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credits: Pierre Teyssot
COMMEZZADURA (VAL DI SOLE – TRENTINO), 9 SEPTEMBER 2016 – 2016 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup has just ended with a spectacular stage in Andorra, but downhill champions are still ready for racing. On Sunday 11 September the main gravity event, to be held on the Black Snale in Daolasa, will award the 4 world titles at the 2016 UCI Mtb World Champs Val di Sole.
Elite Women and Men races will feature tight battles. For the first it’s quite easy to make predictions, for the second instead the outcome of the battle remains uncertain. Among the women, British Rachel Atherton comes from a triumphant 2016 season: 7 races out of 7 won in World Cup, lengthening her long list of victories to 14 in a row, including 2015 Worlds: a true record. In the last races of the year her adversaries have reduced the gap between them and the super champion (Junior World Champion and three times Elite World Champion), perhaps because she sat down a bit. The rivals for the podium are French Myriam Nicole who, back from bad injury, took third in two races, and Australia’s Tracey Hannah (2006 Juniors World champion), was just behind Atherton in four Cup stages. Possible outsiders are two fellow countrywomen: Manon Carpenter, Junior world champion in 2011 and Elite world champion in 2014, and Tahnée Seagrave, winner of the Juniors title in 2013.
In the Men’s category, British Danny Hart, with three consecutive victories in UCI World Cup stages, could make it to the top. He missed the World Cup by a blink of an eye, conquered by 2016 Worlds favourite, USA’s Aaron Gwin, 3-time-winner on the Black Snake in Val di Sole and on a quest for the title he needs to complete his rich trophy collection. Gwin and Hart have shared World Cup races this year – two and three victories respectively – leaving for their rainbow jersey rivals, French Loic Bruni and South Africa’s Greg Minnaar, a stage each. Loic, 2012 Junior World Champion and 2015 Elite champion, comes from a tough season, he skipped three races due to an injury, but he proved to be very fast and motivated in the last two races. South Africa’s rider seldom misses important fixtures and is the most decorated athlete competing: World Cup record number of victories and three times Elite World Champion. Twice Junior World Champion, Australian Troy Brosnan should not be underestimated, he has been fast and consistent in World Cup although he missed the top.
The particular conditions of the Black Snake, really loose and dusty, have made it more technical and hard, with lines changing continuously forcing athletes to reinterpret the course every time. Anything can happen at the UCI Mtb World Championships in Val di Sole.
Competition day will start with the young Juniors men and women races. It will be a duel between Canadian Finnley Iles and French Gaetan Vige, winners of three rounds each in World Cup but the first conquered the title, while British Elliott Heap could steal the show. Among the women, those who clinched the podium in 2015 have moved to the Elite so the race is going to be a surprise, with Australia’s Sian A’Hearn favourite over French Melanie Chappaz (in World Cup Juniors race together with Elite).
Programme
Friday 9 September: 9.00-11.30 Junior and Women Elite official training; 12.00-14.30 Men Elite official training
Saturday 10 September: 8.00-9.15 Junior and Women Elite official training; 9.30-10.45 Men Elite official training; 11.30-15.00 Elite timed event and Junior official qualification
Alberto Penasa - Azienda Turismo Val di Sole
Viale Marconi, 7 - 3827 - Malè - (TN)
Tel. +39.0463.900863 - Fax +39.0463.901563
www.valdisole.net - penasa.a@valdisole.net
