Limone Piemonte crowns Andrea Bruno the first Italian superenduro champion

Limone Piemonte is officially part of the history of the mountain bike world, and this was achieved thanks to Superenduro. The alpine resort hosted the second race of the PRO circuit 2011, also valid as first ever Italian championship of the speciality Enduro.

A milestone along the path of this discipline to the official recognition even by the international cycling federation (UCI). This Superenduro is burning stages, born five years ago by a group of people who believed in what then seemed like a gamble, but today is something else.

Since 2011, the circuit is recognized by the Italian Cycling Federation and this great day of Limone is only a starting point to future success.

Limone, thanks to the efforts of the local organization, has staged another great day Superenduro: over 250 bikers came to take part of the event and the spectators could follow the race using the lifts to reach the tracks, the same ones used by athletes for the transfers.

The race was tough and long, the longest in the history of Superenduro! Three special stages repeated twice for a total of six PS, a real marathon that has put a strain on both the athletes and the bikes!

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The race was held along the tracks of the new bike park in Limone Piemonte, which will soon become one of the Italian most beautiful gravity destinations with a big diversity of trails available. Suitable for both beginners and experts, here everyone can have fun, even those who want to try for the first time the thrill of a descent on the same path trodden by the greatest Italian and European riders.

The local organization led by Elio Bottero in addition to the route chosen for this second PRO 2011 was measure up to an Italian championship and allowed the regular running of the event in the village and along the paths.

The tracks were technique with roots in the undergrowth and natural obstacles alternating meadows on the mountain slopes and downhill on uneven and stony ground. Before the race it was impossible to make a prediction on the winner, the only certainty was that it would win the rider who was able to find the best compromise in the settings of the bike.

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Three totally different special stages gave hard time and extra work to the mechanics to find the best setup with the rider on the bike. Packed earth, rocks, gravel and even, after yesterday’s rain, the mud. The main dilemma was the choice of tires but also the suspension settings, played an important role in this race to ensure the perfect fit all the time.

The first half of the race made it clear who were the central player of the game, with Andrea Bruno which has won all the first three special stages. The winner of the 2010 circuit has prepared the stage of Limone Piemonte for a long time, and already in the morning it seemed very determined to wear the first tricolour jersey in the history of Superenduro.

After 3 PS in second place was the French rider Karim Amour, winner of the race of Sestri Levante. Despite numerous problems, a puncture and problems at the chain guide, Davide Sottocornola still managed to hold the gap to attack the two opponents in the second lap of the race. The leading trio is, however, closely followed by Alex Lupato, slightly tired after the third special stage, and the Englishman Alex Stock, teammate of Amour.

In this first phase of the race the riders have been able to bring out the high technical level of the competition and are concentrated for the last three special stages, all pushed to win and to write a page of history of mountain biking.

Under the race office tent everyone was anxiously awaiting the times of the special stages, which are visible on a giant screen, the endless challenge of the best athletes in the Superenduro has enthralled everyone, including insiders.

At the end the winner was Andrea Bruno, team Ready2Ride, that special stage after special stage built his victory, dominating the race from the first minute. Davide Sottocornola, Team GT 360 Degrees, finished second overall, thanks to a comeback in the second part of the day, especially with a strong performance in the last PS, the sixth, where he wrought all and gained 15 seconds on Karim Amour, Team Kona Nissan, who finished third.

The pursuit of the trio head by Alex Lupato was unfortunately interrupted by some mechanical problems that forced him to close twenty-third. While the constancy of Alex Stock, Vittorio Gambirasio and Marco Rodolico was awarded respectively the fourth, fifth and sixth place overall.

14 total tricolour jersey were assigned to the winners of various categories from the Italian Championship Superenduro. In addition to Andrea Bruno (Elite), the first Italian Absolute Enduro Champion, also Alex Lupato (Elite Master), Mark Rodolico (Master 1), Peter Cuffini (Master 2), Stefano Migliorini (Masters 3), Emilio Sala (Master 4) Francesco Baroni (Master 5), Mario Peak (Master 6), Marianna Uttini (Woman 1), Loris Sinks (Beginners), Gianluca Vernassa (Student), Caire Charles (Junior), Victor Gambirasio (Under 23) and Alia Marcellini ( Elite Woman), are the protagonists of this unforgettable day of Italian mountain biking.

With the PRO stage of today officially began the long hot summer of Superenduro, culminating with the Enduro MTB Trophy of the Nations of Sauze d’Oulx the weekend of 6-7 August.

The calendar is very dense: in two weeks we have first the penultimate sprint of the year in Ala di Stura (TO) and the next week we expect you all at the third PRO stage in Piancavallo (PN), location of the north-east facing the circuit for the first time.