Unterthurner and Ilmer win GP Penser Joch - All results

As in previous years, the race was decided from the town of Pens. Until then, the field remained close together and took turns in leadership. On the climb to Penser Joch, South Tyrolean Stephan Unterthurner (Bergner Bräu) showed his class. The mountain race specialist took a decisive lead in the final section, reaching the finish after 59.15 minutes and thus beating the “magic” hour mark.

Unterthurner's worst opponent came from Vipiteno. Thomas Gschnitzer only lost 16 seconds to the 37-year-old winner and came second in 59.31 minutes. Silvano Janes (also Bergner Bräu), who needed 1:00.06 hours for the hussar ride to the Penser Joch, made it onto the podium in third place. The best Sarn cyclist was Walter Ainhauser, for whom the stopwatch stopped at 1:01.12 hours in ninth place.

“Before Pens I made a small attack and rode the first part of the climb very controlled with a small group. On the second section I made a second attack and it worked out. I was certainly one of the favorites today and that's why it wasn't easy to plan the race to Pens correctly. I am very pleased that I have broken the hour mark. This proves that we were already on our way quite quickly to Pens,” said Unterthurner at the award ceremony on the sports field in Sarnthein.

Ilmer improves the course record by more than three and a half minutes

In the women's race, Marina Ilmer (Somec LGL Gobbi) pulled out all the stops and set a fabulous new course record in a time of 1:04.13 seconds. Ilmer was more than three and a half minutes faster than the previous record holder, namely Doris Posch. The Vinschger woman, who had already won the GP Penser Joch in 2010, beat last year's winner Claudia Wegmann (1:07.27) and the 2006 winner, local hero Brigitte Vasselai (1:18.52).

“I'm very happy, especially because I haven't competed in mountain races in recent years, only marathons. I also trained a lot for the Ötztaler, which is coming up soon, and was a little tired. That's why I never dreamed of a time like this. I'm a little surprised. Maybe it was just the good conditions that helped me,” said the beaming women’s winner Marina Ilmer.

A total of 93 racing cyclists took part in the Penser Joch Grand Prix on Saturday – ten more than last year. Among the starters were not only many South Tyrolean “pedal knights” and cyclists from neighboring regions of Italy, but also athletes from Germany, Austria, even Luxembourg and an Australian.

Moser Bau Trophy goes to the hosts again

The strongest teams were also awarded prizes at the award ceremony. By the way, like last year, the hand-carved “Moser Bau Trophy” for the best team remained in the Sarntal, because the host ASC Sarntal/Rad came ahead with 4754,55 points ahead of the ASV Jenesien Soltnflitzer (4543,67) and the ARSV Vinschgau ( 4510,29).

“I am very happy with our race. 110 participants registered, 93 of whom reached the finish - these are numbers that are impressive compared to our other South Tyrolean mountain races. What makes me particularly happy is that we can attract cyclists from the Alps to us in the Sarntal. I think we will have to build on this even more in the future. I would like to give a big compliment to my team, who once again did a great job and played a key role in the perfect organization. Thanks also to our many sponsors,” said OK boss Hartmann Stuefer from ASC Sarntal/Rad in conclusion.

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Unterthurner and Ilmer win GP Penser Joch - All results

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