The 2022 edition (September 4 to 10, 2022) of the race in the Apennines of Emilia-Romagna confirms its global character. Plenty of stories and curiosities among the nearly 150 competitors at the start
Appenninica MTB Stage has so much more than just the run for victory in it. The nearly 150 competitors who will line up for the 2022 edition (September 4-10) will come with an enticing luggage of stories and experiences, ready for personal challenges with themselves or come to join friends and relatives, or simply in memory of someone.
There will be 28 Nations at the start in Castelnovo ne’ Monti, with all five Continents represented. In addition to the “traditional” Countries in the Appenninica peloton, such as the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom and USA will also field a significant group this time out. For the 2022 edition, the famous Emilia-Romagna hospitality will embrace also athletes from Australia, Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica and South Africa.
“Every year, the confines of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race family keep extending, and we can only be happy about this trend. Year after year, the athletes who take part in the race spread a positive image of our territory, the atmosphere and the competition, and this motivates and encourages new athletes to join us”, said Beppe Salerno and Milena Bettocchi, co-organizers of the event.
Among the athletes, some will reach Castelnovo ne’ Monti with a personal challenge to face or with the goal of narrating a unique adventure. This is the case of young Dutch cyclocross rider Gosse Van der Meer, who will ride with a GoPro to report on his experience in the Apennines, or Spencer Powlison, a well-known American athlete in the bikers’ community. Coming back to Appenninica from the US for the second year in a row is Mark Anolik, a former international Downhiller, who will seize the chance to rejoin his friend Pierpaolo “Pippo” Marani in Fanano.
Aiming at a significant goal are also those five riders with a chance of entering the Appenninica Hall of Family by achieving a third finisher’s medal: Anton Tieleman, Stefan Kiene, Thomas Jauner, Peter Wouters and Zbig Mossoczy. This last one will also lead a group of Polish athletes to whom he recommended the Appenninica experience.
Among the competitors at the start will be James Hunt and Nathan Hunt, father and son coming from the UK to experience the race together. After being unable to participate last year due to travel restrictions, Israeli doctor Michael Gdalevich – who has been at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic for the past two years – will finally be at the start. He will be accompanied by his wife on this adventure, as that’s the case for South Africans Tim and Louise Ferreira.
Finally, Frenchman Jeremy Mahot, a former Transalp 2021 finisher, will participate in Appenninica, riding with the aim of creating awareness about depression and raising funds for support programmes. A former jockey living in the UK, Mahot lost a friend during the lockdown due to a concussion that caused him severe depression, and he will participate in the Appenninica adventure with the aim of raising awareness on this issue.