Roberto Bou conquered the tenth edition of the Barakaldo Steel Lung race, a grueling 70.9-kilometer international Mountain Bike Marathon (XCM UCI C2) event. This victory marks a significant comeback for Bou, who was sidelined by a mechanical failure in last year’s race, forcing him to settle for sixth place despite a strong showing.
This year, Bou leveraged his prior experience on the challenging course, which featured an accumulated elevation gain of 2,400 meters. Key ascents, including Peñas Blancas and the Regato to Black Peñas climb, served as crucial selection points for the riders. Bou, a competitor from Turolense, masterfully paced himself through his second appearance, ultimately crossing the finish line solo with a commanding lead of over a minute against Luis Francisco Pérez, who secured second place. Adrián Benedito followed in third, approximately three minutes behind Bou.
The race kicked off with nearly 190 participants setting a blistering pace from the Megapark area. The dry conditions, thanks to recent good weather, made the course fast and demanding. The initial climbs quickly began to separate the strongest contenders.
Luis Francisco Pérez adopted an aggressive strategy early on, establishing a solo lead by the 20-kilometer mark with a minute’s advantage over a chase group. This group included the eventual winner, Bou, third-place finisher Benedito, and riders Alejandro fernández and Raúl Rodríguez. As the race progressed and the terrain took its toll, the chasing pack dwindled. By the halfway point, only bou and Benedito remained, closing the gap to less than 50 seconds behind Pérez.
Pérez,however,may have misjudged his effort.In the final stretch, Roberto Bou surged ahead. By kilometer 65, Bou had taken the lead. Though his advantage was initially slim, overtaking his main rival seemed to ignite his performance, especially on the descent and the final cross-country circuit. He ultimately extended his lead to over a minute by the finish line.
A Dominant Performance in the Women’s Field
In the women’s category, Estepona’s Natalia Fischer delivered a masterclass in dominance. Fresh off a fourth-place finish at the Swiss World Cup, Fischer wasted no time in building a substantial lead.By kilometer 19, she had already established a ten-minute gap over her closest competitors, Paula Martín and Cristina Morán. She continued to extend this advantage throughout the race, leaving her rivals to battle for the remaining podium spots.
Beyond the elite competition,over five hundred cycatourists also participated. These riders had the option to tackle the full marathon course or a more accessible 39-kilometer route, all while enjoying the challenging and scenic terrain.
