The UCI's announcement that it would be staging the e-mountain bike world championships for the first time sounded like an April Fool's joke months late - but it definitely wasn't. In the latest press release, the cycling world federation published further details: the e-bike title races are to be held on Wednesday August 28, 2019.

The electrically powered title races are cross-country races with a race duration of between 90 and 105 minutes. They are held on a 7.3-kilometer lap. A set of rules has not yet been published. However, the UCI promises to provide further information as soon as possible. Marco Aurelio Fontana, a prominent name from the Cross-Country World Cup who could play a role in the E-Mountainbike World Championships, has now been announced.

Electric career extension or new impetus?

His career highlight was the Olympic Games in London, where Marco Fontana won the bronze medal. However, the Italian was already a big name on the cross-country circuit before that, even if he was never one of the winning riders in the World Cup. Rather, he was a kind of style icon who tried to make his mark on the sport.

The likeable Italian is now trying to do this in another area of mountain biking - e-mountain biking. Looking back, it is not entirely surprising that Fontana is turning his back on cross-country racing at World Cup level, as success has been increasingly lacking in recent years. Even if things went a little better, his last team station at Bianchi did not bring the desired bang either.

As Fontana told the Italian magazine mtbcult.it, he also had interesting offers from strong, international cross-country teams. However, he came to a crossroads where he ultimately decided against professional sport and opted for something new, the sport of e-mountain biking. He is now riding for Focus. The German mountain bike brand is increasingly focusing on pedelecs in all bike segments.
Fontana also attaches great importance to the e-mountain bike and raves about its possibilities.

From organizer to racer

His new role gives Fontana the opportunity to do things that are difficult as a cross-country pro. For example, last autumn he acted as organizer of the Red Bull cyclocross race "Fingerscross" for the first time, where he was able to combine his ideas and his passion for racing. He is also already spinning further ideas for events associated with e-mountain biking.

He wants to pass on this passion on the e-mountain bike in the same way he did on the hardtail. However, he is not completely abandoning the latter, Marco Fontana reveals to MTB CULT. He continues to ride cross-country bikes for fun and training. He also leaves open the possibility of taking part in one or two races in the Italian cross-country racing series.

Where he definitely wants to compete, however, is in the World Ebike Series. Fontana also wants to try out other races in order to find his preferences and gain experience. So it is not out of the question to see him back among his old racing colleagues at the World Championships in Mont Saint Anne - but then with a different bike.

www.fontanaprorider.it
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