Source: press release
The Swiss of the BMC surprises the lot of the favorites with a match of great consistency. According to Marotte, Fontana third after a puncture. Among the women Linda Indergand dominates, about 10.000 spectators on the track.
The sixth edition of the Delcar Trophy in Montichiari, the third round of the Internazionali d'Italia Series, will certainly remain in the memory of fans, Italians and beyond: a lot of starters worthy of the World Cup, a splendid atmosphere donated by around 10.000 spectators lined up along the Montichiari city route and the climb to the Bonoris Castle. For a long time the fans also hoped for an Italian apotheosis, thanks to a Marco Aurelio Fontana who was able to thrill him in the opening bars before a puncture, and then even more spectacular in the recovery that brought him to the final podium.
However, it was not the Italian of Bianchi Countervail, nor the highly anticipated Julien Absalon (BMC), nor Maxime Marotte (Cannondale Factory Racing), nor Florian Vogel (Focus XC) who took home the crown of the race organized by Novagli Team Bike. ), indicated by many as favorites. Starting with the number 30, the Swiss Lars Forster surprised everyone with the perfect race, capturing one of the most beautiful successes of his still young career.
Red-cross success also among women, where Linda Indergand (Focus XC) literally vanquished the competition with a splendid solo, finishing with more than three first margin on all pursuers.
A promise to keep
With twelve of the top 20 athletes in the UCI ranking at the start, the Open Men race fully met expectations, with a heated battle between many protagonists right from the start. The first important extension is signed by one of the most anticipated: Marco Aurelio Fontana. The Bianchi Countervail Team athlete passes the first round with a few seconds of margin on Mathias Fluckiger (Radon Factory XC) and Florian Vogel, and ten others close by.
The Prorider resists the command even in the second crossing over the finish line, but in the technical section it is slowed down by a puncture, and gives the command to Lars Forster (BMC), who emerges on the climb of the castle with the action that will prove to be decisive. Behind him he constantly finds Marotte, after a slow start, while Fontana makes a strong restart after the tire change, keeping himself hooked to the train for third place in the company of David Valero (MMR Factory Racing) and Fluckiger.
In the last two laps, Forster keeps Marotte at a distance and manages to bring home the success with a 16-second advantage over the Frenchman and 41 over Fontana, who completes the comeback that is worth the podium and rears across the finish line, to the delight of the Montichiari public. . Just off the podium the Spaniard Valero, then Jordan Sarrou (BH-SRSunTour), Stephane Tempier (Bianchi Countervail), Anton Sintsov (JBG-2), Titouan Carod (BMC), Fluckiger and Vogel.
Changing of the guard for the leader's jersey: Marotte and Fontana are tied, but the last placement gives the Frenchman the symbol of primacy. Nadir Colledani (NOB Selle Italia), 31st of the day, retains the leader's jersey of the Under 23 category.
For Forster, 23, this is the first success of the season, and one of the most important in his career. After having conquered two stages of the World Cup among the Under 23s and having expressed himself at high levels also among the Elite, an injury has slowed down their rise in the second part of the 2016 season. Montichiari is an important step towards the realization of this great promise of Swiss cycling.
Among women it is Indergand domain
With a starting lot of the level of the Delcar Trophy today, it was easy to foresee a very tight race until the last bars. Instead, Linda Indergand (Focus XC) managed to break the bank with the simplest tactic of all: shift into gear from lap one and never look back.
The 23-year-old Swiss, returning from a week of preparation on Lake Garda with the Swiss national team, made the most of her knowledge of the track and an excellent state of form, managing to inflict very heavy gaps on her pursuers from the first round. And the pursuers weren't just any athletes: Maja Wloszczowska (Kross Racing Team), Gunn-Rita Dahle (Team Merida) and Alessandra Keller (Radon Factory XC) tried to contain the delay, which, however, went up over one minute already during the second. tour.
A fall knocked out the winner of Milan (for her a bad blow to the shoulder, but fortunately nothing broke), while nothing could stop the march of the Indergand, which continued to stretch until it imposed itself with an impressive advantage of 3.16 on Alessandra Keller, able in the final to distance Gunn-Rita Dahle, who after two successes has to settle for third place.
Fourth place for the World Champion Annika Langvad (Specialized), ahead of Barbara Benkò (Focus XC), then Sina Frei (JB Brunex Felt), Yana Belomoina (CST), a still subdued Jolanda Neff (Kross Racing Team) and a ' excellent Chiara Teocchi (Bianchi Countervail), ninth, best Italian and best Under 23, able to stand up to some of the strongest athletes in the world. The Swiss Corina Gantenbein (Mobel Marki) closes the top-10 for five Swiss in the first ten squares: the air of Garda has definitely done well to the rossocrociate. Thirteenth place for Serena Calvetti (Damil-GT Trevisan), who keeps the circuit leader jersey among the Open Women, while Chiara Teocchi remains at the top among the Under 23 Women.
