Enrico Zen wins the Sportful Dolomiti Race for the second year

Simona Parente wins women's Gran Fondo as Cini and Leonardi conquer the Medio Fondo. A record number of women and International riders took part in 2018

In the last 450 meters uphill pavé, for the second year, victory went to Italian Enrico Zen (Team Green Paper Trek) who launched the decisive attack in the last 200 meters to outsprint Tuscan Stefano Cecchini (Team Scott Granfondo), after leading the race from the Manghen Pass along with Tommaso Elettrico, in third.

Zen won in a time of 6h 32m 20sec, ahead of Cecchini in 6h 32m 34s, and third Electric 6h 33m 20s, fourth was Paolo Castelnovo 6h 33m 25s and fifth Marco Marrone 6h 34m 36s.

Zen won in a time of 6h 32m 20sec, ahead of Cecchini in 6h 32m 34s, and third Electric 6h 33m 20s, fourth was Paolo Castelnovo 6h 33m 25s and fifth Marco Marrone 6h 34m 36s.

The women's race was won by a solo victory by Imona Parente (Team Isolmant), Queen of the 24. Sportful Dolomiti Race with a time of 7h 23m 49s.

The women's race was won by a solo victory by Imona Parente (Team Isolmant), Queen of the 24. Sportful Dolomiti Race with a time of 7h 23m 49s.

A great battle to place behind, between the Swiss Silvia Perrenoud (Rrc Bern) and the home athlete from Feltrina, Gloria Bee (Pedale Feltrino). In the last 450 meters in the historic heart of Feltre before arriving in the spectacular arrival of Piazza Maggiore, the Swiss launched the decisive attack that earned them the second step of the Bernese podium.

Cup winners

Fabio Cini (cycles Copparo) won the Medio Fondo Sportful Dolomiti Race in a time of 3h 58m 15s in front of Romano Domenico and the Trentino Francesco Avanzo (Biemme Garda sport).

Success in the women's over 30 age group went to Jessica Leonardi (Team Lapierre) ahead of Annalisa Prato (Team De Rosa) and the english lady Rhodes Patterson (4h48'45), her first time at the race.

At the start was Olympic and world champion Paolo Bettini who rode the Medio Fondo along with the team champion Purito Joachim Rodriguez . For them the ride was fun, between stops, refreshments and video selfies pedaling. A few minutes behind was European track champion, Letizia Paternoster, with partner Lara Vieceli (Team Astana) took advantage of the Granfondo to do some different training, "The path was beautiful, I had fun, I met a lot of people and I must say that I stopped at all the restaurants and found that they are very stocked with everything!". Paternoster has an important ate at Italian championship next week.

The Start

The Granfondo recorded increasing numbers with over 4, 100 participants, of which almost 1,900 have chosen to tackle the most challenging route, the 206km Gran Fondo with almost 5,000m of vertical climbing and 4 big climbs of Cima Campo, Manghen Pass, Rolle Pass and Croce pass d'Aune. In almost 1,600 opted for the 133km Medio Fondo with over 3,000m of climbing. Many did not want a timing chip, just to enjoy the fun and suffering with many other participants

In 2018, 265 women participated, the most represented Italian province of Treviso (255) followed by Belluno (214), Padua (194) and in turn Vicenza, Milan, Bologna, Venice, Florence, Rome, Modena. Almost all the regions represented with women from Sardinia, Basilicata, Puglia, Valle d'Aosta, Liguria, Sicily, Campania.

Just under 500 international riders took part, the largest group coming from Germany (almost 100 members) followed by Engligh, Dutch, Belgians, Danes, Hungarians, Spaniards, Swiss and Maltese. At the start also two Israelis. "It 's the first granfondo I do, I chose Italy and I chose what I heard to be the hardest and I came to Feltre " said Shine Bar who finished in an excellent time of 10h 33m.

The Organising Team behind the Sportful Dolomiti!