Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå to win the Prima Evadare

In her new role as MERIDA ambassador, Gunn-Rita just can't step away from putting a number board on her bike, and when the opportunity to ride the Prima Evadare event in Romania came up, she simply jumped at the chance to find out how she would do.

This year was the 11th edition of the race, which once again attracted over 2500 participants from more than 20 nations and therefore is the largest cross-country race in Eastern Europe!

Mountain bike cross-country racing is hands down, the most popular form of bike racing in Romania. The Prima Evadare race has been held since 2008. The prestigious race, with over 2500 participants, tests the strengths and abilities of all. The highly competitive race leaves very little space for error and even the smallest mistake can turn a promising start into a less successful finish. It's a mostly flat race, but Mother Nature is always ready to add an extra challenge, often forcing competitors to deal with unpredictable trail conditions. The ability to read the environment could mean the difference between winning or ending up on the side of the course.

The race is held between Bucharest, the capital of Romania and Snagov, a resort town north of the city with a spectacular lake.

When you take the start at Prima Evadare, you are racing away from civilization and into the unknown, on trails that take you past a WWI abandoned fort, across old railways, beautiful lake shores, an airport, a 17th century palace, and finally on the technical trails in the deep woods of Snagov, on a race course of 55 km.

Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, reigning European Champion managed to win the Prima Evadare 2019 and commented after the race:
‘At the start, everybody advised me to go flat out so that I would go first in the single trails. It was absolute mayhem in the beginning, but I got into a fast group and stayed clear of any trouble. The technical mud, in the end, was the most fun part. When you're sliding from left to ride, you had to work on your balance, and you have to stay really focused, that's the fun part of mountain biking. The objective for next year would be to come with my family to Transylvania Bike Trails Race. I would like to come back here too, as it was such an enjoyable and fun packed race. I am very happy to be here! Thank you all!’

RESULTS ELITE WOMEN:
1st: Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja (NOR) European Champion - Merida Ambassador / Merida 

2nd: Suzanne Hilbert (ROU) Nat. Champion - Nomad Merida CST / Merida 

3rd: Salome Bondor (ROU) - Nomad Merida CST / Merida

RESULTS ELITE MEN: 
1st: Raul Sînza (ROU) - Carcover Veloteca Racing / Merida 

2nd: Ede Molnar (ROU) Nat. Champion - Dinamo BikeXpert / Cube 

3rd: Dariusz Batek (POL) Nat. Champion - CST 7R MTB / Merida 


Photos by: Zafiu Andrei / Florian Raducanu / Prima Evadare