Source: press release
The Prorider dominates the Aosta Valley conclusion of the Internazionali d'Italia Series, the Piedmontese overcomes two punctures and hits a podium that is worth the final classification. Partial success among women goes to Eva Lechner. Junior jerseys go to Juri Zanotti and Marika Tovo.
The 2017 edition of Internazionali d'Italia Series ended Saturday June 3 in Valle d'Aosta in the name of a great technical and physical show: Courmayeur MTB Event has met all the expectations of the eve, offering the many fans on the course very high intensity challenges, on a very technical 4 km ring that has severely tested the athletes' bodies, already tested by the exhausting one-two of the World Cup, and also their technical means. Merit to Velo Club Courmayeur for having created a track that the athletes defined even more beautiful than that of the Italian Championships twelve months ago.
A really tough test for i 200 athletes in the race, but a very indicative signal: none of the six leader jerseys of the Internazionali d'Italia Series, signed by Northwave Custom Project, he changed owners at the end of the last challenge. A sign that the five stages of these Internazionali d'Italia, from Verona in Courmayeur, passing through Milan, Montichiari e nalles, were able to bring to light the real values on the field, and to act as a litmus test for the many top athletes who took part in this edition. CM Outdoor Events, organizer of the Internazionali d'Italia Series, this year managed to raise the competitive and qualitative level again: the path undertaken in synergy with the Italian Cycling Federation continues to bear important fruit.
Courmayeur witnessed the triumph of Marcus Aurelius Fontana (Bianchi Countervail), who took his sixth overall success at the Internazionali d'Italia (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017) in a season that saw him change team and regain polish at the highest levels. For him in Valle d'Aosta also the satisfaction of another stage victory, the third in this edition after Verona and Nalles. Among women, however, Serena Calvetti (Damil GT Trevisan) had to fight to be able to take home the title of Internazionali d'Italia, the second from Elite after that of 2014.
On the Under 23 field, Clare Teocchi (Bianchi Countervail) confirmed herself at the top of the category, despite not having managed to make an encore in the Women's Open field. Among men, Nadir Colledani (Torpado-Gabogas) managed to keep the favorite behind Joel Bertolini. Finally, among the Junior clear and well-deserved successes for Yuri Zanotti (VC Monte Tamaro) e Marika Tovo (Rudy Project XCR).
Open Men: Tobacco makes Fontana sweat, nothing to do for Tempier
Who in Courmayeur expected a duel between the men of Team Bianchi Countervail had not come to terms with Mirko Tobacco. The representative of the Carabinieri Sports Corps, today an orphan of his brothers Braidot, set up an attacking race from the very first round, which ended in command in the company of Jonathan Botero (KTM Protec Dama), while behind them a quartet composed of Andrew Tiberi (NOB Selle Italia), Nadir Colledani (Torpado-Gabogas) e Fontana, while Tempier he was once again the victim of a subdued departure.
In the second lap, first a technical problem put Botero out of action, then the breaking of the chain forced Kerschbaumer to a desperate race towards the (very distant) technical area: the race will end anyway, hat to the South Tyrolean athlete. At the command was formed the tandem that would have held the lead until the penultimate lap, the one between Fontana and Tabacchi, while behind them Tempier emerged in front of the other opponents, but without being able to get close to the first.
At the end of the penultimate lap, Tabacchi was forced to stop due to a puncture, effectively giving the green light to Fontana towards the double triumph. The Italian was hung up by Tempier, but he reacted with pride, again managing to distance the French and hit a second place of great satisfaction. Third place for Tempier, who therefore remains second in the overall standings, fourth for Tiberi (third overall), fifth an excellent Nadir Colledani, awarded with merit as the best Under 23 of the circuit.
Calvetti stronger than bad luck: she is queen of Internationals. In Courmayeur it's always a Lechner party
It was a tough race in the Women's Open category, but the strongest in Italy won. Eve Lechner (Clif Pro Team), which last year had centered the Italian title in Courmayeur, repeated today in the last round of the Internazionali d'Italia Series, in what was also her seasonal debut in Italy. Lechner held the first position substantially from the beginning to the end of the race, in spite of a crash in the more technical part, which caused many problems to many athletes.
The only rival capable of undermining the first position of the tricolor jersey in the initial stages was the highly anticipated home athlete, Martina Bertha (KTM Protec Dama), who after the good tests in the World Cup made the home crowd scream with a race of great determination.
In the first session, together with Lechner and Berta, she also stood out Serena Calvetti (Damil GT Trevisan), who already yesterday in the test of Team Relay he had shown excellent condition. However, for the pink leader's jersey of Internazionali d'Italia it was anything but a simple race: two punctures forced her to stop and start again as many times. However, the 27-year-old Piedmontese did not lose heart, climbing positions several times and finally managing to close with a third place that is worth gold, and which means final triumph in the Internazionali d'Italia Series standings.
It did not shine, in fact, Clare Teocchi (Bianchi Countervail), who at the start of Courmayeur MTB Event had only three points to recover on Calvetti: for the young girl from Bergamo only seventh place arrives, with the consolation of the place of honor in the general standings and the victory in the Under 23 category, in both cases in front of the Berta. The fourth place of the day went to Lisa Rabensteiner (Focus XC International), in front of another young woman, Giorgia Marchet (Four Es Racing Team).