Junior: paired stage-jersey for Juri Zanotti and Marika Covo
The Italian colors dominate among the Junior with the successes of Juri Zanotti and Marika Covo.
Zanotti (Velo Club Monte Tamaro) hit the first joy of the season by leading with authority right from the start, managing to keep Edoardo Xillo (Oasi Zegna) and the French Gabriel Jorin (JB Brunex Felt) at a distance, who also managed to get closer to the tread on the last climb towards the Castle. Thanks to this statement, Zanotti took the leader's jersey of the general classification to Zaccaria Toccoli.
Change of leadership also in the women's field, where the forfeit of leader Laura Stigger - winner in Verona and Milan - paved the way for Marika Tovo (Rudy Project XCR), who deserved the full target and the symbol of primacy with an intelligent race and controlled from start to finish, managing to prevail over Francesca Baroni (Melavì Focus Bike) by 20 seconds and Sara Casasola (DP66) by 47.
In the morning the competitions of the Esordienti and Allievi categories were also held in Montichiari. The winners were Eros Cancedda (1st Year Beginners), Gioele Solenne (2nd Year Beginners), Sophie Auer (1st Year Women Beginners), Chiara Challancin (2nd Year Women Beginners), Giulio Viscardi (1st Year Students) , Andreas Emanuele Vittone (2nd Year Students), Nicole Pesse (1st Year Students) and Tamara Wiedmann (2nd Year Students).
Comments
Lars Forster (BMC MTB Team): “Maybe not many expected this kind of performance from me, but I was aware of feeling very well, and convinced of my chances of hitting an important result. Yesterday I didn't like the route very much, but today the sensations were very different. It was important to be able to reassemble, starting with the number 30: I had to ride the bike to the limit, especially in the first lap, to be able to hook the train of the first. Last year an injury slowed my ambitions in the World Cup, now I'm starting from here. "
Maxime Marotte (Cannondale Factory Racing): “I am really satisfied with second place, which came after a week of dealing with the flu. I think this track is not very suitable for me, but obviously I can express myself well. I didn't have a great start today, I had to climb several positions to recover Lars' wake, but then I was unable to finish on him. He went really fast, and we know that he is a worthy athlete and in good condition: soon we will have to deal with him in the World Cup as well. "
Marco Aurelio Fontana (Bianchi Countervail): “After viewing the course yesterday, I chose a light tire to make the most of the characteristics of the track: it was a small risk, and unfortunately this puncture arrived. The mechanics were very quick to replace the wheel, but at first I wasn't sure I could get back up enough to hit third place. I'm happy, my legs turn well: in Nalles I'm aiming to get my shirt back. And seeing this spectacle of the public and these protagonists in an Italian race is truly a joy for the heart. "
Linda Indergand (Focus XC): “I didn't expect to make such a big difference today, but I had one thing clear: I wanted to head race and try to set my pace, because I know it's particularly important in this race: it went well! Surely the week of training in this area contributed positively to the result: we had seen the route in the week, and in general we worked really well. "
Alessandra Keller (Radon Factory XC): “The level today was very high, all the strongest European athletes were at the start, and it was a very demanding race. It is still early in the season, and I know I have potential to improve further, but I am motivated and encouraged by the feedback I am having in these first races, especially in comparison with more experienced athletes. "
Gunn-Rita Dahle (Team Merida): “Congratulations to Linda, who literally flew today. I was hoping to make the trio of consecutive victories, but you can't always win, and I am sincerely happy with my performance, with so many strong athletes in the race: confronting opponents of this level gives me important references, and allows me to understand where to work. Competing in Italy is always a great pleasure, with this atmosphere and this incredible audience. "
Next stop: Nalles, Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race
Already in a week, the Internazionali d'Italia Series are back with the fourth and penultimate stage of the circuit. We return to Nalles, in South Tyrol, where the 17th edition of the Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race, organized by Sunshine Racers Nals, will take place. The presentation of the event will take place tomorrow, Monday 3 April 2017 at 10.30, in Bolzano, at the ParkHotel Laurin (Via Laurin, 4). In addition to organizers and authorities, Gerhard Kerschbaumer, South Tyrolean athlete of Team Torpado Gabogas will also be present on the occasion.
