Again France and Switzerland on the top step of the podium at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Trentino. American Christopher Blevins surprises again: three medals in three days!
Source: press release
The data tells it: the e-MTB has conquered millions of people all over the world, many of whom have learned to have fun on two wheels with pedal assistance. In Val di Sole, however, e-MTBs make fun - and a lot - even those who don't pedal: after the Electric Snake in 2019, the third edition of the e-MTB World Championships - held on Friday 27 August within the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships - offered hours of fun to an already large audience on Friday in Daolasa.
This time the world jerseys were up for grabs, and to enrich their medals were again France and Switzerland: the new world champions are the transalpine Jerome Gilloux and the young Swiss Nicole Goeldi, the youngest athlete competing today .
Also making the news was the American Christopher Blevins, undoubtedly the man of this edition of the World Cup so far. After the silver medal in the Relay Team and the gold in the short track, in the e-MTB test the 23-year-old from Durango won the only medal he still lacked, the bronze: no one had ever succeeded in the same edition of the MTB World Championships.
For Italy we note the good eighth place of Andrea Garibbo among men and the twelfth of Anna Oberparleiter among women. Unfortunate Martino Fruet: the veteran of the Italian MTB, tricolor champion of specialties, saw his race finish after 300 meters due to a technical failure after a strong impact suffered by an athlete who followed him. "In Val di Sole I won a lot, but for me the world championships are enchanted here," declared the Trentino.
GILLOUX IMPROVES IN THE TRANSALPINE TIDE
In an edition of the Mountain Bike World Championships more and more "bluesy", Jerome Gilloux, already two times champion silver medalist, has finally won the most precious metal, succeeding the South African Alan in the register of two Hatherly and the British Tom Pidcock.
Together with his teammate, Hugo Pigeon, Gilloux destroyed the competition by maintaining a sustained and constant pace on the technical ring of 2250 meters and 140 meters of elevation per lap designed by the organizers of Grandi Eventi Val di Sole.
Gilloux and Pigeon crossed the line in first and second position respectively (+0.22), with the American Blevins (+1.11) completing the podium thanks to a good comeback in the final, hitting an incredible third medal in three days.
“It was a really tough race,” commented the new world champion. “The track was very technical, with steep climbs and challenging descents, and a very fast first section. My tactic today? I immediately tried the acceleration on the first ascent, and I never looked back. After two silvers, finally here is the gold I was waiting for. "
“I had decided to take part in this event a couple of weeks before the World Championship: actually I had only done one e-MTB race before this one, but now I will dedicate myself to it more often because I had a lot of fun. For sure the possibility of hitting a third medal was an extra motivation for me, but in general I am having an incredible week. I really think I'll dedicate a song to her… ”Blevins declared, referring to his other great passion.
Eighth was the first of the Azzurri, Andrea Garibbo, ninth the two-time Olympic Champion Julien Absalon (France), the latter being delayed in the first lap due to an unhappy position on the starting grid.
Goeldi
GOELDI, A SWISS WATCH AMONG WOMEN
Shortly before the men's race, the women competed for the medals of the E-MTB World Championships. Nicole Goeldi showed up on time like a Swiss watch to the appointment with the rainbow jersey, imposing an unsustainable pace for the opponents.
The transalpine Laura Charles, second at 13 seconds, tried to get over in the last round, but the success of the 2002 Swiss class was never really in question. Bronze medal to the German Sofia Wiedenroth. Only fifth the outgoing champion Melanie Pugin (France), ahead of Kathrin Stirnemann (Switzerland). Twelfth the first of the blue, the thirty Anna Oberparleiter.
“Today I honestly surprised myself,” Nicole Goeldi said. “I started a bit behind, and so I had to chase right away, and even in the final, after taking the lead, I had to deal with an assistance shutdown at the top of the track. I feared I could lose everything, but luckily I managed to keep up to the finish. "
FLOUR FOURTH IN THE QUALIFICATIONS OF DOWNHILL. SURPRISE THE JR HAT
On Friday morning the qualifying sessions took place Downhill on the legendary Black Snake, in view of the grand finale on Sunday 29 August, when the best interpreters in the world will compete for the specialty rainbow jerseys.
Good news for Italy, with Eleonora Farina from thirty and Veronika Widmann from South Tyrol, respectively fourth and sixth among the Elite Women. "I'm not happy with today's run, but I feel good" - said Farina. - “I know where I need to improve and in view of Sunday's race I am very confident. I want to have fun and entertain the fantastic public of Val di Sole: usually, when I have fun, the result comes by itself ".
Excellent performance by Davide Cappello in the Qualification Round of the Junior Men: the Italian Champion finished his descent in third position.
Loris Vergier (France) and Valentina Holl (Austria) proved to be the most fit in qualifying, hitting the best time. Vergier preceded Laurie Greenland (Great Britain), first in Val di Sole in the 2019 World Cup and silver at the 2016 World Championships. Fourth was the South African Greg Minnaar, sixth the Australian Troy Brosnan. Vali Holl instead got the better of the transalpine Myriam Nicole and the Swiss Camilla Balanche. Seventh was the transalpine Marine Caribou, who in 2019 managed to excel on the Black Snake in the World Cup.
Davide Cappello took third position in the qualifications of the Junior Men behind the Irish Oisin O 'Callaghan and the Canadian Jackson Goldstone. The Bulgarian Izabela Yankova has instead centered the best time among the Junior Women; fourth favorite, Leona Pierrini (France).
Flour
