XCC Europeans: Bronze for Luca Braidot in Cheile Grădiștei

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