For the first time, in this 2022, absolute domination is seen and it is the French national champion Titouan Carod, athlete of the BMC Team. Good performance by Luca Braidot who finished in 4th place.
WATCH THE REPLAY
The race starts with less than optimal weather conditions: compared to yesterday's DH, women's races saw cloudy and wet weather conditions due to yesterday's rains. During the launch lap all the best are in front, except Schurter and Sarrou who remain in the belly of the group around the twentieth position.
Avancini, Dascalu and Blevins not departing, probably for Covid (a real disaster this year). The first to make selection is Titouan Carod (BMC) that on the first technical climb gives the first jolt to the race. The first climb is very narrow and technical and it is very important to stay in the front. Behind the pursuers are Luca Braidot (Santa Cruz FSA), Alan Hatherly (Cannondale), Filippo Colombo (BMC), Sebastian Fini (KMC), Mexican Ulloa (real revelation this weekend) and De Froidmont (KMC).
Kerschbaumer and Colledani sail around the 20th place while Schurter remains entangled, together with Valero, they are just behind the leading group but seem to have the leg to return.
The course is spectacular: the rain made it slimy and very technical. Behind Colombo acts as a cap being Carod's teammate: he proves to have an exceptional leg but always remains in second position to stop any athlete who tries to close on Carod.
During the third lap, De Froidmont continues to open the gas and selects the leading group well: only Filippo Colombo, Alan Hatherly and Sebastian Fini (Froidmont's teammate) remain with him.
Luca Braidot does a bit of elastic but remains with the leaders with Titouan Carod who passes 3 laps from the end with a 54 ″ advantage: an eternity and a crazy race pace! Even Gerardo Ulloa (Massi) remains hooked with his teeth. Nino Schurter does not seem to be on an optimal day but continues to make up ground and returns to the leading group 2 laps from the end, taking with him David valero, used to comeback races.
The Mexican Gerardo Ulloa (MASSI-BEAUMES DE VENISE) is the victim of an immense misfortune: with 2 laps to go, while he was doing the race of his life being in the leading group, he breaks the pedal and is forced to retire. With 3 laps to go the race explodes: Philip Columbus attacks, after defending his teammate Titouan Carod throughout the race, and blows up the race, with Luca Braidot and Nino Schurter who go hunting.
Alan Hatherley he makes a serious mistake and falls slightly off an escarpment in a slimy uphill stretch. From there he will jump head and lose many positions. Meanwhile, Juri Zanotti puts in place an extraordinary comeback from the rear and enters the top 10! Considering Colombo and Carod are in 1st and 2nd place, a fantastic performance for Team BMC. Titouan Carod, however, does not lose ground and behind they fail to gain, starting the last lap with more than 2 minutes of advantage (2'13 "). The domination of him is embarrassing! The pursuers, after this change of pace, are Nino Schurter (race of experience), Filippo Colombo (who continues to make an excellent team game on Carod), Pierre De Froidmont and David Valero. Luca Braidot continues to act as an elastic and keeps the leading group with difficulty. But today Titouan Carod is unstoppable, you have to shoot him to stop him: mouth shut for the whole race, he seems to be on a pleasure trip. Also Gerhard Kerschbaumer is coming back and starts the last lap in 8th place together with Maxime Marotte (Santa Cruz FSA).
The Frenchman goes on to win with an embarrassing ease and detachment: if he shows up with this leg at the world championship, it will be hard for everyone. Behind the battle for the podium is beautiful and throughout the last lap it is one attack after another, with Nino Schurter that slips downhill and struggles to find the rhythm: the winner is Filippo Colombo, Carod's teammate, on David Valero, to seal a domain of the "patron" Team BMC Julian Absalon. Luca Braidot makes a brilliant finish and takes 4th place in front of De Froidmont (great race for him) and Mr Nino Schurter.
ITALIAN
Luca Braidot is 1st of the Italians. Behind him, in 14th place, Gerhard Kerschbaumer who does not finalize the good comeback he had put in place from the middle of the race onwards due to various errors during the last lap. Too bad for Juri Zanotti: he too pays for the last lap but takes home an important top20 (15th), remaining for most of the race in the top10. Great for the future. Nadir Colledani, after a good first half of the race, gives up important positions and ends in 34th place.
MEN'S ELITE RANKING
| 1. |  | CAROD Titouan (BMC MTB RACING) | 1:24:48 |
| 2. |  | COLUMBUS Philip (BMC MTB RACING) | 1:26:29 + 1: 41 |
| 3. |  | VALERO SERRANO David (BH TEMPLO CAFES UCC) | 1:26:32 + 1: 44 |
| 4. |  | BRAIDOT Luke (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM) | 1:26:37 + 1: 49 |
| 5. |  | DE FROIDMONT Pierre (KMC - ORBEA) | 1:26:37 + 1: 49 |
| 6. | | SCHURTER Nino (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM) | 1:26:38 + 1: 50 |
| 7. | | MAROTTE Maxime (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM) | 1:27:22 + 2: 34 |
| 8. | | GRIOT Thomas (CANYON CLLCTV) | 1:27:31 + 2: 43 |
| 9. | | SCHUERMANS Jens (SCOTT CREUSE OXYGENE GUERET) | 1:27:48 + 3: 00 |
| 10 | | GUERRINI Marcel (BIXS PERFORMANCE RACING) | 1:27:55 + 3: 07 |
GENERAL WORLD CUP
