The second edition of Challenge Cesenatico is set to take place this Sunday, bringing together 33 professional athletes and 1,000 age groupers to race on one of Italy’s most popular Middle Distance courses on the Adriatic Coast.
Among the men’s pro field, Ognjen Stojanović (SRB), a consistent podium finisher, returns to racing alongside Austria’s Thomas Steger, who has 13 Challenge Family podiums, including five wins and third place at The Championship 2022. Also lining up is Marcel Bolbat (GER), winner of Challenge Israman 2024, and Magnus Männer (GER), a rising contender with several strong middle-distance finishes. Italy’s Nicola Duchi, racing on home soil, will look to make his mark in front of local supporters.
In the women’s race, Gabriele Obmann (AUT) leads the line-up, with a history of solid performances across European middle-distance events. She’ll be joined by fellow Austrian Lisa-Maria Dornauer, who earned podium spots at both Challenge Davos and Challenge Sanremo in 2023. Gabriella Zelinka (HUN) brings additional depth to the field.
The course starts with a 1.9 km swim off Cesenatico Beach, followed by a 90 km bike through the hills of Romagna. The 21.1 km run will take athletes along a flat, multi-lap course on the seafront, finishing in Levante Park.
