Spain’s Miguel Munoz Moreno and Portugal’s Francisco Filipe will take the start at Appenninica MTB Stage Race (September 4-10) for Andrea Marconi’s team, always in the core of the action in recent years. “We can think about the overall,” says the DMT Racing Team duo
In 2020, Hans Becking won it all, patrolled by Tiago Ferreira. In 2021, Ilias Periklis was stopped by a crash when he was wearing the leader’s jersey, which he had just snatched from eventual winner Felix Fritzsch. On every occasion so far, the DMT Racing Team has been an absolute protagonist at Appenninica MTB Stage Race.
That is why the team led by manager Andrea Marconi cannot be overlooked with thinking of the contenders for Appenninica 2022 (4-10 September). This year, the DMT Racing Team will line up an Iberian duo at the start of Castelnovo ne’ Monti: Spaniard Miguel Munoz Moreno and Portuguese Francisco Filipe.
For both, it will be the first participation at Appenninica, but considering what their predecessors have done, it’s fair to expect they will be in the discussion for stage successes as well as the overall podium.
“This is my first time at the Appenninica MTB Stage Race. I am looking forward to that, I have never competed in this area, but I have asked my teammates for information and watched some race videos. I expect a very tough week, full of pitfalls in all the stages”, said Francisco Filipe.
“It will be my first time at this race, and I think it will be a fantastic but very challenging week. Riding in this area is new for me, but I think it will be an incredible and unique experience for all participants”, said his teammate Miguel Munoz Moreno.
Among the two, Miguel Munoz Moreno will aim for the GC after finishing fourth La Leyenda de Tartessos and the Brasil Ride paired with Tiago Ferreira.
“I am getting to Appenninica in fairly good shape, so victory is in our mind. I have already studied all the stages, and the toughest will certainly be the High Mountain Queen Stage with 105 kilometres and almost 4,000 metres of altitude gain”, explained the Spaniard.
Francisco Filipe’s task will be to support his companion towards victory, pursuing some stage results in the process.
“I am preparing well and will try to help my team win. I think the third stage will be the one to make the difference”, commented the 24-year-old Portuguese rider.
Those looking for overall victory in the Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2022 would better keep an eye on DMT Racing Team. The history of this stage race in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines says so, and the Iberian duo is on its way to confirm it.