Racing

Race Report | Matadown, Italian North East DH Marathon

06.08.2015
by

Mass starts that copy races such as the the Megavalanche (check the link, this video is gnarly) always make for fantastic viewing…maybe not great riding, but fantastic viewing. Well, Matadown has less participants but it definitely has as much excitement.

ASD Maglia Nera is a mountain bike team founded in 2014 by two friends Stefano and Massimiliano that wanted to participate in enduro races. In two years the ASD Maglia Nera Team has participated in some hugely important European Enduro races, such as the SloEnduro, European Enduro Series, SRAM Specialized Enduro Series and the Triveneto Enduro MTB Cup

This year ASD Maglia Nera and Vallimpiadi joined for the 2015 edition of Matadown. As scheduled, at 12:30 of Sunday, July 26th, the downhill marathon of Natisone Valley – the Matadown – started. To understand the hard challenge of this race take a look at its numbers: 11 km and a drop of 1550m.

In the early morning the weather conditions have held organizers and participants in suspense: the rain of the previous night and the cold wind that accompanied the bikers along the ascent to the summit has reinforced this concern. The relieving sound of the trumpet that gave start to the descent from the top of Matajur to Savogna erased any doubt and give impetus to a great race inspired, this year, by the Red Bull Fox Hunt.

Mass starts always make for entertaining viewing, especially when half the riders have to walk down the first section!
Mass starts always make for entertaining viewing, especially when half the riders have to walk down the first section!
Natisone Valley holds host to the Matadown
Natisone Valley holds host to the Matadown

Always starting in batteries, but this year, in pursuit of a “fox” with the task of overcoming it and get to the finish line before it. To fill the hard task of being chased, one for battery, there were Francesco and Claudio Remoto – champions in their respective categories in the Triveneto Enduro Championship – which carried out their job perfectly.

After the race, the day went on with the usual awards ceremony provided for the three categories, Under-18, Over 18 and Women, with refreshments, a party and entertainment by DJ set.

There were a lot of mechanical failures in the race, influencing several atletes; journey times swung from the 28:47 by Francesco Remoto to more than one hour from the last rider.
There were a lot of mechanical failures in the race, influencing several atletes; journey times swung from the 28:47 by Francesco Remoto to more than one hour from the last rider.

For more info, visit: Matadown Facebook

Words & Photos: Courtesy of Matadown

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