Thomas Frischknecht, long-time Ritchey rider and Team Swiss Power’s 1996 World Cross Country Champion is honored. He never got the opportunity to wear the rainbow jersey. He was not awarded the title until 2000. Thats how long it took original champion Jerome Chiotti to admit that he had used a performance-enhancing substance en route to the win. Jerome apologised and gave Frischknect his soiled jersey with worn trophy. Although Frischknect is recognized by the UCI as the 1996 World XC Champion it doesn’t mean that it has the same impact four years later. Frischknecht, now 33 years old, has never been able to win the rainbow jersey. All that changed in Lugano at the inaugural Marathon World Championship.
RACE DETAILS
The 48.5-mile course started at the Lugano Cornaredo stadium and went through the Swiss Alps to Monti di Moricce before returning to the stadium. The riders had to climb 2,865.1m vertically and face strong winds from the mountain tops. Capanna Bar, at 1,640.1 meters elevation, was the highest point. Devils Wall is the most fearsome climb. It begins at Gola di Lago, and climbs 800.1 m to Alpe Davrosio. The average grade is 22%. The course covered 17 miles on asphalt, 13.7 mi of land and grass and 17.4 mi singletrack.
RACE NOTES
Motorex-Bianchis Thomas dietsch from France led the race by a mere two minutes. He fell on the final climb, six miles from the finish. Thomas Frischknecht, T-Mobiles Bart Brentjens and the Frenchman failed to repair the damage. Together, Frischknecht and Brentjens continued to Cornaredo. Before they reached the stadium, they ran a loop around the track. It became a sprint between the World Champion and Olympic Champion and the multi-time Cyclocross World Champion as soon as they reached the running lanes. Frischknecht won the race with the fresher legs.
Frischknecht finally was able to wear the clean rainbow jersey he won, and it was in front of a crowd. Dietsch was ninth.
Maia Vlosczovska, a Lotto-PZU S.A. horse from Poland, won the women’s world title ahead teammate and countrywoman Magdalena Sadlecka.
Four American riders competed in the event: Trek-VWs Jeremiah Bishop and Specializeds Jimi Mortensen. Ritcheys Melissa Thomas and Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions Gretchen Reeves were also present. Thomas finished 28th in the American top finish.
WORLD MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIP RESULT
1. Thomas FrischknechtSwi48.5 miles in 2. Bart BrentjensNedat 3. Carsten BresserGerat 4. Bas PetersNedat 5. Mauro BettinItaat 6. Marzio DehoItaat 7. Massimo De BertolisItaat 8. Frederic FrechFraat 9. Thomas DietschFraat 10. Sandro SpaethSwiat 29. Jimi Mortensen, at 1 48. Jeremiah Bishop, at 2 Women:
1. Maja WloszcowskaPol48.5 Miles in 2. Magdalena SadleckaPolat Sandra KloseGerat 4. Birgit JuengstGerat 1 5. Petra HenziSwiat 1 6. Alexandra HoberItaat 1 7. Regina MarundeGerat 2 8. Jacqueline MouraoBzlat2 9. Ilona BublovaCzeat 2 10. Maroussia RuscaSwiat2 28. Melissa Thomasat 4 32. Gretchen Reevesat 5
