Hoogerland and Simenc to take Maraton Franja

Johnny Hoogerland (HOL), reigning world champion in the 35-39 age group and famous for his barbed wire accident in the Tour de France 2011 proved his good legs to successfully defend his 2021 win in Maraton Franja this weekend.

Hoogerland outsprinted three Italians after the 156km race in the streets of BTC City, the commercial heart of Ljubljana. Luca Chiesa and Ettore Carlini, the vice world champion in the 19-34 age group completed the overall podium.

Laura Simenc (SLO), multiple world champion in both time trial and granfondo racing in the past got the overall female win, more than 8 minutes ahead of Italian Maria Elena Palmisano (F35-39) and Hungarian Adrienn Szabo (F35-39) in the streets where she won her first world title in 2014 at a very young age.

In the 100km qualifier event for all men over 60 and women over 50, Italian Giorgio Chiarini (M60-64) got overall fourth in between a lot of younger men to be the first rider in the age groups seeking qualification and win his age group. Italian Antonella Incristi (F50-54) won the overall female 100km race, beating a lot of her younger opponents.

Share this article