The curtain falls on the Italian leg of the Mercedes-Benz UCI MTB World Cup which this weekend in Val di Sole gave a fantastic show to the numerous fans who flocked to Trentino with flags from every corner of the world and to the fans who have enjoyed the races with the commentary in Italian by Ricky Fadda and Marco Aurelio Fontana, winner of the race reserved for ebikes (the replay of the XCC, DH and XCO finals is available on www.redbull.com).
On Saturday, the Black Snake consecrated two emerging riders with an assured future in the Downhill at the top and an already very brilliant present. Second at the 2016 World Championship in Val di Sole, Laurie Greenland also unlocked in the World Cup, as did the transalpine Marine Cabirou, first among the Elite Women. For Italy the balance is halfway between satisfaction and regret: the South Tyrolean Veronika Widmann obtained the best result of her career, a splendid fourth place which could have been something even greater, if it hadn't been for a crash after about 3 minutes of the match, in which he also suffered a strong blow to the side. In the men's field the first of the Italians, the Sardinian from Carbonia Davide Palazzari, who had set the second fastest time in qualifying, held in wet conditions, finished 12th, ahead of the South Tyrolean Johannes Von Klebelsberg.
Today the Daolasa di Commezzadura arena reserved its applause for the French champion Pauline Ferrand Prevot, who after having resolved the physical problems she suffered for a long time, returned to raise her arms to the sky in the World Cup. She couldn't do it since 2015. In the test cross country the transalpine, celebrated at the finish line by her teammate and MTB legend Julien Absalon, engaged in a good duel with Jolanda Neff, who thanks to her second place in the sprint leaps to the lead of the general classification. On the third step of the podium, we are pleased to find the Rio 2016 Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds, who has returned to peace with herself and at the levels she deserves. Tenth final place for the blue Eva Lechner.
In the men's field victory of the European champion Matheiu Van der Poel, who got the better of Mathias Flueckiger, the world champion Nino Schurter, Henrique Avancini and a very good Luca Braidot. In the top ten of the day, in front of the home crowd, also Daniele Braidot (7th) and the Italian champion Gerhard Kerschbaumer (9th).
The MTB World Cup continues unabated next weekend at Lenzerheide, in Switzerland, and on Red Bull TV. After dominating the Short Track last Friday, Neff and Van der Poel will try to repeat their feat on August 9th, the race is scheduled for 17.20:10 p.m. The women's DH finals will follow on Saturday 12.30th from 13.45:11 p.m., and the men's from 11:13.30 p.m.; on Sunday XNUMXth, the women's Cross Country will start at XNUMX a.m., the men's at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

