Many of the Sport's Top Athletes Entered in this Spectacular Race
Nals (Italy), April 8th 2013: There will be many of the sport's top athletes competing in the 13th edition of the "Marlene South Tyrol Sunshine Race" which is scheduled for this Sunday, April 14th in Nals in South Tyrol (Italy).
In the women's event, Olympic champion Sabine Spitz will race head-to-head with one of the current Sunshine race victory record holders, Eva Lechner from Italy. Eva Lechner has set her eyes on a fourth victory in the "Marlene South Tyrol Sunshine Race" which would put her in a clear lead of most victories on this course. She is currently sharing the record of three individual victories with Norwegian Olympic champion Gunn-Rita Dahle. Marco Aurelio Fontana is aiming to repeat his 2012 victory whereas Gerhard Kerschbaumer is going for his first here in Nalles on Sunday.
The racers will compete in what is known as one of the most challenging circuits on international level. A circuit that measure five kilometers in distance. It is spectacular and has to be completed seven and five times in the Men's and Women's races, respectively. Right off the start, the course joins a starting loop that immediately creates some separation between the different levels of racers.
This will also help to ease the entry into the demanding switchbacks called "Nightingale Uphill" (Nachtigall Uphill). The circuit runs from the start to the right, in the opposite direction. It is 1.6 km long, 600 m of which runs through the woods. The course first passes City Hall on the "Goldgasse" , a paved street, for 700 m to the "Stachelburg". Athletes will then have to climb on a wide and steep fire road avoiding potential congestions.
Technical passages including jumps will lead back through the "Stachelburg" to the Start/Finish Area. Some separation will have taken place at this point.
Women: 25 km + 1.6 km starting loop = Total length 26.6 km
Most important passages:
* Nightingale Uphill (technical, many switchback, constant rhythm changes)
* Keschtnigl (traditional rocky passage)
* Gugguhütte (steepest section)
* Stepn Downhill (spectacular downhill)
* Ganterer Afahrt (downhill)
* Start/Finish Area (potential sprints for victory, many spectators)
