The MTB World Championships opened today in Pal Arinsal (Adorra) started well for Italy, with a bronze medal. In the relay team, Luca Braidot, Matteo Siffredi, Martina Berta, Giada Martignoli, Valentina Corvi and Mattia Stenico brought the tricolor back to the podium after a year of absence, taking third place behind the USA and France. The gap at the finish line from the first was 1'31”.
Source: federciclismo4
CT Mirko Celestino was happy: “We started off well: a medal is a good result that boosts the whole group. The boys were good at managing the race, knowing that there were very strong national teams, some of which, like Switzerland, have never missed a world championship. Everyone put in very intelligent performances, managing the effort and always keeping us in the running for a medal. Each of the protagonists deserves a mention, from Luca Braidot and Matteo Siffredi who fought with France on equal terms in the early stages, to Martina Berta who held her own against her direct rival, the French Lecomte. A big round of applause for the two very young Martignoli and Corvi, capable of not giving up too much ground against opponents of a higher category and a small monument deserves Mattia Stenico, once again capable of measuring his strength and preventing the comeback of Canada and Switzerland.”
The race sees Italy in the lead with France in the first laps, while the USA team, due to a different tactical choice, sails further back. In the second part, while France and the USA play for the victory, the Azzurri contain the gap from the leaders and at the same time avoid the recovery of the returning Holmgran (Canada) and Litscher (Svi).
RANKING TEAM RELAY
| 1 | UNITED STATES |  | 1:19:38 |
| 2 | FRANCE |  | + 0: 03 |
| 3 | ITALY |  | + 1: 31 |
| 4 | CANADA |  | + 1: 39 |
| 5 | SWITZERLAND |  | + 2: 18 |
| 6 | GERMANY |  | + 4: 32 |
| 7 | DENMARK |  | + 4: 45 |
| 8 | AUSTRIA |  | + 5: 44 |
| 9 | GREAT BRITAIN |  | + 6: 59 |
| 10 | SPAIN |  | + 7: 01 |
