The Snowshoe race was muddy and super technical: the Elites found a nice rain to accompany them throughout the race. It is worth noting the absence of some big names like Mathias Fluckiger e Nino Schurter, author of a bad fall during the Short Track.
WATCH THE DELAY
At the beginning of the race a nice squad is created in the lead with Sebastian Fini and Filippo Colombo very perky, with the latter however then victim of a puncture and swallowed in the backup positions. Vlad Dascalu seems to be on a bad day and travels around 20th position. Luca Braidot remains at the back of the leading squad and seems to be administering.
Up front do forcing Christopher Blevins and Alan Hatherly who gain a few seconds on the direct pursuers. The first twist occurs with the fall of Alan Hatherly who is then sucked into the group and loses the pace he had in the first laps. Blevins remains alone in command while Braidot forces the pace behind him and only Carod follows him. Blevins, however, is the victim of a puncture and this means that Luca Braidot tries to make the first real forcing of the race, with only Titouan Carod (French champion) to keep the pace.
With 2 laps to go Blevins returns to the leading duo made up of Braidot and Carod and a good battle begins: Braidot seems to be slightly brighter on the climb but Blevins on the descent is scary and always gains a few meters. The pace drops in the final and from behind they fall into 3: Valero, Colombo and Schwarzbauer. The last lap starts with 6 athletes in command!
Filippo Colombo is the author of an unfortunate race: after having a puncture at the beginning of the race, he returns to the front at the sound of the bell, takes the lead and slips on a catwalk, returning to chase. Braidot forces the pace but Blevins downhill is scary: in a few meters he gains a gap of about 5 seconds and forces everyone to chase. Uphill, however, is not brilliant and from behind they return, with Serrano counterattacking and going to win his first career world cup stage in front of Carod and our Braidot, who returns to Blevins and beats him in the sprint.
ITALIAN
Nadir Colledani is 36th while Juri Zanotti surprises: he is 17th in a very demanding course and 1st year in the Elite categories! Bravo Juri.
MEN'S ELITE RANKING
| 1. |  | VALERO SERRANO David (BH TEMPLO CAFES UCC) | 1:25:11 |
| 2. |  | CAROD Titouan (BMC MTB RACING) | 1:25:16 +5 |
| 3. |  | BRAIDOT Luke (SANTA CRUZ FSA MTB PRO TEAM) | 1:25:22 +11 |
| 4. |  | BLEVINS Christopher (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) | 1:25:22 +11 |
| 5. |  | COLUMBUS Philip (BMC MTB RACING) | 1:25:31 +20 |
| 6. |  | SCHWARZBAUER Luke (CANYON CLLCTV) | 1:25:42 +31 |
| 7. | | FORSTER Lars (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM) | 1:25:46 +35 |
| 8. |  | HATHERLY Alan (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING) | 1:25:57 +46 |
| 9. | | PHILIPP Antoine (GIANT FACTORY OFF - ROAD TEAM) | 1:26:22 + 1: 11 |
| 10 |  | DE FROIDMONT Pierre (KMC - ORBEA) | 1:26:28 + 1: 17 |
GENERAL WORLD CUP