Junior men, the king is Juri Zanotti. Last stop at the Avondetto surprise
He had worn it since the Montichiari stage, but now it's official: the red Northwave jersey that rewards the leader of Internazionali d'Italia in the Junior category belongs to Yuri Zanotti. The athlete of the Velo Club Monte Tamaro built his success with two first and two second places in the four valid races (the Junior Series of Milan did not assign points for Internazionali d'Italia), winning the first ever career success in an international circuit.
Zanotti also finished second in the final round of the Internazionali d'Italia Series, Courmayeur MTB Event, where, however, he had to bow to the masterpiece of Simone Avondetto (Silmax-XBionic), Passed on the first lap in sixth place, with half a minute delay from the trio in command, then formed by Edward Xillo (Oasi Zegna), Zanotti and Nicholas Taffarel (Damil GT Trevisan), the Piedmontese born in 2000 started an impressive comeback that brought him back in contact with the leaders already at the end of the second round.
While Xillo was giving up, delayed due to a crash, Zanotti, Taffarel and Avondetto made contact until the last lap, where Avondetto not only responded to Zanotti's attempt to reach, but was able to distance him to enjoy a splendid solo finish. Behind Zanotti, third place for Nicholas Taffarel, room Fabio Signorino (Lapierre-Trentino-Alè), fifth Philip Fontana (Gottardo Games Caneva).
Junior women, incredible Tovo: goes to "annoy" the Elite!
That Marika Tovo (Rudy Project-XCR) was the great favorite of the Courmayeur test among the Junior Women was a common opinion, especially given the dominance fielded in the last tests of Montichiari and Nalles, but in Valle d'Aosta the eighteen year old Venetian passed the most rosy expectations.
In fact, Tovo did not limit itself to dominating the category race, which ended with more than 4 and a half minutes ahead Giada Specia (Team Velociraptors) and over 5 on Frances Baroni (Melavì Focus Bike), but found herself in the final stages of the race pedaling paired with Serena Calvetti, at that moment third in the Women's Open race, which started two minutes before her.
A performance that says a lot about the potential of the Tovo, an element that the CT Mirko Celestine takes into careful consideration for the present and - above all - for the future.
Marika Tovo concludes Internazionali d'Italia with three wins and a second place: the light blue jersey of the Junior Women general classification only confirms the superiority shown during these three months.
The reactions
MARCUS AURELIUS FOUNTAIN (Bianchi Countervail): "In these Internationals I have had a lot, and perhaps I could have collected some more successes, but I'm happy with that. I think it's my first win in Valle d'Aosta, which is another reason for satisfaction. Internazionali d'Italia Series is also very important for our team, and we really wanted to bring this shirt home. We did it, and now it's time to rest for a while. "
MIRKO TOBACCO (CS Carabinieri): "After the injury I suffered in January I resumed pedaling in March, but I see that the condition is growing well, a symptom that the preparation has been done properly. Without that puncture, maybe I could have given Marco some more trouble. "
STEPHANE TEMPIER (Bianchi Countervail): "Today I paid for a bit of fatigue, physical and mental, after the two good tests in the World Cup. I lacked the brilliance, but there is no doubt who was the strongest today. We have kept the jersey at Bianchi, and therefore we are happy with it."
EVA LECHNER (Clif Pro Team): "I felt good in the race today, even if there was a lot of effort. The course was even more challenging than the one where I had won the Italian Championship, and in particular the more technical sections were very slippery after the passage of the Junior race, and they really put us in difficulty. But a great victory has come, and that's what counts. "
MARTINA BERTHA (KTM Protec Dama): "Today's is a beautiful result, achieved at home and with the cheering of my fans, which today was really something special. There were a lot of people following us, especially in the technical parts, and this always gives an edge. The start of the season was a bit subdued, but now I'm regaining the brilliance, as demonstrated by the good tests in the World Cup. "
SERENA CALVETTI (Damil GT Trevisan): "Today I am happy with my lead: in the past I have often given up in the face of the first difficulty, while today I was able to not disunite even in the face of two punctures. I'm only sorry I couldn't get a better result, but the punctures were my mistakes. I have two thanks: to my boyfriend, Michele, who for years has been trying to push me to work on my head, and to my friend Marika Tovo, who after the second puncture encouraged me beyond belief so that I would not give up.".
SIMONE AVONDETTO (Silmax-XBionic): "I am really happy with my race. after the first lap it was a full comeback race, and it was tough. It is a very important success for me."
JURI ZANOTTI (VC Monte Tamaro): "This year I managed to re-emerge after a season in which I was unable to perform and achieve results, despite the commitment and many training sessions. This red shirt repays me for all the efforts and sacrifices: I will ask my mom to wash it, and then it will end up framed. Like the best memories."
MARIKA TOVO (Rudy Project-XCR): "At the beginning of the season the conditions were not yet at their best, now the fatigue and hard work pay off. I didn't think I could do a race like this, and finish in the middle of the Elite. This is my best race of the year so far. "
MICHELE MONDINI (CM Outdoor Events): "We are fully satisfied with the season that has just ended, in which the circuit has shown growth in terms of participation, quality and quantity. There is still a long way to go to achieve the excellence we aim for, and we believe that forming a group is the key to continuing to grow further. We sincerely want to thank the sponsors who have built this reality with us, and the organizers who have made their skills available for the benefit of the circuit, without forgetting the great contribution of the Italian Cycling Federation which has believed in us since last year, and with which we hope to be able to move towards an even more ambitious 2018."
