France and Switzerland again on the top step at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Trentino. American Christopher Blevins completes an amazing hat-trick of medals. Vergier and Höll the fastest in the DH qualifications
The figures tell it: the e-MTB has conquered millions of people all over the world, many of whom have started to have fun on two wheels thanks to the pedal assistance. In Val di Sole, however, e-MTBs are fun - and a lot of - even for those who are watching: after the Electric Snake in 2019, the third edition of the e-MTB World Championships - held on Friday 27 August within the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole - offered hours of fun to an already numerous audience in Daolasa.
This time, the World Champion jerseys brought even more motivations to the challenge, and France and Switzerland managed to add to an already rich tally at #ValdiSole2021: the new World Champions are Frenchman Jerome Gilloux and Swiss Nicole Goeldi, the youngest athlete competing today.
Also making the news was American Christopher Blevins, arguably the man of this edition of the World Champs so far. After the silver medal in the Team Relay and the gold in the Short Track, the 23-year-old from Durango added the only metal he was missing in the e-MTB challenge: nobody had ever achieved such feat in the same edition of the MTB World Championships.
GILLOUX LED ANOTHER FRENCH CHARGE
France keeps adding reasons to celebrate in Val di Sole, as Jerome Gilloux finally managed to improve his two silver medals in the format to claim his first e-MTB rainbow jersey. Gilloux succeeds in the Golden Book to South African Alan Hatherly and Brit Tom Pidcock.
Together with his teammate, Hugo Pigeon, Gilloux destroyed the competition by maintaining a sustained and constant pace on the technical ring of 2250 meters (140 mt elevation gain) per lap, charted by the organizers of Grandi Eventi Val di Sole. Gilloux and Pigeon cut the finish line respectively in first and second position (+0.22), with American Blevins (+1.11) rounding out the podium thanks to a late comeback, taking an incredible third medal in three days.
“It was a really hard race,” told the Frenchman. “The course was really technical, with steep slopes and tough downhills, and a very fast early stretch. My tactic for today? I attacked on the first ascent and never looked back. After two silvers, gold is finally here.”
Eighth was the first of the Azzurri, Andrea Garibbo, followed in ninth by two-time Olympic Champion Julien Absalon (France), whose race was affected by a rear starting position.
“I decided to participate in this race two weeks ago. It was actually my second e-MTB race ever, but I will do many more from now, as I had so much fun. The opportunity to take another medal obviously was an additional motivation, and I am living an incredible week. I might even dedicate a song to this…” told Blevins, referring to his other great passion.
GOELDI STRONGER THAN ANYTHING AMONG WOMEN
Shortly before the men's race, the women competed for the e-MTB World medals. Nicole Goeldi secured the rainbow jersey in impressive fashion, beating France’s Laura Charles, second at 13 seconds after cutting down the gap in the last lap. Bronze medal to German Sofia Wiedenroth. The defending champion, Melanie Pugin (France) could not go beyond fifth, ahead of Kathrin Stirnemann (Switzerland).
“Actually, I have surprised myself,” told Nicole Goeldi. “I was a little back at the start, so I had to chase, and even in the finale, when I was in the lead, the assistance turned off in the top part of the course. I was afraid I would lose everything, fortunately, I have managed to hold on until the finish.”
