She is South Tyrol's hope at the HERO

Sandra Mairhofer is one of the favorites and has ambitious goals for her home race. At the last World Cup stage in Andorra, the 32-year-old made it onto the podium for the first time, finishing second. Now the cyclist from Taisten is aiming to build on this success at her prestigious home race. She also took second place at the HERO last year, although the marathon wasn't yet part of the World Cup series.

On Friday, the athletes will inspect the course. Mairhofer already knows that the course suits her. "The HERO suits me relatively well; I've had some good races here before. The altitude, the many climbs, I like that," says the sports teacher. She feels good. "I think I'm well prepared for my home race. The goal is definitely a podium finish – the higher up, the better. This race will also be crucial for the overall World Cup, so we can see how things go from here," says Mairhofer determinedly. In the overall standings, she currently lies in a strong third place.

After a crash: Fabian Rabensteiner misses the HERO. © Alessio Pederiva

While Mairhofer is one of the favorites, a prominent South Tyrolean rider will have to watch this time: Fabian Rabensteiner is unable to compete in the European Championships due to a crash. The Villandro native reportedly suffered a five-centimeter cut to his ribs, abrasions, and a knee injury.

Fabian Rabensteiner in a completely new role "Luckily, nothing is broken, my ribs are just bruised – which is still quite painful. I had to have the cuts stitched up and I'm taking antibiotics until Saturday," explains the man from Villandro. It's still too early for a comeback on the bike, "so unfortunately, the HERO is out," says Rabensteiner.

At least he'll be present in a different role. "I'll be there as a TV commentator," the 34-year-old says happily. His next race will be the Italian Championships on July 6 in Borno. In addition to Rabensteiner, Jakob Dorigoni will also miss the race. The 27-year-old from Pfatten crashed during European Championship training in Casella and fractured his scaphoid bone. He will be sidelined for several weeks.

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She is South Tyrol's hope at the HERO

When the HERO Südtirol Dolomites takes place on Saturday, a South Tyrolean is a very hot candidate for the top spots.

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