Racing World

Val di Sole: Schurter sees the record but Titouan Carod puts it behind

Beautiful victory for Titouan Carod who recovered from a bad performance at the world championships in Les Gets. Behind him Schurter and Sarrou. 5th Braidot.

Written by

David Finetto

4 September 2022

Nino Schurter still fails to break the record of victories by Julien Absalon in the World Cup. Luca Braidot excellent race: he finished in 5th place.

Source: press release / Vitesse

Titouan Carod Val di Sole — Titouan Carod in action in the Cross Country (Credits: Daniele Molineris)

The finale of this 2022 season of the Mountain Bike World Cup has consecrated the talent of Titouan CarodWinner in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada, the 28-year-old French rider repeated the feat in Val di Sole, winning the Short Track on Friday and dominating the Cross Country on Sunday 4 September.

Behind the rider of the BMC Team, the World Champion Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM) finished in second position at 35 ”, thanks to the usual very thick finish. For him the satisfaction of winning the eighth overall World Cup, yet another record of a legendary career. The record of stage victories in the World Cup, on the other hand, will have to wait until the 2023 season.

Gerhard Kerschbaumer 2022 — In Val di Sole, Gerhard Kerschbaumer announced his retirement from competitive activity (Credits: Daniele Molineris)

Luca Braidot Val di Sole 2022 — In Val di Sole, Gerhard Kerschbaumer announced his retirement from competitive activity (Credits: Daniele Molineris)

Third position for a revenant Jordan Sarrou (Specialized Racing, + 1'08), fourth another transalpine athlete, Victor Koretzky (+ 1'27), the highly anticipated fifth Luke Braidot (Santa Cruz FSA, + 1'36 "). The world bronze of Les Gets fought for the top positions in the first half of the race, taking on the burden of a difficult chase, before giving in to the distance and fatigue of a stellar season.

From the start, Titouan Carod immediately accumulated a good margin of advantage, followed by the company of his compatriot Sarrou and the South African Alan Hatherley (Cannondale). However, already during the first lap the pace of the 28-year-old transalpine proved unsustainable for his escape companions, soon joined by the combined action of Schurter and Braidot.

Nino Schurter U23 Val di Sole — The Elite World Cup Winner: Nino Schurter (Credits: Giacomo Podetti)

General podium of the Elite World Cup men Val di Sole 2022 — The Elite World Cup Winner: Nino Schurter (Credits: Giacomo Podetti)

First the Swiss and then the blue led the chase up to the last two laps of the race. An uphill mistake when he led the squad of pursuers broke the pace of the Friulian, who had to give way to Sarrou, and especially to Schurter. The Swiss, with a very high level last lap, tried to mend the gap that separated him from Carod. However, the French national champion easily controlled the situation before indulging in the celebrations on the final straight.

"It was the perfect weekend," Carod commented, “On a dusty and tiring route, even in the slightly flat stretches. I knew I had a chance for the World Cup and I didn't want any regrets. I couldn't ask for more from this season finale and the weekend in Val di Sole. "

Braidot Molineris — Luca Braidot pushed by the warmth of the Italian public (Credits: Daniele Molineris)

"World and World Cup: it's a dream season", Schurter said. - "This year I finally found the best pedal stroke. Today I was stuck at the start, I tried to recover in the final but when I realized that I would not reach Carod I checked to secure the eighth World Cup. "

For Luca Braidot, the third place in the World Cup standings remains, his personal best, and the path of a season that has elevated him to the top of the world MTB. “It wasn't one of my best days, but I tried as long as my strength allowed me. I'm happy anyway: third place in the World Cup means a great season for me. Today was one of the best days of my career I was really excited before the start, but once I got underway I enjoyed it. Thanks Val di Sole. "

Elite podium men Val di Sole 2022 - © Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

The season finale also saw the curtain fall on the careers of some of the most popular athletes in the MTB family, such as Gerhard Kerschbaumer, Stephane Tempier e Rheto Indergand. "I've always dreamed of ending here, in Val di Sole, at my home, and doing it with the World Champion jersey," Kerschbaumer said. “I do it with the Italian Champion shirt, and I'm happy with it. In the future there is my farm, my family, my children. "

MEN'S ELITE RANKING

1.	CAROD Titouan (BMC MTB RACING)	1:22:02
2.	SCHURTER Nino (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM)	1:22:37 +35
3.	SARROU Jordan (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING)	1:23:10 + 1: 08
4.	KORETZKY Victor	1:23:29 + 1: 27
5.	BRAIDOT Luke (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM)	1:23:38 + 1: 36
6.	VALERO SERRANO David (BH TEMPLO CAFES UCC)	1:23:50 + 1: 48
7.	ULLOA AREVALO Jose Gerardo (MASSI BEAUMES DE VENISE)	1:23:57 + 1: 55
8.	GUERRINI Marcel (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACING)	1:24:23 + 2: 21
9.	ALBIN Vital (THOMUS MAXON)	1:24:46 + 2: 44
10.	ROTH Joel (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACING	1:24:51 + 2: 49

COMPLETE RANKING
GENERAL WORLD CUP

HIGHLIGHTS

In this article:World Cup, Cross Country, Jordan Sarrou, Racing World, Nino Schurter, Titouan Carod, Val Di Sole

Written by David Finetto

[email protected] I am a fan of everything that has 2 wheels: at a young age I practiced road and track cycling (Italian Allievi champion). At the age of 18 I passed into the cross country competing at national/international level as an Under23. Past Elite, I made the choice to take things more lightly from a training point of view, and my love for gravity disciplines was born, training me as an FCI MTB instructor and guide. Now I have made passion my profession by managing 2 MTB centers on the island of Elba (Bike Center Elba and Elba MTB), creating the FANTAmtb and telling in an ironic but professional way everything that revolves around MTB thanks to 365mountainbike and 365TV (YouTube'PULITI dentro BIKER fuori').