Ferreira and Nisi victorious at KronplatzKing MTB Marathon 2019

Press Release / 22.07.2019

The famous Kronplatz has a new royal couple. Tiago Ferreira (POR) and Maria Cristina Nisi (ITA) have won the 2019 edition of the KronplatzKing MTB Marathon on a track which has been partially renewed this year.

The Portuguese World Champion of 2016 mastered the 73km long distance and its 3,250 metres of climbing in a time of 3:48.50 and therefore relegated former European Champion Aleksei Medvedev (RUS) to second place (+1.56 min). Third rank went to Frans Claes from Belgium (+2.29 min), who was fourth last year.

On his winning ride, the 30-year-old cross country specialist from the DMT Racing Team did not allow himself to be slowed down by a broken spoke. Consistent throughout the whole course, the European Champion of 2018 set a high pace right from the start and was already in the lead at the first intermediate time; and did not give it up.

Mattia Longa (ITA; +4.14 min), Cristian Cominelli (ITA; +5.06 min), José Dias (POR; +7.06 min), Daniele Mensi (ITA; +7.56 min), Roel Paulissen (BEL; +9.13 min), Armin Dalvai (ITA; +10.17 min) and Markus Kaufmann (GER; +11.12 min) completed the top-10 of the top-class male field.

For the ladies, Maria Cristina Nisi was best able to cope with the changing weather conditions and the new routing, which included the area around La Val-Wengen more strongly.

More panorama and fewer forest passages were the motto for this year's route, on which the athlete from Grosseto quickly left her mark. Already at the first intermediate time in Tamersc, the 33-year-old racing for Team New Bike 2008 was more than three minutes in front. Later on, she was able to even extend her lead further more, before her strongest rival Esther Suess (SUI) once again tried to close the gap.

Without success: In the end, Nisi won after 4:44.38 hours and with 3.24 minutes ahead of the Swiss World Champion from 2010. Chiara Burato (ITA; +10.17 min) finished third on the podium.

In 2019, a total of 700 participants had taken part tackling one of the two courses of the KronplatzKing MTB Marathon with Klara Ursch and Peter Menghetti coming out first on the shorter distance and therefore became the claimants to the throne of this year's edition.

While the Italian was the first to master the 49km and 2,130 metres of climbing in a time of 2:41.55 leaving Michael Mayer (AUT; +2.00 min) and Michele Zoran (ITA; +4.10 min) in second and third place, last year's female winner Ursch completed the course in 3:31.19 hours.

Second and third place went to her rivals Katrien Geuens from Belgium (+10.09 min) and Alexandra Oberhollenzer (ITA; +13.15).

Results
KING MARATHON 73 km – 3.250 m+
1 Tiago Ferreira POR DMT Racing Team 3:48.50
2 Aleksei Medvedev RUS ASD Cicli Taddei 3:50.47 (+1.56)
3 Frans Claes BEL Loving Hut MTB 3:51.20 (+2.29)

1 Maria Cristina Nisi ITA New Bike 2008 4:44.28
2 Esther Süss SUI BikErich 4:48.03 (+3.24)
3 Chiara Burato ITA Olimpia Cicli Andreis 4:54.55 (+10.17)

PRINCE CLASSIC 49 km – 2.130 m+
1 Peter Menghetti ITA Team Bike Innovation 2:41.55
2 Michael Mayer AUT CGO Xentis Racing 2:43.55 (+2.00)
3 Michele Zordan ITA Metallurgica Veneta 2:46.05 (+4.10)

1 Klara Ursch ITA Cermes BZ 3:31.19
2 Katrien Geuens BEL Bike Inn Herentals 3:41.28 (+10.09)
3 Alexandra Oberhollenzer ITA RH Racing Team 3:44.34 (+13.15)

About the KronplatzKing

Ever since 2016, 800 mountain bikers are tackling the prestigious event which leads from St. Vigil up to the legendary Kronplatz hoping to clinch the title Kronplatz King. The field splits up on two different routes on which participants are not only battling for the respective win but also for points for the Marathon-Man Europe, a five stop mountain bike marathon series in Europe.