MARCO MENEGARDI WINS THE SPECIAL EDITION OF THE ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP 100 KM in 7 hours, 22 minutes and 4 seconds
PRESS RELEASE N. 13
MARCO MENEGARDI WINS THE SPECIAL EDITION OF THE 100 KM ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP in 7 hours, 22 minutes and 4 seconds.
Second Silvano Beatrici, third Massimo Giacopuzzi. Denise Tapped first among women.
Marco Menegardi from Mantua (Atletica Paratico), born in 1986, won the special edition of the 100 km FIDAL absolute and master road Italian Championship at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari racetrack in Imola, 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. The absolute podium was closed by Massimo Giacopuzzi (US Dolomitica Asd) more than 14 and a half minutes from the summit, author of a great progression. Two minutes away from Giacopuzzi, in fourth position, Marco Visintini (Unione Sportiva Aldo Moro).
Fifth Angelo Martino Marzari, sixth Gabriele Turroni and seventh Denise Tappatà. In the women’s field, success of the athlete SEF Stamura Ancona Asd who finished the race in 8 hours, 7 minutes and 22 seconds, seventh overall at the finish line more than 45 minutes behind the winner. 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 was crucial.
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 edge 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 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 climbed into fourth position recovering in the final. Five people rescued by the Red Cross during the race.
For more information see the official website of the event:
https://live.endu.net/100km-del-passatore/
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