Kicking against horse power – an unequal duel

A small white tent they had of him, the organizers of the horse race in Dielsdorf. Right under the grandstand restaurant, "Gee up!" and besides the Food Doggy Style", the einnebelte the surrounding area with barbecue emissions". This olfactory burden, he kicked at the water. He, the former professional cyclist, Franco Marvulli , four-time world champion on the track and a silver medal winner at the Olympic Games in 2004, is now 40 years old.

hours earlier, had accompanied the Zurich in Basel, the women's run as a Moderator, among other things, he earned his bread to the career. For the ceremony, he gave the microphone to make it in time to Dielsdorf – where a new experience was waiting for him: a battle of man against animal, he as a cyclist against a horse.

The racing club Zurich had engaged Marvulli for the opening of the season, classical Publicity, such as it were once the camel racing many years ago, with the goal of bringing people to the racetrack. And the spectators parade, had influence on Marvulli. For five years he had felt no nervousness, he had respect for it, without a whimper to go down against the eight-year-old gelding Bombastic du Merle.

The carrot as an ACE in the hole

so that's Why he struggled to warm up on this role, in this small white tent, professionally, as to his times as a professional cyclist, wrapped up in this unspeakable smoke, sonicated by a group of drummers and a brass band, the Frank Sinatra's Evergreen "New York, New York" played.

The racing club had thought of for the duel mode, which should make the balance of the race to some extent: Marvulli off to a flying Start and must be set back 400 meters, while the horse has to cover a distance of 500 meters. In addition, the horse is not ridden, but is with his owner Heiner Bracher a Trabgespann. This means that it gallops only trots and not.

As Marvulli, with the 7.5-kilogram Querrad had trained on the track, were the conditions dry, what came to the cyclists benefit. Before the race, but it had been raining for two days; the grass was so deep that Marvulli could not see when entering the part of the tire that touches the ground, full of Grass.

As you should be able to under these conditions, a animal in a chess holding that has several times more force than a human? Not even Marvullis life partner put in the betting a Swiss francs to their companions. And as a spectator tells him to Retract, he had bet money on him, and responds Marvulli: "I hope not, very simple, you have your whole house and belongings to me."

again and again he says in jest that he was in a bag a carrot PM, he could throw the distraction of the horse on the rail. The Speaker he him as the Underdog advertise asks. It is obvious: Marvulli is hardly a Chance to him on the first meters of the race comes the great idea.

the help of the Grasshoppers?

On the outside of the track, where the horses don't damage the floor too much, discovered in the tire track of a car. And he thinks: I have to go. The idea is good, very good even. And because of the gelding at the Start of effort, wins Marvulli the race so clearly, that none of those present had experienced only a Moment of tension.

This PR-action is so hardly once again people will entice you to Dielsdorf. But perhaps the Racecourse receives in the acquisition of new guests soon help from the neighborhood: Not a hundred meters away is the training center of the football Department of the Grasshoppers. And their viewers are looking for the upcoming descent, maybe after the Sunday Alternative. (Editorial Tamedia)

Created: 06.05.2019, 13:51 PM