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Riva del Garda: Lakata stands on the Podium!
3rd Place for the World Number 2 at Lake Garda
Riva del Garda. 105km and 2561 meters of elevation throughout the race. Add in around 1000 competitors and you have the Riva Marathon. Alban Lakata took on the challenge for another year.
Alban Lakata, who finished at the Marathon World Championships in second place last year, travelled to the Lake Garda festival this last weekend, despite his having just returned from the World Cup in Dalby Forest, GB. “I was tired and not really in the best frame of mind lining up to start, but I wanted to ride a good race.” Alban shared with us, about his preperation.
The first climb after about 15 km saw a lead pack form, in which the Austrian National Champion’s jersey of Alban could clearly be seen. It continued this way for the entire race, and even at the summit of the last climb of the day, the placings were still undecided. There was a pack of three riders with Lakata pulling them about a bike’s length off the front.
Descending, two of the riders were able to pull away, and Lakata was overtaken by Switzerland’s Urs Huber (Stöckli-Craft 2010) and Thomas Stoll (BiXS – iXS Pro Team). “I simply didn’t want to risk the rest of my season on this descent. The Swiss guys were working well together and doing there own thing. They were able to pull away and maximise their lead”.
At the finish, not far from Lake Garda itself the balance was a 42 second deficit off first placed Huber. It was disappointing for Lakata. “Third place isn’t bad, but I wanted to win, and a win was possible. I will be back next year to try again.”
