With a fast and flawless run, Myriam Nicole graduated in Val di Sole as Elite World Champion of Downhill.
Source: press release
The transalpine rider interpreted the dreaded Black Snake at its best, closing her run in 4.06.243 and inflicting heavy gaps to all her opponents.
For Myriam Nicole this is the second world title, after the one won in Mont-Sainte Anne in 2019, and the second affirmation on the Black Snake. The 31-year-old transalpine managed to establish herself for the first time in Val di Sole back in 2011, on the occasion of her first victory in the World Cup.
“When I won the Mont Sainte-Anne world championship I had no pressure on me. This time I had a lot of it, and I'm amazed at how she managed to manage it, finding great fluidity especially in the central part. Last year I was only able to wear the jersey for a month, this time I want to fully enjoy it: the fact that I conquered it here, where I won my first Cup race, on the track which for me is the essence of Downhill, it means so much to me,” Nicole said.
This time the other Frenchman, Marine Cabirou (+4.827), had to settle for the silver medal: the winner in Val di Sole in 2019 stood out with a central part of absolute level, but overall it was less effective than to the compatriot, especially in the initial section. Swiss bronze with Camille Balanche (+6.099), still on the podium of the World Championships after the success achieved in Leogang in 2020.
Two blue in the top 10, even if Val di Sole and Trentino were hoping for an acute from European vice-champion Eleonora Farina (+9.969), once again not lucky in the home race. In the last training session before the decisive run, the Italian fell suffering a strong blow to her left knee, which severely limited her action.
“I was on the verge of not leaving,” confessed Farina, “and I'm delighted to have done so, and to have enjoyed the roar of this incredible audience. I couldn't move my leg smoothly, and the mistake I made midway through was the logical consequence, after risking several times. I could have given much more, but overall I finished less than a second from fourth place: Val di Sole once again did not bring me luck, but I wanted to honor the world championship and I think I succeeded. "
The South Tyrolean Veronika Widmann (+13.450), on the other hand, lost her luster in the demanding central section after a good first half of the race.
The big disappointment of the day is definitely the Austrian Valentina Holl: author of a great test up to the middle of the race, the young rider, winner in Val di Sole in 2018 among the Juniors, was the victim of a slip, thus compromising her concrete hopes for medal.
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