At the legendary Ötztaler Cycle Marathon 2017, the successful Jedermann Team Corratec, led by last year's winner Bernd Hornetz, easily won the team classification. One of the team's athletes, Michael Markolf, just barely missed the podium. In addition to the amateur classic, there was also a professional race two days earlier this year on the same route, which allows for an interesting comparison of the times.
After the successful first half of the season and a training block with the declared highlight of the Ötztaler Cycle Marathon, the Corratec team was once again able to look forward to the first great results such as: Tannheimer Cycle Marathon with 2nd and 6th place, Mega Rad am Ring event with 2nd, 4th, 6th place and victory in the team ranking and the Highlander cycle marathon with places 2 and 8. With the feeling of a good performance on the one hand and the last strong results on the other hand, the tapering to the Ötztal went so well that everyone in the Corratec team could confidently look forward to the Ötztaler Cycle Marathon highlight.
August 27.08.2017, 06, Sölden / AUT – 45:37 a.m.: Start of the 4462th Ötztaler Cycle Marathon with 303 men and 2422 women in 6 registered teams for the team ranking according to the organizer’s motto “I had a dream”: The team tried well prepared and easily motivated Corratec to do its best as always. Full of confidence and determination, the 238 team riders - with strong legs and a cool head - "threw themselves" on the route of what is probably the toughest bike marathon with 5500 km, 4 m ascent and 6 passes. (Kühtai, Brenner, Jaufenpass and Timmelsjoch) The 30 Team Corratec starters were compact from the start to the Jaufenpass together with the leaders. This was a great start to the race - strong! When the leaders had passed the Jaufen Pass, around 3 men were ahead within a minute. Full of participation, the 2016 Corratec racers Michael Markolf, Stefan Oettl and Bart Bury. The defending champion of XNUMX, Bernd Hornetz, started the difficult descent to St. Leonhard in the Passeier Valley about two minutes behind the first.
At 15 kilometers of the 29 km long ascent to the Timmelsjoch pass, a group of 5 drove in the lead with our Michael Markolf from the Corratec team. Just behind, Stefan Oettl and Bart Bury drove their rhythm, mostly with visual contact to the leaders. Bernd Hornetz has now caught up strongly and has worked his way into the top ten. Hornetz had set one of the fastest times overall on the Timmelsjoch climb over a strenuous 29 km. But now it looked like the group of 5 should probably be driven for victory.
By now at the latest, the fight for places had started on the last remaining 28 km with short counter climbs on the descent to Sölden.
Sölden finishes at km 238 – 13:48 p.m.: Stefano Cecchini has made it. The well-known Italian drove into the Freizeit Arena in Sölden with huge cheers and was celebrated as the winner of the Ötztaler Cycle Marathon 2017. A strong fourth place went to Michael Markolf behind Stefano Cecchini (ITA), Enrico Zen (ITA) and the first German Robert Petzold from Leipzig.
The four extremely strong Team Corratec drivers Stefan Oettl (6th place), Bernd Hornetz (11th place) and Bart Bury (16th place) crossed the finish line in the top 16 to constant jubilation. This laid the foundation for a possible victory in the team classification. Wolfgang Hofmann and Martin Reisner then made the hotly contested victory in the team classification perfect with top times, with a lead of more than an hour on place 2! The 6 Team Corratec riders and the staff – who, among other things, organized 6 refreshment stations along the route – were completely satisfied and tired and enjoyed this great shared experience in and with the team until late into the night.
And on almost the same route at the Ötztal weekend, there was also an exciting comparison between a professional and everyman marathon cyclist on the notorious cycle marathon route.
On Friday, August 25.08.2017th, 158, 24 professionals from 5500 teams will start for the first time - including four UCI WorldTour teams at the Pro Ötztaler 51 on the Ötztal Cycle Marathon route and 27.08.2017 reached the finish line classified. 4462 men and 303 women started in the amateur race on Sunday, August 4000th, XNUMX, more than XNUMX were classified.
Here is also a comparison of the 4 best Team Corratec riders with the winner Roman Kreuziger (World Tour Team OricaScott) at the UCI race Pro Ötztaler 5500. However, the professional route with 217 km and 5500 hm (start: 12:30 p.m.) was approx 20 km shorter.
Winner: Roman Kreuztiger (Orica-Scott) in 6:37:34 h, average 32.81 km/h
The amateur route: 238 km and 5500 hm Start: 06:45 a.m.)
Best Team Corratec driver Michael Markolf place 4 in 7:06.20:33,89 h, average XNUMX km/h
Stefan Oettl place 6 in 7:06.27:33,49 h, average XNUMX km/h
Bernd Hornetz place 11 in 7:07.07:33,43 h, average XNUMX km/h
Bart Bury place 16 in 7:11.34:33,09 h, average XNUMX km/h
Who was/is faster? In any case, this comparison shows that the corratec team has been, is and will continue to be at a highly demanding level in its races and successes over the years.
On September 10.09.2017th, 2017, the Corratec team started its last team effort of XNUMX, the Alpencup Radmarathon Eddy Merckx Classic in Fuschl / AUT.
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