After the Short Track of the Under 23s on Thursday evening, there was expectation in Val di Sole to see the champions of the Elite category at work in the XCC, on an intense and demanding course, made even more demanding by the rain that characterized the two tests male and female.
Source: press release
A route suitable, according to many, to the characteristics of Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV), the true specialist of short distance races, and the powerful German did not betray the expectations, conquering his second victory of the season in the World Cup and thus reinforcing his leadership in the general ranking of specialties.
Behind the 26-year-old German, another format specialist crossed the finish line, the South African Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory), while the third step of the podium went to the French Joshua Dubau (Rockrider), among the surprises of the first part of the season.
Tenth place for Nino Schurter (SCOTT-Sram), who has long been riding in the top positions and has shown signs of excellent condition. For Sunday's Cross Country, you can bet on it, he will be the man to beat. Twelfth and sixteenth were the first two Italians to cross the finish line, the twins Daniele (CS Carabinieri) and Luca Braidot (Santa Cruz – Rockshox).
The men's XCC was a group race for almost all eight laps of the race, in which Schwarzbauer and Schurter essentially alternated at the top of a group of fifteen riders who presented themselves compactly in the last and decisive lap.
The greater explosiveness of Schwarzbauer, Hatherly and Dubau emerged precisely in the last passage. The German selected the uphill group and then launched downhill and easily controlled the situation until the finish.
“I didn't expect to be so strong today. I knew I was in good condition, but I felt tired after the European Championships and the related journey: however I was hoping I still had something in my legs,” the winner said hotly. – “Tactically, I think I interpreted the match in the best possible way. I have to say thanks to Nino for leading until the final stages, but I think I was the strongest in today's race. This route really suits me, with a very hard and explosive climb, but also several breather stretches: I am delighted with this success in the World Cup.”
Daniele Braidot, the best of the Italians today, remains confident for Sunday's challenge in the Cross Country: "Today every passage on the stones was a roulette, and even in the passages on the grass you had to be careful, but if the sensations are like this I can look to Sunday with confidence. I hope that the conditions will be like today, because with the dust I suffer a lot: thanks to this placement I will start in front, and I hope to be able to go fast."
Schwarzbauer leads the general classification of the Short Track World Cup with 860 points, ahead of the French Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC), seventh today, with 680, and the other transalpine Dubau (488). Seventh place for Luca Braidot (Santa Cruz) with 429 lengths.
MEN'S RANKING
| 1. |  | SCHWARZBAUER Luke (CANYON CLLCTV) | 19:45 |
| 2. |  | HATHERLY Alan (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING) | 19:47 +2 |
| 3. |  | DUBAU Joshua (ROCKRIDER FORD RACING TEAM) | 19:48 +3 |
| 4. |  | DE FROIDMONT Pierre (ORBEA FACTORY TEAM) | 19:48 +3 |
| 5. | | SCHUERMANS Jens (GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM – XC) | 19:49 +4 |
| 6. |  | BLEVINS Christopher (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) | 19:50 +5 |
| 7. | | SARROU Jordan (TEAM BMC) | 19:51 +6 |
| 8. |  | FLÜCKIGER Mathias (THOMUS MAXON) | 19:51 +6 |
| 9. |  | GAZE Samuel (ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK) | 19:52 +7 |
| 10 | | SCHURTER Nino (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM) | 19:52 +7 |
GENERAL WORLD CUP
STIGGER AGAIN IN THE WOMEN'S SHORT TRACK
Laura Stigger won her second seasonal victory in the Short Track World Cup in Val di Sole. The young Austrian of Team Specialized, winner of the first stage of the maximum world circuit a Lenzerheide, this time she left behind the Dutch Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Deuceninck) at the end of a lightning sprint.
Third place for the French Pauline Ferrand-Prèvot (INEOS Grenadiers) at 6 seconds, ahead of the winner of the 2022 World Cup, the Swiss Alessandra Keller (Thomus-Maxon), and the Swedish Jenny Rissveds (Team 31 IBIS).
After an excited start, a sextet formed by Pieterse, Stigger, Ferrand-Prèvot, Keller, Rissveds and Henderson (Primaflor Mondraker) emerged at the head of the race, followed at a short distance by another squad led by Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory).
Keller attempted a decisive acceleration in the uphill rock garden in the penultimate of the seven scheduled laps, but the decisive attack came exactly one lap later, by Laura Stigger.
Only the Dutch Pieterse managed to get behind the Tyrolean, who then took command of the situation in an attempt to approach the final sprint in first position.
However, Puck Pieterse found a great opponent in Laura Stigger, capable of getting off her wheel and climbing back meter by meter to the finish line. Martina Berta from the Aosta Valley, Italian champion, was sixteenth and ahead of the Italians, sixteenth at 27 seconds from the winner.
After the race, Laura Stigger recounted the decisive phase of the race on the last lap: “I entered the rock garden with a good line, and uphill I felt I was able to push hard, so I tried to force myself to overtake Puck and then recover downhill. Instead Puck managed to get back to the front on the grass, and I know how competitive she is in the sprint: I think she is one of the fastest athletes ever, being able to overtake her in the sprint was incredible."
Ferrand-Prèvot kept the lead in the Short Track World Cup standings with 720 points, ahead of Stigger (706) and Pieterse (670).
FEMALE ELITE RANKING
| 1. |  | STIGGER Laura (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) | 19:37 |
| 2. |  | * PIETERSE Puck (ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK) | 19:37 |
| 3. | | FERRAND PREVOT Pauline (INEOS GRENADIERS) | 19:43 +6 |
| 4. | | KELLER Alexandra (THOMUS MAXON) | 19:44 +7 |
| 5. |  | Risveds Jenny (TEAM 31 IBIS CYCLES CONTINENTAL) | 19:46 +9 |
| 6. |  | HENDERSON Rebecca (PRIMAFLOR MONDRAKER GENUINS RACING TEAM | 19:48 +11 |
| 7. | | NEFF Jolanda (TREK FACTORY RACING XC) | 19:51 +14 |
| 8. | | FORKS Ramona (JB BRUNEX SUPERIOR FACTORY RACING) | 19:55 +18 |
| 9. | | FREI Sina (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) | 19:56 +19 |
| 10 | | COURTNEY Kate (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM) | 19:56 +19 |
GENERAL WORLD CUP
