Cycling, Oetztalers for more than 4000 amateurs

There were also 622 Italians, among the over 4000 athletes who gave birth to the number 44 edition of the Ötztaler Radmarathon, the hardest granfondo there is, with its 5500 meters in altitude distributed on 227 km. “Athletes”, yes, because even those who had no ambitions of the ranking have however given the, in the “dreamy” spirit of this race that in the end rewards the most tenacious and wears them with the very ambitious shirt reserved for “finisher”, or to those who cross the finish line within the maximum time. The last classified, here in the Ötz valley, is brought in triumph as those who win: it reaches sun already widely set and crowns the “traum”, the dream of completing an undertaking destined to remain in the memory of each cyclist.

Slaughter

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The path is the same for everyone: no discounts, no choice. The start is at 6.30 from Sölden in the Tyrolean Valle of the Ötztal, from where the serpentone of cyclists continues towards the polls of the Ötztal, when the sky is still tinged with the lights of dawn. From there you face the Kühtai (2,020 m), the first step after a descent of about 30 km. The route, in the direction of Brennero (1,377 m), borders in Italy in Vipiteno, subsequently climbing the passage Giovo (2,090) and the very dreaded rhombus (2,509 m), and then returning to Sölden in Tyrol. In summary: 40.5 km of flat path, 95.7 km of climb and 101.9 km of descent. Fortunately – what at all obvious at the end of August – the race has held under a blue sky without cloud, with the sun to illuminate the road, also for the 392 women who have started (the female presence grows in an encouraging way, year after year).

Prophet at home

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The sense of Ötztaler Radmarathon is essentially one: get to the finish line, or at least try with all our strength. Some news notes, however, also deserves the competitive side of this Sunday, also because the winner touched the absolute chronometric record, missing it for just one minute: it was the Tyrolean Daniel Federspiel in 6 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 55 seconds to impose himself. In second place Jonas Holzknecht (6.52.26), local athlete of Laengenfeld, third the Swiss Matthias Reutmann. The first of the Italians, Stefano Cecchini, fifth, closing in 6.52.55. On the female podium, for the third consecutive year, he celebrated the German Janine Meyer (7.22.32) in front of his compatriot Eva Sacien and the Austrian Belinda Holzer. Next edition: in an almost exact year, on August 30, 2026. The “dream” continues.