Hector Leonardo Paez Leon of Colombia won the men’s race for the second straight year in the UCI World Mountain Bike Marathon Championships in Sakarya, Turkey, today. Photo: @ucisakarya2020
Hector Leonardo Paez Leon of Colombia won the men’s race in the UCI World Mountain Bike Marathon Championships for the second year in a row in Sakarya, Turkey, today.
The 37-year-old completed the 110km course in a time of 4:19:50, two minutes and 25 seconds ahead of Portugal’s Tiago Ferreira.
Martin Stosek of the Czech Republic was in third place, a further 15 seconds back.
In a field of 57 riders, Paez Leon broke away from Ferreira and Stosek with just more than 20 kilometres remaining and set about builting a lead of one 1:40, which he was able to maintain until the end.
The Colombian, who competed in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, added to the title he captured for the first time in Grachen, Switzerland, last year.
Today’s victory was his sixth podium in the event, having ended runner-up in 2006 while achieving bronze medals in 2013, 2015 and 2018.
UCI 2020 Mountain Bike Marathon World Championship is completed! Congratulations to champions! #Sakarya2020
Men’s Category:
🥇Hector Leonardo PAEZ LEON
🥈Tiago Ferreira
🥉Martin StosekWomen’s Category:
🥇Ramona Forchini
🥈Maja Wloszczowska
🥉Ariane Luthi pic.twitter.com/YxcRF1JkJX— UCI Sakarya 2020 (@ucisakarya2020) October 25, 2020
Results:
| 1 | Hector Leonardo Paez Leon | COL | 4:19:50 |
| 2 | Tiago Ferreira | POR | +2:20 |
| 3 | Martin Stosek | CZE | +2:35 |
