After PRO Stage yesterday, today 5 ps for 40 km of race with a "wild" PS that included more than 1000m of negative altitude difference that the best finished in 13 minutes.
WOMEN RACE
Courdurier, after having easily won yesterday's Pro Stage, today the positive trend continued and the Frenchwoman lost only one stage out of 5, never losing the lead of the race. She finished the day with a 20-second lead Morgan Charre. Ella Conolly (Cannondale Enduro Team) confirmed his victory in the first round with another podium, getting third place.
MEN'S RACE
In the men's competition, it was a similar story to the women's, with Jesse Melamed who maintained his lead in the race despite Richie Rude (Yeti / Fox Factory Team) and Eddie Masters (Pivot Factory Racing) have achieved stage victories. Melamed's lead proved unassailable and he finished the race with a 14-second lead over runner-up Rude, who crashed in PS 4 and thwarted a last-second fight with the Canadian.
Just a second behind him was Jack Moir (Canyon Collective). The reigning champion showed he was back to race pace after shoulder surgery in the off-season, driving consistently all day to take third place.
It's great to see 2021 series champion Jack Moir get back in shape after an off season of shoulder rehab.
ITALIAN
Italians adrift in the men's field with the best of ours in 69th place (Tommaso Francardo). Too bad for Mirko Harvest, fighting for a position in the top 30 but forced to retire due to an (unwanted) cut of the course (see the video). In the women's field better, with the 9th place of Gloria Scarsi.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
YOUTH CATEGORIES
In the men's U21 Luke Meier-Smith (Propain Factory Racing) added to his impressive tally of victories, another EWS by beating the competition with a 35 second lead. The two Canadians Jonathan Helly and Seth Sherlock finished in second and third place respectively. In the women's race Emmy Lan (Norco Factory Team) scored the most incisive performance of the day, winning the competition with over three minutes. Tina Smrdel and Lily Boucher finished in second and third place respectively.
The series moves now, as early as next week, to Italy in Val di Fassa for the third round.
ELITE MEN'S RANKING
GENERAL CIRCUIT CLASSIFICATION
ELITE WOMEN RANKING
GENERAL CIRCUIT CLASSIFICATION
