The reigning champion, with Team Santa Cruz-Rockshox, left behind the U23 World Champion Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Pirelli) and his twin brother Daniele Braidot (CS Carabinieri).
Source: press release
After a first round of "study", with Daniele Braidot preceding Cameron Orr (Wilier-Pirelli) and Andreas Emanuele Vittone (KTM-Protek) under the arch, in the second round a quintet was formed in the lead with Nadir Colledani (Santa Cruz Rockshox Pro Team) ahead of Luca and Daniele Braidot, Orr and Simone Avondetto, enclosed in two seconds, plus Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Vittone not far away. Situation almost unchanged at the end of the third lap, with the quintet accelerating slightly, consolidating its margin of safety.
In the fourth lap Avondetto paid for a few seconds from the other athletes fighting for success, however managing to rejoin together with Vittone in the fifth lap, the slowest of all in 11'53”. At the same time, Filippo Fontana's pace increased and he perfected his engagement with the leaders during the sixth and penultimate lap.
In the last lap, Luca Braidot and Avondetto tried to force the pace and found a prompt reciprocal response. The race was decided a few hundred meters from the finish line thanks to yet another stretch by Braidot who this time left Avondetto on the pedals. The U23 World Champion managed to grab the place of honor (+5”) and the leadership in the general standings by overtaking Nadir Colledani, fourth today at 16”, just behind Daniele Braidot, at 11”.
Balance in the standings, where Avondetto commands with 170 points ahead of Colledani (165) and the Braidot twins paired at 150. This will be the quartet of athletes who will fight for the Internazionali d'Italia Series leader's jersey in the last two Hors Catégorie rounds of La Thuile and Chies d'Alpago. Andreas Emanuel Vittone (KTM-Protek) is instead the leader of the U23 ranking.
“It was a demanding, fast and balanced race. I didn't expect such a tough course, but the organizers, as usual, did a great job. Returning from a period of altitude on Etna, this year I changed something in the preparation and the results are excellent. In the last lap both Simone and I tried, but in the end the most final push was decisive”, said Luca Braidot.
STANDINGS
| 1 | BRAIDOT LUCA | SANTA CRUZ ROCKSHOX PRO TEAM | 01:21:19 |
| 2 | AVONDETTO SIMONE | WILIER-PIRELLI FACTORY TEAM XCO | 00:00:06 |
| 3 | BRAIDOT DANIEL | CS CARABINIERI OLYMPIA VICTORY | 00:00:12 |
| 4 | COLLEDANI NADIR | SANTA CRUZ ROCKSHOX PRO TEAM | 00:00:17 |
| 5 | PHILIP FOUNTAIN | CS CARABINIERI OLYMPIA VICTORY | 00:00:19 |
