Around 11 mountain bikers are again expected in Singen for the twelfth edition of the Rothaus Hegau Bike-Marathon on Sunday, May 1000th. Among them in the UCI Marathon Series competition are a number of world-class marathon riders, such as European champion Alban Lakata, Urs Huber, Karl Platt and Jochen Käß, as well as unlicensed MTB newcomers and, last but not least, the children in the Sparkasse Kids Cup.
The number of potential podium candidates in the men's race over 98 kilometers is so large that it is impossible to list them all here. With the German title fights and the European Championships last year, the Rothaus Hegau Bike Marathon has grown into an important part of the international marathon calendar. Alban Lakata, who is practically the defending champion after winning the 2013 European Championships in Singen, celebrated his comeback last Sunday after a long injury break (torn Achilles tendon). Whether he can do anything against the superiority of Team Bulls and Centurion-Vaude remains to be seen. In Team Bulls, local hero Tim Böhme is of course very hot for his seventh victory at home, but if he is not in good form on the day, then teammates Urs Huber or Karl Platt could pull the coals out of the fire.
Markus Kaufmann and Jochen Käß also come to Singen with ambitions. The two Centurion Vaude bikers have already won the TransAndalusia Bike Race as a duo this year, won a Cape Epic stage and wore the yellow jersey there before they were thrown back with no hope when Kaufmann's frame broke. Markus Kaufmann has particularly fond memories of the Hegau Bike-Marathon, having become German Champion there in 2013. There are also Torsten Marx and Matthias Leisling as outsiders, as well as ex-road driver Frantisek Rabon from the Czech Republic and the Finn Jukka Vastaranta as capable people.
In the case of the women, something has also moved on the entry list at short notice. The German marathon champion Silke Schmidt, who was runner-up in Singen in 2012, does not have that many training kilometers in her legs for professional reasons, but she should be the favorite for the race. The Hungarian champion Eszter Dosa is a potent opponent, as is the Norwegian champion from 2012 Hildegunn Gjertrud Hovdenak and Ann-Katrin Hellstern from Freiburg.
Getting everyone on board at the event under the Hohentwiel not only applies to the mass of hobby bikers, but also to newcomers among the children and young people who compete in the categories from U9 to U17 at the Sparkassen Kids-Cup in to get a taste of the sport. By the way, without any start fee and also by late registration, which is possible up to half an hour before the start.
"The whole event is a great thing for singing and we are happy that we have the opportunity to introduce the children to such a healthy sport", says Udo Klopfer, CEO of Sparkasse Singen-Radolfzell. At the "hot spots" in the start and finish area at the Singen town hall, as well as at the Plören ascent and at the Hegau-Kreuz, many spectators are expected again this year, cheering for Tim Böhme, but just as motivating the probably around 1000 hobby bikers cheer.
More information on www.hegau-bike-marathon.de