The eighth edition of the Val di Fassa Bike-Volvo Cup featured an international podium. Colombian Leonardo Paez and Austrian Christina Kollmann literally dominated the Marathon test in the mountain bike granfondo that took place yesterday in Moena on a completely renewed and highly technical route.
From the very first kilometres the top rider from team Bianchi I. Idro imposed a fast paced rhythm on the race, making it perfectly clear that he would be the man to beat. The only riders who tried to keep up with his impressive climb towards the Alpe di Lusia were his team mates Tony Longo and Italian Champion Samuele Porro (Silmax X-Bionic). Then, when both chasers were forced to slow down for flat tyres, Paez remained alone all the way to the finish line. “I am very happy; my season is closing out in the best manner possible: thanks to everyone. It’s a lovely victory in a fantastic race on a very hard route compared to the one I won on 10 years ago. Too bad for Samuele and Tony, who punctured” said Paez.
There was also a lot of enthusiasm in the words of Longo, the second classifier. “Right away it was down to the three of us, but then Samuele got a flat and subsequently so did I, at the bottom of the Lusia; and in spite of our mightiest efforts to get back in it on the second climb, there wasn’t much left to do: today Leonardo was the strongest contender. Anyway, I’m happy for him, we managed to pull off a nice team double in an important race that really meant a lot to us.”
Third place for Porro. “We’ve got to give a big hand to the organizers, who really polished up the route. I’m happy with my race; I’m enjoying a nice period in top form, however I punctured at the start of the climb on the Lusia. I knew the race had been compromised but I tried to make up for lost time anyway. I rode well for the third place and that’s fine, too.”
Martino Fruet, the flag bearer for the Carraro Trentino Team, made his mark in both the Classic route, thus doubling down on last year’s success, as well as in the time trial test of about 2.5 km from Col de la Chiusa to Malga Roncac, which was an entirely new feature in this edition of the Val di Fassa Bike-Volvo Cup. It was sort of a race within the race, to give participants the chance to test their mettle on a fast and technical track. “This was the longest race of my season, lasting two and a half hours. I set out with the idea to just not bonk out, because I knew that the last climb would be punishing, then, considering that deep down I have an enduro soul, I tried pushing it on the timed single track” said the athlete.
In the women’s Marathon race Christina Kollmann (Fill Proforma) also knew no rivals, as she came in ahead of Italian National team rider Elena Gaddoni (Scapin Soudal) and Valentina Frasisti (Ghost Italia). Margit Zulian (Fassa Bike) enjoyed an excellent victory in the Classic: “For me today is doubly satisfying; I was riding at home and I had cheering fans on my side. I really liked the route, the organizers did a good job in making the most of this territory’s potential.”
“It was a perfect day, from all perspectives. The weather conditions allowed the athletes to ride their race easily and along the route I heard a lot of positive comments” said the President of Fassa Events ASD Riccardo Franceschetti at the end of the race. “The new features we added this year lent even more quality to the competition, making it complete even on the downhill. It was highly satisfying as well for all the volunteers who always work so hard and whom I’d like to take this opportunity to thank.”
foto Luca Pàrdàc
