
course was Austrian Birgit Braumann – she was fast on
technical sections and had no problems with pedaling and on Sunday we found
out why. She entered also the cross-country race and won the race with a
big margin ahead of Italian Chiara Selva.
On
Sunday it was time for cross-country and as in the past the Italian riders
prevailed. Their riders won in three categories and they also had the
fastest man on course. Massimo Folcarelli became the
champion in the 35-39 years age group for the second time in a row. In the
first part of the race Massimo rode together with French Laurent
Spiesser, also a defending champion in the youngest group 30-34
years, but in the middle he attacked and won the race with a great margin.
Slovenian Robert Kordež took second place behind
Folcarelli and claimed silver for the hosting country.
Kranjska
Gora will host the European MTB masters championships again in
2014.
Results
More photos in mtb.si reports: DHI, XCO
Meet the XC champs, photo Grega
Stopar
