The MTB XCC and XCO European Championships in Cheile Grădiștei in Romania open with a bronze medal for Italy. Luca Braidot (Fiamme Oro) takes the win, third in the elite short track, behind the Danish Andreassen and the German Schelb. “Luca fought for a good part of the race for silver, alone behind a wild Andreassen – says CT Celestino -. He gave in a little at the end and was caught and outsprinted by the German.
Source: press release
It was important to start with a medal: it gives morale and allows us to look at the next few days with optimism. Tomorrow it's the relay's turn, certainly one of the races we feel most passionate about. The weather was inclement these two days. Rain and mud will be decisive tomorrow too. I would like to thank the staff present, who were busy with a great job assisting the athletes due to the bad weather.”
Close to the medal too Giada Specia among the elite women, she remained close to Prevot and Pieterse until two laps from the end, and then slowly slipped back and finished in sixth position. She eighth Greta Seiwald. Success for the 'usual' Prevot in front of Pieterse. Koller wins the battle for third place.
In the U23 results, Elian Paccagnella is sixth (success of the British Blackmore) and Lucia Bramati eighth (first the German Kira Bohm).
In the morning the youth categories raced. Of note is the ninth place of junior Elia Rial. “He made a great start – commented Celestino – then he was thrown off the track and, despite the shortness of the race, he recovered, demonstrating that he has a good leg. This gives us hope for the next few days." In the category, victory went to the Swiss Sven Sommer, ahead of his compatriot Micha Alder and the Norwegian Aksle Laforce. In addition to Elia Rial's ninth place, Tommaso Bosio's fourteenth place is also worth mentioning, at 1'03”.
Among the junior women, victory went to the Slovenian Marusa Tereza Serkezi, ahead of the Swiss Lara Liehner, with the Hungarian Bruchner third. Eighteenth place for Giulia Rinaldoni, nineteenth for Myrtò Mangiaterra.
Tomorrow appointment for the relay. These are the Azzurri involved: Simone Avondetto, Chiara Teocchi, Giada Martinoli, Valentina Corvi, Mattia Stenico and Matteo Siffredi.
ELITE M SHORT TRACK RANKING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
| 1 | ANDREASSEN Simon |  | CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING | 23:47 |
| 2 | SCHELB Julian |  | STOP & GO MARDERABWEHR MTB TEAM | 24:25 |
| 3 | BRAIDOT Luke |  | SANTA CRUZ ROCKSHOX PRO TEAM | 24:25 |
| 4 | ALDRIDGE Charlie |  | CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING | 24:39 |
| 5 | FORSTER Lars |  | THÖMUS MAXON | 24:41 |
| 6 | BLUMS Martins |  | KMC RIDLEY MTB RACING TEAM | 24:43 |
| 7 | SCHÄTTI Luca | | BIKE TEAM SOLOTHURN | 24:44 |
| 8 | BLACKMORE Joseph | | 24:45 | |
| 9 | BRAIDOT Daniel | | CS CARABINIERI – OLYMPIA CYCLES | 24:49 |
| 10 | LILLO Dario | | GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM – XC | 24:53 |
ELITE W SHORT TRACK RANKING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
| 1 | FERRAND PREVOT Pauline |  | INEOS GRENADIERS | 24:49 |
| 2 | PIETERSE Puck |  | ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK | 25:00 |
| 3 | KOLLER Nicole | | GHOST FACTORY RACING | 25:31 |
| 4 | LÕIV Janika |  | KMC RIDLEY MTB RACING TEAM | 25:42 |
| 5 | BÖHM Kira | | CUBE FACTORY RACING | 25:48 |
| 6 | SPECIA Jade | | WILIER-VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM XCO | 25:48 |
| 7 | DAUBERMANN Leonie | | KTM FACTORY MTB TEAM | 25:54 |
| 8 | SEIWALD Greta | | DECATHLON FORD RACING TEAM | 25:56 |
| 9 | ČÁBELICKÁ Jitka |  | GAPP SYSTEM - KOLOFIX MTB RACING TEAM | 25:58 |
| 10 | MACLEAN-HOWELL She | | 26:02 |
