Paez, Schwing, Win 2012 Südtirol Sellaronda HERO

Forty minutes minutes of incessant rain fell shortly before the start of Südtirol Sellaronda HERO mtb race and Val Gardena was awash as the HERO was about to start. Fortunately the weather soon improved and brighter skies greeted the participants.

The top step on the podium for the race’s third edition, June 23rd, and the title of Südtirol Sellaronda HERO goes to Leonardo Paez. Paez, of Team Tx Active Bianchi finished the 82 km race (with a difference in altitude of a staggering 4.200 meters!) in a time of 4:33.16. Following him was Mirko Celestino of Team Avion Axevo Mtb Pro Team, which could do nothing against today’s winner, and who crossed the finishing line with 4:36.26. Third place sees Massimo Debertolis of Team Autopolar Volvo Cannondale, recording a time of 4:40.00.

The 30 year old Columbian winner, from Cienega, a small town in the Boyaca region of Columbia, commented, "It was a really tough race and I suffered a lot on the uphill stretches but even worse was the cold on the downhill parts, so much so that I thought at some points that I would have to drop out. Fortunately things got a bit easier andIi was able to warm up and stay ahead."

There is no doubt that the heroine of the day was Katrin Schwing with her winning time of 6:04.06. Following home the winner of the Trek Domatec Team and finishing in second place 48 seconds behind was the Austrian Verena Krenslehne of the Conway Racing Team with third position going to Barbara Kaltenhause of the Corratec World Team finishing 13 minutes behind the winner.

Among the amateurs was Pasquale Bruno, ex-soccer player of Juventus and Lazio; he finished the 82km route in 8:53.45.

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