Challenge Riccione is pure adrenaline. The event was organized with the help of the city management, together with some associations and law enforcement agencies that created a pool with amazing volunteers.
More than 1,350 athletes were registered for the main race of this long-awaited weekend. A challenging and exciting distance with 1,9 km swim, 90 km bike and 21,1 km run.
Staggered start from Riccione beach at 9:30.
In the men’s race the home athlete Mattia Ceccarelli soon dictates a very good rhythm and leaves the transition area pursued by Thomas Devis and Florin Salvisberg. Ceccarelli tries to make the difference aiming for the bike portion, and at the first lap he is one minute ahead of Thomas Steger. Behind there is a small group of chasers led by Giulio Molinari. The bike portion ends with the duo Ceccarelli-Steger in the first place, and Michele Marchelli a few seconds behind. Steger dictates the rhythm of the run portion right from the first lap, as expected. Mattia Ceccarelli tries to keep an eye on him, while Florian Salvisberg remains in third position with an advantage of a hundred metres. The cheering and passionate spectators at the finish line welcome the winner Thomas Steger, who once again proves to be the king of Riccione, two years in a row. He ends at 3h37’40’’, followed by Mattia Ceccarelli and Florian Salvisberg.
Emma Pallant and Lucy Byram dictate the rhythm in the first minutes of the women’s race. Byram enters the transition area, followed by Emma Pallant and India Lee. After the first bike lap Pallant starts getting ahead, but behind her Byram and Lee refuse to give up. In fact, the trio is totally compact while entering the transition area. The run portion declares Emma Pallant the new queen of Riccione, who finishes solo this awesome race in 3h56’50’’, followed by Lucy Byram and Marta Bernard, protagonist of an incredible come back in the last portion of the race.
FEMALE PODIUM
Emma Pallant (GBR) 3h56’50”
Lucy Byram (GBR) 4h04’59”
Marta Bernardi (Tri Evolution) 4h05’22”
MALE PODIUM
Thomas Steger (AUT) 3h37’40”
Mattia Ceccarelli (Overcome Asd) 3h39’ 02”
Florian Salvisberg (SUI) 3h40’14”
Male podium of Challenge Riccione 2022
Female podium of Challenge Riccione 2022
