Pro Ötztaler 5,500 and Ötztaler Cycle Marathon 2017 - With record number of starters and professional premiere

New record number of starters at the Ötztal Cycle Marathon: Yesterday (27.8.2017), 4,331 participants crossed the start line in Sölden and set off on the 227-kilometre route with around 5,500 metres of elevation gain - more than ever before. The previous record was 4,293 starters.

The Italian Stefano Cecchini was the first to cross the finish line in Sölden after 6:56:34 hours. The fastest woman was Laila Orenos with a time of 7:50:44 hours. The Swiss athlete celebrated her fourth success in the Ötztal and equalled the record of the Belgian Edith Van den Brande and the Italian Anna Corona. 3,769 participants were counted at the finish.

For the first time, the route over Kühtai, Brenner, Jaufenpass and Timmelsjoch was also organised as a professional race. The UCI category 1.1 competition was won by Czech Roman Kreuziger from Team Orica-Scott. He pulled away from Simon Spilak (Katusha-Alpecin) as his closest rival after stepping up the pace on the Timmelsjoch. The organisers announced a time of 6:37:34 hours - significantly faster than the course record of 6:50:31 hours set by the Swiss Hugo Jenni in 2001. Back then, the race started in Steinach am Brenner.

A total of 154 riders took part in the pro race, including the WorldTour teams Bora-Hansgrohe, Orica-Scott and Katusha-Alpecin. 52 pros reached the finish within the time limit.

The results:

Ötztal Cycle Marathon

Men
1st Stefano Cecchini (ITA) 6:56:34 hours
2nd Enrico Zen (ITA) 6:56:53
3rd Robert Petzold (GER) 6:59:50

Women
1st Laila Orenos (SUI) 7:50:44
2nd Christina Rausch (GER) 7:53:00
3rd Daniela Pintarelli (AUT) 7:55:29

Pro Ötztaler 5,500 - Professionals

1. Roman Kreuziger (TCH, Orica-Scott) 6:37:34*
2nd Simon Spilak (SLO, Katusha-Alpecin) 6:38:17
3rd Giulio Ciccone (ITA, Bardiani-CSF) 6:39:07

The *official race distance for the pros was 217.4 kilometres. However, the organisers have posted the times for the distance of the cycling marathon, which is currently 227 kilometres. The pros rode the first ten kilometres of the course neutralised.