Lausanne – Ponte di Legno has a long association with ski mountaineering racing. The home of one of the major classic races, Adamello Ski Raid, will host the ISMF World Cup for the third year in a row.
The second stage of the WÜRTH MODYF ISMF World Cup 2022/23 will see two races. More than 110 athletes from 18 countries and three continents will compete in the Sprint & Individual race.
Steep & short Sprint race
The night sprints in Ponte di Legno are already a classic. The short and steep course has produced a perfect show in the past two editions. This year the track will be even shorter, promising close battles.
Arno Lietha of Switzerland won the Sprint race in Ponte di Legno last year. He showed that even an early start in November is not a problem for him. After his dominant win, Arno will be the man to beat again on Friday night.
The Swiss men conquered the sprint in France, taking the first four places. The Italians missed out in the final, something they will want to make up for on home soil. Even reigning European champion Oriol Cardona Coll didn’t make it to the final in Val Thorens.
The clear favourite in the women’s field is Emily Harrop, who won both races in Val Thorens, looks to be picking up where she left off last year. With Marianne Fatton missing due to illness, the biggest threat to the French champion is Marianna Jagerčíková of Slovakia. She led the final run in Val Thorens until a fatal mistake which cost her podium placement.
Giulia Murada, who doesn’t call herself a sprinter, kicked off a season of a lifetime last year with a third place in the sprint in Ponte di Legno. She may be the best hope for the home country. In the women’s final, we can easily see different athletes than in Val Thorens, which adds to the race’s attractiveness.
The live broadcast of the Sprint race will start right before the semifinals at 19:25 CET. Join us on TV.ISMF-SKI.ORG.
All stars are ready for the first Individual
Local organisers managed to prepare an exciting individual despite not having much snow. Starting at 2500 meters above sea level and finishing at 2770 meters above sea level, it will be an interesting battle of the biggest stars of the queen of all disciplines. Of course, altitude will play a role, as last year, the highest point was above 3,000 metres above sea level.
Matteo Eydallin, World Champion in the Individual race from Andorra 2021, will start his season on Sunday. His eyes are on retaining the World title and winning the Individual speciality 2022/23:
“Finally, the first Individual race of the season. I am ready to race against others and check my shape. Usually, my top condition is not in December but in February or March. The track in Ponte di Legno is a good one. Up on the glacier Presena, I will do my best to race with the top athletes of this discipline. Last year, I finished fourth, but I got some penalties and dropped to 7th place.”
The track will include technical and demanding uphills combined with off-piste downhills. We witnessed several relatively close races last season, which is what the first individual test promises to be.
You can watch the Sprint race on Friday from 19:25 (CET) live on TV.ISMF-SKI.ORG.
