Vittone 8th after a good start, matt Cortinovis, only 19th. In qualifications Downhill among the Juniors, the third place of the Trentino Hauser bodes well for tomorrow's category final on the legendary Black Snake. Tomorrow the Short Track Elite with the twins Braidot and Martina Berta.
Source: press release
On the afternoon of Thursday 29 June, the Short Tracks of the U23 categories – men's and women's – smiled at the Canadian Carter Woods, who scored his first goal of the season in the World Cup, and at the Swiss Ronja Blöchlinger, authentic star performer of the Short Tracks at this start of the season and still undefeated (four out of four) in the world's top circuit.
XCC MEN U23: WOODS WINS A TIGHT RACE
In Val di Sole, everything foreshadowed a tight race in the Short Track reserved for the U23s and the forecasts were punctually respected. Carter Woods, Canadian of the Giant Factory Team, prevailed in Daolasa di Commezzadura at the end of a race without a master, fought from the first to the last lap.
Behind him, the transalpines Luca Martin (Orbea Factory) and Adrien Boichis (Trinity Racing) had to settle for second and third positions, while the American Riley Amos (Trek Factory) and the Swiss Dario Lillo (Scott Davos) closed the top-5 of the day.
Eighth place for the first of the Italians, Andreas Emanuele Vittone (KTM-Protek-Elettrosystem), author of a superb start that allowed him to cross the finish line first in the first lap. Vittone remained in the heat of the race also in the following laps, but at that point it was the French Boichis and Martin, the Swiss Lillo and the Canadian Woods who took control of the situation. In an excited finale, Woods managed to beat the transalpine duo to the finish line by a whisker, while in the general standings Boichis leads with 430 points, ahead of Woods (335) and Lillo (330).
MEN'S RANKING
| 1. |  | WOODS Carter (GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM – XC) | 19:53 |
| 2. |  | MARTIN Luke (ORBEA FACTORY TEAM) | 19:54 +1 |
| 3. | | BOICHIS Adrien (TRINITY RACING MTB) | 19:55 +2 |
| 4. |  | AMOS Riley (TREK FACTORY RACING XC) | 19:55 +2 |
| 5. |  | LILLO Dario (SCOTT DAVOS MTB PROJECT) | 20:03 +10 |
| 6. |  | BLACKMORE Peter Joseph | 20:05 +12 |
| 7. | | WIEDMANN Luke (THOMUS MAXON) | 20:06 +13 |
| 8. |  | VITTONE Andreas Emanuele (KTM PROTEK ELECTROSYSTEM) | 20:11 +18 |
| 9. |  | REKDAHL Ole Sigurd (KMC MTB RACING TEAM) | 20:12 +19 |
| 10. |  | ROSE Ethan (TEAM TALLEY'S – KIWI MTB COLLECTIVE) | 20:13 +20 |
XCC WOMEN U23: BLÖCHLINGER WINS THE DUEL WITH PEDERSEN
Nove Mesto, Lenzerheide, Leogang and Val di Sole: Ronja Blöchlinger is confirmed as the queen of the U23 Short Track in Daolasa di Commezzadura, conquering the fourth victory in the World Cup out of four races held.
This time, the talented Swiss from Team LIV Factory had to work hard to get the better of Danish Sofie Pedersen (Wilier-Pirelli), second today (+0.06) but favorite for Sunday's Cross Country. Completing the top-3 of the day was French Noemie Garnier (SCOTT Creuse), 0.36 behind. The Italians were far behind: Sara Cortinovis (Santa Cruz-Rockshox) ranked in an anonymous nineteenth position, just ahead of her compatriot Lucia Bramati (Trinx Factory Team).
Blöchlinger and Pedersen battled it out from the first lap, thanks to the surprising starting point of the Danish woman who kept the lead until the third day. Sara Cortinovis's start was also good: however, the blue quickly finished in the rear due to an error. After half the race, Blöchlinger got back on Pedersen; the two rivals continued together until the last lap, when the Swiss managed to find the starting point to distance the Danish and cross the finish line alone.
In the Short Track World Cup standings, Blöchlinger leads with full points (500) ahead of Pedersen (360) and Noelle Buri (310).
FEMALE RANKING
| 1. | | BLÖCHLINGER Ronja (LIV FACTORY RACING) | 19:31 |
| 2. |  | PEDERSEN Heby Sofie (WILIER - PIRELLI FACTORY TEAM XCO) | 19:37 +6 |
| 3. | | GARNIER Noemie (SCOTT CREUSE OXYGENE GUERET) | 20:07 +36 |
| 4. | | MAXWELL Samara | 20:09 +38 |
| 5. | | HEATS Ginia (THÖMUS AKROS – YOUNGSTARS) | 20:15 +44 |
TOMORROW THE SHORT TRACK ELITE: ITALY BETS ON BRAIDOT AND BERTA
Exactly twenty-four hours after today's show, tomorrow, Friday 30 June, the Short Track will return to the spotlight in Val di Sole, this time with the Elite category races, valid both for the specialty World Cup and to establish the starting grids for the Cross Country on Sunday 2 July. The women will be the first to take to the track in Daolasa di Commezzadura at 17.45:18.30, followed by the men at 58:XNUMX. Both races will be broadcast live on Raisport, channel XNUMX of digital terrestrial, and on Eurosport/GCN/Discovery Plus.
Italy has two important cards to play in the home Short Track, the Team Santa Cruz Rockshox bearers Luca Braidot and Martina Berta. Third in the general classification behind the German specialist Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon) and the transalpine Jordan Sarrou (BMC), the 32-year-old from Friuli has shown that he is growing in condition and has all the credentials to give great satisfaction to the Italian supporters. together with his twin Daniele Braidot (CS Carabinieri).
The transalpine Joshua Dubau (Rockrider Team), a surprise in this 2023 World Cup, and the multi-titled Nino Schurter (SCOTT-Sram), although the Swiss ace's big goal is Sunday's Cross Country.
Among the women, Martina Berta will have to face very tough competition, starting from the French Pauline Ferrand-Prèvot (INEOS-Grenadiers), winner of the Short Track in Leogang, from the Dutch Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Deuceninck) and from the Austrian Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing). The young Tyrolean was able to conquer the opening Short Track of the World Cup in Nove Mesto, demonstrating a great feeling with the discipline.
THE PROGRAM
Thursday 29 June
- 17.30: Short Track U23 Men
- 18.15: Short Track U23 Women
Friday 30 June
- 12.45: Downhill Junior women
- 13.15: Downhill Junior men
- 17.45: Elite Women's Short Track
- 18.30: Short Track Men Elite
- 21.00: 4X Pro Tour Event, starting at 21.00
Saturday 1th July
- 13.00: Downhill Elite women
- 14.00: Downhill Elite men
- 17.00pm: GIANT Mini World Cup of Cross Country
Sunday July 2th
- 08.30: Cross Country Women U23
- 10.30: Cross Country Men U23
- 13.00pm: Elite Women's Cross Country
- 15.00: Cross Country Men Elite
