Sunshine and rainbows at the Sunshine Race in Nals

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who wears the rainbow jersey as the reigning world champion and has a total of 12 world titles to her name, was unbeatable in today's cross-country race. The Frenchwoman took the lead after the starting lap and continuously increased her lead over the following five laps: “What a beautiful race. The route is very demanding from start to finish, the climb is hard and the descent is very technical, so you don't have the opportunity to recover. You have to stay focused throughout the entire race, I managed that, I’m very happy,” said the beaming winner at the finish.

The best of the “normals” was Giada Specia, who took second place after her win last year. She won the duel with the German Nina Benz. “We knew Pauline would attack from the start, so I tried to keep my pace in the group of two with Nina. On the last lap I noticed that she was struggling more than me and I was able to overtake her,” said Specia. Third place went to a satisfied Nina Benz, who was on the podium twice at the weekend in Nals.

Giada Specia came in second place. © Newspower.it

The men's race started in bright sunshine at 14.30 p.m. and the pace was high from the start. The composition of the top group varied: sometimes 5, sometimes 7 athletes who completed lap after lap. Halfway through the race, one of the favorites, Mario Bair, retired. He had to retire from the race early after a chain broke. In the last laps the trio Simone Avondetto, Luca Schätti (SUI) and Filippo Fontana took the reins, and in the last lap it was the Piedmontese Avondetto who made the decisive attack and, after his third place last year, now took the victory.

Simone Avondetto (Wilier - Vittoria) won ahead of Schätti and Fontana. “A nice race with great speed. There was some good action from the start and in the final I felt good and attacked. I am very happy with the win,” added Avondetto. A satisfied Schätti emphasized: “It's always a pleasure to drive these races: Simone, Filippo and I have been racing together for 10 years and it's nice to meet again for these challenges. Today Simone was better and deserved the win.”

Simone Avondetto won the men's event. © Newspower.it

The veterans of the Marlene South Tyrol Sunshine Race also gave their all: Eva Lechner and Martino Fruet. “That was my last race here in Nals,” said Lechner, “it’s a special race for me. Driving at home in front of my fans has a completely different appeal. I still remember my first participation and every victory here is unique and unforgettable. Today I enjoyed the race, every inch of it.”

In the U23 category, the women's victory went to the German Finja Lipp. She won ahead of the Swiss Monique Halter, who was in the lead towards the end of the race and was slowed down by a puncture. The Frenchman Mathis Guay won the U23 men's event.

Halter triumphs in the juniors In the morning, the bikers in the junior category opened the race: victory went to Nicolas Halter. The talented Swiss with start number 1 always led the race accompanied by his colleagues Hougs (DEN) and Sommer (SUI), whom he was then able to leave behind in the last of the four laps. Tommaso Bosio and Mattia Stenico finished as the best “Azzurri” in 12th and 13th place, while Mattia Agostinacchio had to retire at the end of the first lap after hitting a tree on the starting lap and suffering severe pain in his shoulder.

There was also a Swiss victory in the subsequent women's race (start at 10.45 a.m., 3 laps plus start) by Lara Liehner. She immediately broke away together with Marusa Tereza Serkezi (SLO) and overtook her competitor in the last lap, also because the Slovenian was unlucky with a chain jump. With athletes like this, the future of MTB is in good hands and once again the Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race proved to be a great stage for the UCI Junior Series.

But that's not all: The ASV Sunshine Racers Nals, which this weekend is also celebrating Rosi Wieser, a pillar of the club and wife of President Florian Pallweber, is inviting you to another big mountain bike day tomorrow. That’s when the youth races take place.

Short track victories go to France In the short track race yesterday Friday evening, victory also went to Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. In an exciting race, the Frenchwoman came out ahead of the German Nina Benz. With Elisabeth Susanne Brandau, another athlete from Germany made it onto the podium. Victory also went to France in the men's category. Mathis Azzaro relegated the “Azzurro” Filippo Fontana and the Norwegian Emil Hasund Eid to second and third place.

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Sunshine and rainbows at the Sunshine Race in Nals

The name said it all. The Marlene South Tyrol Sunshine Race in sunny Nalles became a spectacle. The victories in the 23rd edition went to Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Simone Avondetto.

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