Cycling also contributes to the Italian medal table at the European Games taking place in Poland. Luca Braidot takes third place in the XCO European Championship which was celebrated today at the Krynica-Zdroj Hill Park, as part of the review of the continental games, behind the Romanian Vlad Dascalu and the Swiss Lars Forster.
Source: FCI press release
The Santa Cruz Rockshox Pro Team standard bearer therefore adds a new medal to his already rich palmares, confirming himself as one of the best on the international circuit and returning to the podium in a continental review at an individual level after silver in Glasgow in 2018.
“Luca ran well – commented CT Celestino -, always present among the first, responding to everyone's attacks. He tried to attack, but was unable to make a vacuum and paid for the effort. In the last lap he was good at holding his position, winning a medal that rewards the work of the group and an athlete who continues his growth”.
“When I attacked I thought I could fight for the victory with Forster – said the blue immediately after the arrival -, but then I paid for the effort and had to measure my strength, managing to get on the podium once again at a continental championship.”
The race comes alive two laps from the end, when it is the blue who tries the forceful action. Up to that moment, about ten riders had pedaled together, the first in the order of arrival. The Gorizia, in the uphill fraction, in the woods, manages to take a handful of seconds on his opponents, taking only the Swiss Forster with him, who however does not collaborate in the action.
At the beginning of the last round, the Romanian Dascalu, already world champion among the U23s, forces the pace, returns to the blue and the Swiss and then goes on the attack in turn. The selection is tough, slowly the values in the field begin to emerge. Braidot pays, in the central phase of the last lap, a few meters compared to the others, also leaving the medal zone. He's good, though, at gritting his teeth and regaining confidence; he catches up on the German Schwarzbauer and puts himself in Forster's wake. Upon arrival the Swiss manages to take advantage of a handful of seconds and takes home the place of honor behind a Dascalu who gives his country the first gold medal in croscountry. 26th place for Daniele Braidot, 38th Nadir Colledani, 49th Simone Avondetto.
MEN'S RANKING
| 1 | DASCALU Vlad |  | TREK FACTORY RACING | 1:19:41 |
| 2 | FORSTER Lars |  | THÖMUS MAXON | 1:19:55 |
| 3 | BRAIDOT Luke |  | SANTA CRUZ ROCKSHOX PRO TEAM | 1:20:00 |
| 4 | SCHWARZBAUER Luke |  | CLLCTV CANYON | 1:20:08 |
| 5 | VALERO SERRANO David |  | BH COLOMA TEAM | 1:20:11 |
| 6 | DE FROIDMONT Pierre |  | ORBEA FACTORY TEAM | 1:20:35 |
| 7 | FINI CARSTENSENSebastian |  | LAPIERRE MAVIC UNITY | 1:20:44 |
| 8 | LITSCHER Thomas | | LAPIERRE MAVIC UNITY | 1:20:49 |
| 9 | GUERRINI Marcel | | BIXS PERFORMANCE RACE TEAM | 1:20:57 |
| 10 | CINK Ondřej |  | PRIMAFLOR MONDRAKER GENUINS RACING TEAM | 1:21:10 |
FEMALE RANKING
| 1 | PIETERSE Puck |  | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK | 01:18:26 |
| 2 | MITTERWALLNER Mona |  | CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING | 01:18:52 |
| 3 | FREI Sina | | SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING | 01:19:31 |
| 4 | NEFF Jolanda | | TREK FACTORY RACING | 01:19:46 |
| 5 | LECOMTE Loana |  | CLLCTV CANYON | 01:20:03 |
| 6 | TERPSTRA Anne | | GHOST FACTORY RACING | 01:20:05 |
| 7 | BOHE Caroline | | GHOST FACTORY RACING | 01:20:17 |
| 8 | STIGGER Laura | | SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING | 01:20:37 |
| 9 | HABERLIN Steffi | | TEAM BMC | 01:21:14 |
| 10 | VAN EMPEL Fem | | JUMBO VISMA | 01:21:14 |
