The riders of the Canyon Northwave MTB Team presented themselves in a great light in the first race of the 2023 season. In the Mediterranean Epic stage race, Martin Stošek took third place in the overall standings, while Andreas Seewald dominated the first stage.
The four-stage race Mediterranean Epic is traditionally the first racing test of the Canyon Northwave MTB Team. This year there was no different. The Spanish region of Valencia offers great temperature conditions, but also ideal cycling routes. It is for this reason that riders in the east of Spain have appeared again this year and have met with their first racing intensity and even their first successes. Andreas Seewald dominated the opening time trial to the top of Antenas Oropesa del Mar. He managed the 19 km long solo ride with an elevation of over 600 meters in 46 minutes and 3 seconds. Martin Stošek was classified in 8th place, Marc Stutzmann was 12th and in elite women category Stefanie Dohrn was classified in 9th place.
In stage number 2, Martin Stošek moved up the overall clasification when he finished fourth and moved to the same position in the overall clasification. Andreas Seewald dropped to 5th place.
The third stage was 104 kilometres long and the riders climbed over 2,200 vertical metres in its length. 3rd place was taken by Andreas Seewald, Martin Stošek was fifth and Marc Stutzmann sixth.
Andreas Seewald entered the final stage as the third man in the standings. However, health problems stopped him and he finished deep in the starting field. The overall third place was occupied by Martin Stošek, Marc Stutzmann was fourth and Andreas Seewald after problems 21. Stefanie Dohrn did not finish the race.
"In the end I'm quite happy with the race, unfortunately Andi dropped out of the overall standings, so I moved up to third place. It was a successful race for us as a team, it was good to get going, we tried a lot of things, we tested how we were performing. Thanks to the fact that the tracks are quite technical, we had a chance to train in the downhills. Overall, I am satisfied with the race," said Martin Stošek after the last stage.
The next day, Monday, the riders moved to Girona, where Petr Vakoč will join the team and together they will start the final preparation for the peak of the spring season. This will be the Cape Epic, a pairs stage race that takes place between March 19 and 26 in South Africa.
Foto: Mediterranean Epic
The last race of the 2023 Marathon World Cup took place in Snowshoe, USA. Martin Stošek took 6th place in the demanding race, Marc Stutzmann was 7th and Andreas Seewald finished 12th.
In the third race of the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Cup Andreas Seewald takes the bronze medal.In the 100-kilometer race, he was not only able to beat the winning Colombian Leonardo Paez and the second Italian Diego Rosa. Marc Stutzmann finished in 15th position, Stefanie Dohrn did not finish the race and Martin Stošek did not start the race due to illness.
The third race of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup takes place on Saturday, September 16 in Morzine, France. Canyon Northwave MTB Team enters the race in full line-up, starting Martin Stošek, Marc Stutzmann, Stefanie Dohrn and Andreas Seewald.
