GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE SPECIAL EDITION OF THE ITALIAN 100 KM CHAMPIONSHIP IN IMOLA
PRESS RELEASE No. 14
GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE SPECIAL EDITION OF THE ITALIAN 100 KM CHAMPIONSHIP IN IMOLA
Marco Menegardi winner of the 2021 edition, in the women’s field Denise Tappata stands out. Over 300 athletes at the start, 130 retired.
The one staged at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari Autodrome in Imola on 22 May 2021 can easily be defined as a great success. The Special Edition of the Italian 100 km road championship FIDAL gave a lot of emotions thanks also to a formidable organizational machine. Marco Menegardi from Mantua (Atletica Paratico), born in 1986, won the Italian 100 km title by recording the time of 7 hours, 22 minutes and 4 seconds. Third Italian 100 km Championship on the bulletin board for the formidable Menegardi, winner of the 47th edition of the 100 km del Passatore in 2019. Marco’s success never questioned starting from the 55th kilometer, thanks to overtaking the provisional leader of the race Silvano Beatrici ( Asd GS Phrasing), then second on the finish line less than a minute behind the winner. Massimo Giacopuzzi (US Dolomitica Asd) closes the absolute podium, more than 14 and a half minutes from the summit.
PRESS RELEASE No. 14
Two minutes away from Giacopuzzi, in fourth position, Marco Visintini (Unione Sportiva Aldo Moro). Fifth Angelo Martino Marzari (Pol Dil Santa Lucia) – first Romagna at the finish -, sixth Gabriele Turroni (Asd 100 km del Passatore), seventh Denise Tappata ‘(SEF Stamura Ancona Asd), eighth Filippo Bovanini (Atl Avis Castel San Pietro), ninth Mauro Gagliardini (Athletics Cral Banco Popolare) and tenth Maurizio D’Andrea (Asd Gruppo Podistico il Crampo). In the women’s field success of Denise Tappata ‘who finished the race in 8 hours, 7 minutes and 23 seconds. Tappata ‘was at the top of the race until the early stages, challenging herself with very fierce opponents. The overtaking on Francesca Bravi after the 70th kilometer is crucial. Behind the Tappata ‘, in the women’s field, 21’ behind Ilaria Bergaglio (Atl. Novese) and, more late, Francesca Bravi (Grottini Team Recanati Ad), almost 40 seconds behind the athlete of the SEF Stamura Ancona). 302 starters, 130 retired, 40 registered women athletes, 35 newcomers, 17 from Faenza, 60 from Romagna. On Saturday 22 May at 10.03 the president of the 100 km del Passatore Giordano Zinzani and Massimo Grandi, FIDAL delegate, started the hostilities. Air temperature 19 degrees, cloudy sky with moderate wind and slightly humid climate. The 302 competitors, respecting the strict FIDAL protocol due to the Covid-19 pandemic, started at a distance of one meter from each other in different brackets, wearing a mask.
After the first 500 meters, the competitors diligently threw the mask in the special containers. The first lap, shorter than the other 20 scheduled since the start was located near the Tosa, saw Giorgio Calcaterra in the lead, followed by Marco Menegardi and, slightly more detached, a group of five runners who will occupy the positions on the margins of the top three. On the second complete lap Matteo Lucchese (Atletica Avis Castel San Pietro) went on the run, being then overtaken by Massimo Leonardi (X-Bionic Running Team) after 33 minutes of running, followed by a minute of detachment from Martino Angelo Marzari (Pol. Dilettantistica Santa Lucia) and Marco Visintini (Team Aldo Moro Paluzza). The provisional leader Leonardi began the lapped around 40 minutes into the race, a phase in which even timid drops of rain fell, albeit for a very short period. The favorites Marco Menegardi and “king” Giorgio Calcaterra kept compact in the middle of the group with very small gaps between them.
After a third of the race Leonardi increased his advantage over the favorites (6 seconds) while Lucchese joined the group made up of Calcaterra, Pessina, Marzari and Menegardi. Lucchese then took the lead at the 47th kilometer while Leonardi, long-time leader of the race, slipped out of the top 10 and retired shortly after. Towards the middle of the race Marzari overtook Pessina for the second position. At the 50th kilometer Beatrici took the lead, followed by Menegardi and Lucchese. The 2019 Champion del Passatore finally overtook Beatrici a few kilometers later, with Lucchese falling fourth behind Giacopuzzi. The latter then recovered by hoisting himself second behind Menegardi who took off thanks to an excellent race conduct, long praised by the commentators. On lap 52 Calcaterra was the victim of a crisis that forced him to stop, then resuming the delayed race in 27th place, failing to recover many positions. Beatrici and Giacopuzzi exchanged positions several times in the second part of the race, always kept at a safe distance from the leader Menegardi. Visintini at the 75th kilometer hoisted himself in fourth position recovering in the final. Five people rescued by the Red Cross during the race.
The special edition of the Italian 100 km FIDAL road championship was made possible thanks to the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipality of Faenza, the Municipality of Imola and Formula Imola; thanks to the sponsors BCC Credito Cooperativo Ravennate Forlivese and Imolese, Consorzio Vini di Romagna, HOKA ONE ONE, Acquainbrick, Natura Nuova, Coop Alleanza 3.0, Moreno, Caviro, Eurocompany, Kiron, S.F.E.R.A. srl, Betti Macchine and OraSì.
As every year, there are many voluntary associations and health services that have lent their service to the realization of the events organized by the Asd 100 km del Passatore.
Curious episode in the race finale when an athlete from Pol Dil Santa Lucia (Le Linci), after crossing the finish line, made a marriage proposal to his girlfriend. The couple’s friends gathered (respecting the Covid-19 distances) around the two while, the runner, knelt, putting forward the challenging proposal. After a cry of happiness, the girlfriend agreed to the proposal.
The 22 May service made in Imola dedicated to the Special Edition of the Italian 100 km absolute and master Championship will be broadcast on DI.TV channel 90 Thursday 3 June at 20.10, Saturday 5 June at 12.15, Monday 7 June at 21 , Wednesday 9 June at 16.20, Friday 11 June at 13.10, Sunday 13 June at 18.30 plus other reruns. The service will always be available on demand on Sport2U.tv (Oasport.it tv player).
The RAI service at 12 noon on 23 May on the third channel.
For more information see the official website of the event:
https://endu.net/100km-del-passatore/
Press Office
