Titouan Carod and Pauline Ferrand Prèvot celebrated in the last Short Track to end the season in Val di Sole. South African Hatherly and Swiss Keller have claimed the first-ever edition on the discipline’s World Cup.
The wait is over: the program of the World Cup Grand Finals in Val di Sole (2-4 September) got into full swing on Friday, September 2nd when the free practice and training sessions gave way to the stopwatches, the challenges and the first verdicts.
Alongside the strongest riders from every corner of the world, another great protagonist stood out on Friday: the public of great occasions who supported the athletes both in the Short Track and along the iconic descent of the Black Snake, where the Downhill qualifiers took place today. Among the public, former fencing Olympian and current Italy’s Undersecretary of State with responsibility for Sport Valentina Vezzali, came to Daolasa di Commezzadura to enjoy the show offered by the competing athletes and take part in the awarding ceremonies.
In the last Short Track races of the season, which put up for grabs the first ever World Cups of the specialty, crucial points for the Cross Country World Cup and defined the starting grid of Sunday’s XCO race, French Titouan Carod and Pauline Ferrand-Prèvot excelled, while South African Alan Hatherly and Swiss Alessandra Keller claimed the general classification.
CAROD TAKES SHORT TRACK FINAL IN VAL DI SOLE AS HATHERLY WINS WORLD CUP
Titouan Carod took the Short Track Grand Finale in Val di Sole, as Alan Hatherly conquered the first-ever World Cup crown. The Italian stage of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup delivered the Short Track final verdicts on Friday, September 2nd.
Being able to rely on the advantage earned in the previous World Cup rounds, South African Hatherly moved on the attack in lap 1 with a single goal in his mind: outdistancing his rival Filippo Colombo in the early phases of the race to put the overall beyond reach.
Hatherly started at the front and set a frantic pace in the early going and never looking back, with only Titouan Carod being able to keep up with him. Behind them, Colombo tried an acceleration halfway through the race, but it was Luca Braidot who got clear in lap seven with Nino Schurter in his wake.
In the final lap, Carod moved on the attack outdistancing an exhaustedAlan Hatherly. Behind them, Italian Luca Braidot won the third position cutting the gap to 9 seconds, a few ahead of XCO World Champion Nino Schurter, and cutting his gap in the XCO overall World Cup to 130 points – with 250 still available on Sunday.
“After winning in Mont Sainte-Anne one month ago, I really wanted to take another win in the final round of the season. I’m really happy but I want to congratulate Alan too because he was really strong. I knew he would be riding strong for overall, so really hats off to him, but I am really happy for myself. I’m now focused on the race on Sunday”.
“I’m really proud to be the first XCC overall champion in the history of this sport. Overall takes a lot of consistency and this has been quite challenging for me in many ways. During the race, I knew that Filippo Colombo was my biggest threat, so I decided to manage the gap and race to secure the overall win”, admitted Hatherly.
FRANCE’S ONE-TWO IN THE WOMEN SHORT TRACK
An uncertain race was expected in Val di Sole on Friday, September 2nd, but eve’s predictions were not disappointing in the last Short Track of the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. One week after her triumph in Les Gets, Pauline Ferrand-Prèvot claimed a beautiful success in Val di Sole.
The World Champion preceded fellow French Loana Lecomte after a tight duel. With third place conquered in Val di Sole ahead of Jolanda Neff, Swiss Alessandra Keller won the first-ever Short Track World Cup. US Kate Courtney completed the day’s top-5.
Italian Martina Berta splintered the group of favorites in the first laps with an offensive tactic, but Ferrand-Prèvot, Lecomte, Keller and Neff managed to keep it in control. In the final lap, Lecomte launched an attack in the climbing section, finding the answer of Ferrand-Prèvot. The 30-year-old born in Reims was sharp in getting past Lecomte in the very last turn to eventually precede her to the finish line.
“I felt great coming into the race, but for some reason, I wasn’t able to push as I wanted. I am maybe still a little tired from last week. Anyway, I am happy with this win and looking forward to Sunday. Tactics-wise, I thought to play a little of a waiting game in the first half to bring the attack in the final, but eventually, I couldn’t and it came down to a sprint. There, I knew I wouldn’t be able to pass in the last straight, so I made the move in the final corner to get past Loana”, said World Champion Ferrand-Prèvot.
“It’s crazy to be the first Short Track World Cup winner”, argued Alessandra Keller. – “I didn’t expect it at the start of the season. I just wanted to get back to where I was. Then with consistency, I found myself in this position, and came into this final race with the pressure of winning this cup, as I really wanted it. I knew I had to finish in the top-5 to be sure to win, but actually, I didn’t count the positions – just went all-in. This season gives me the confidence to head into Sunday with a chance to win the XCO World Cup.”
AUSTRIA RULES THE DH QUALIFYING ROUND
Earlier in the afternoon, the Black Snake had staged the official qualifications for tomorrow’s final round of the Downhill World Cup on the iconic Black Snake track. The Austrian flag waved over both the Men’s and Women’s Elite standings. World Champion Valentina Höll (4:31:753) proving the fastest among women ahead of Slovenia’s Monika Hrastnik (+4.192) and home-favorite Eleonora Farina (+10.307), imitated by European Champion Andreas Kolb (3:41:572), who bested France’s Louis Vergier (+1.960) and USA’s Dakotah Norton (+5.207).
Among Juniors, Jordan Williams (Great Britain) was faster than World Champion Jackson Goldstone (Canada), whilst Gracey Hemstreet (Canada) was clearly the strongest among ladies.
Tomorrow, Saturday, the Downhill finals will start at 9:45 CET with the Junior Men, followed by the Junior Women at 10:30 CET. The big guns will come into action from 12:30 CET with the Elite Women, and the Elite Men from 13:30 CET.
France’s Amaury Pierron needs barely two points to seal the overall Elite Men’s World Cup, while Swiss Camille Balanche’s lead will be threatened by Vali Höll and France’s Myriam Nicole. Among Juniors, Jackson Goldstone is already sure to be lifting the Men’s trophy on the final podium in Val di Sole, and fellow Canadian Hemstreet can rely on a 25-point cushion over Brit Phoebe Gale.
MERCEDES-BENZ UCI MTB WORLD CUP FINALS – PROGRAM
Friday, September 2nd
• 17.30 CET: Women Short Track
• 18.15 CET: Men Short Track
• 20.45 CET: 4X Pro Tour
Saturday, September 3rd
• 09.45 CET: Downhill JR Men
• 10.30 CET: Downhill JR Women
• 12.30 CET: Downhill Elite Women
• 13.30 CET: Downhill Elite Men
• 17.15 CET: Giant Mini World Cup
• 20.45 CET: 4X Pro Tour
Sunday, September 4th
• 08.30 CET: Cross Country U23 Women
• 10.15 CET: Cross Country U23 Men
• 12.20 CET: Cross Country Elite Women
• 14.50 CET: Cross Country Elite Men
