What would you ask more than sunshine, good snow and a great audience to begin with a new world Cup season?
The athletes knew the answer on saturday morning in Andorra and went for one of the best race ever run in Arcalis. Four climbs and four descents challenged some 30 gentlemen and as many ladies, just to mention the senior group. But the Open race, in addition to the other categories, just warmed up the environment. «Andorra has proved once again what it means to be a strong and professional team», said Armando Mariotta ISMF president and Roberto Cavallo, General secretary. At the start you could feel the heart beating of the crowd. On the way to La Coma the group started to split as the steep part was making them struggling. The first climb was one of the keypoint of the whole track. In the following downhill part the athletes had already spread: in group of three among the faster were Anton Palzer, from Germany and the Italian Damiano Lenzi, sixth was Kilian Jornet Burgada. The most spectacular climb had two ingredients: crampons and strenght. And again the duel was between Palzer and Lenzi who started the last downhill first, adding some terrain. He also fell down but managed to cross the finish line first, altough in the end, for an irregular procedure with its crampon, he has been lowered to second place, giving the victory to young and cheering Palzer. Third was the french Xavier Gachet. In the ladies race french Laetitia Roux was soon in the lead and kept it till the end. The last season overall winner had to fight hard but managed to prove once again that she is the one to beat getting to the finish line with a solid advantage. Behind her colleagues are learning the lesson, as team mate Axelle Mollaret came second followed by last edition winner, the swedish Emelie Forsberg.
Results are online on ISMF website
http://ismf-ski.org/www/content/races-result?id=170
http://ismf-ski.org/www/content/rankings-podiums
QUOTES
Anton Palzer (ITA): “Damiano Lenzi today was the most solid of the group but of course there are rules that we must follow. I regard him as the “moral” winner, but I am also very happy with my race. This morning I would have been happy to grab the podium, and as time goes by I gain confidence and here I am”.
Laetitia Roux (FRA): “Andorra is so special for me and so different from last year. I felt that everything was rolling the right way and I am so happy to start with a solid victory together with my team mate on podium. I am also very happy for the younger girls of the french team and yes, I have to admit: the Individual is the most challenging and complete discipline, well representing the skimo at its best”.
Lucia Galli
