Between inconveniences, physical and technical problems, in the Italian competitions the stars never seemed to align themselves with the most popular of the Friulian twins.
Source: press release
In this 2022, however, the wind has changed: in San Zeno di Montagna suffered a heavy podium, then the success of Capoliveri to break an infinite fast at the Internazionali d'Italia Series.
Having broken the spell, now Luca doesn't want to stop anymore: in La Thuile, at the end of the 2022 season, the second success in a row in the HC category arrived, and also the award of the first career success in the Open Men category at the Internazionali d ' Italy Series.
After a first round with almost compact ranks, the La Thuile ring started to make selection in the second round, leaving Luca Braidot in the lead, an excellent Juri Zanotti (Absolute Absalon) and the South African Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory Racing), chased 20 seconds behind the Italian Champion Nadir Colledani (MMR Factory Racing) and Daniele Braidot (CS Carabinieri).
In the next lap, Luca Braidot showed he had something more than his rivals, clearly emerging on the climb and putting 30 seconds between himself and his two former adventure companions, who were joined in the meantime by Colledani.
Just the tricolor champion found the right rhythm behind him, outdistancing Zanotti, while the light went out halfway through the race for the South African Hatherly, relegated outside the top 10 positions.
The last lap was all to be enjoyed for Braidot, launched towards the double success among the La Thuile crowd: 56 seconds the final advantage over Colledani and 1.24 over Zanotti. An all-Italian top-3 that certainly gave CT Mirko Celestino a smile. Fourth place for New Zealander Ben Oliver (Mitoq - NZ Cycling Project), fifth place for Anton Sintsov (Orbea Club).
“Before this appointment, I prepared for two weeks on high ground, so I chose to leave cautiously,” says Luca Braidot. “On the third lap I realized I had more, and I accelerated. I'm really happy to have hit the double target: last year was a very difficult year, marked by the great disappointment of the Olympics. I've changed everything from preparation to nutrition, and I'm seeing results. And this year, finally, the fate of the Internazionali d'Italia Series has also changed. "
Filippo Fontana (CS Carabinieri), ninth in the final act of La Thuile, went to the general classification for the Under 23 category.
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