Val di Sole - the final showdown
This weekend the last round of the World Cup heads to Italy and the Val di Sole. Who will the sun shine on by the end of the racing?
After 16 races across eight countries are now behind us. Red Bull TV has trotted the globe capturing the sweat and tears (of joy), thrilling action and dramatic moments. Now the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano will come to an end in Val di Sole, Italy, on 22 and 23 August 2015. Almost nothing has been decided yet – it is tit-for-tat and wheel-to-wheel for the last time. Stay tuned with Red Bull TV when the best riders will roar out the gate in one final attempt to claim glory.
After a year of respite, Val di Sole is back on the World Cup calendar – the only stop in Italy and an exciting venue for the season finale. You can expect the last races for the overall World Cup title (XCO & DH) to be fast and tough.
Aaron Gwin performs at the UCI World Tour in Lenzerheide on July 4th, 2015 // Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content PoolThe 2.2 km long downhill track in Val di Sole is known to be one of the world’s most technical and demanding courses. After her victory in 2012, Rachel Atherton described it as “brutal, long, physically demanding and crazy”. Racers will be crossing the lines with empty tanks as they leave it all out the track for the last time. The course has been extended by 300 meters and now has an altitude difference of 519 m including a few new lines. Besides the typical rock and root sections, athletes will have to tackle faster corridors, flowy sections and a road gap. Rachel Atherton has already secured the UCI Mountain Bike DH World Cup overall title in Windham (USA) and can now enjoy the last race. For Australia’s Tracey Hannah, currently 5th in the standings, there’s still a chance to make her 2015 a season to remember with a spot in the Top 3 available. Since Emmeline Ragot will not be racing the final round in Val di Sole due to an injury, eyes will be on the head-to-head battle between Manon Carpenter and Tahnee Seagrave for 2nd and 3rd place. But the two British ladies will have to keep alert in case Tracey sneaks past. “I’m very happy to be sitting in the Top 5 and finishing on the podium at several World Cup events, however I have goals that exceed the results from my past and I will always work toward those goals”, said Hannah.
Tracey Hannah performs at the UCI World Tour in Lenzerheide on July 4th, 2015 // Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content PoolWithin the Men’s Elite, Aaron Gwin might want to try and keep his bike in one piece for this race in order to fend off his rivals. His closest competitor, Greg Minnaar could be fast enough to put a spoke in his plans in the final seconds. But the first World Cup overall title is still within reach for youngster Loic Bruni. Troy Brosnan also has a good chance to end his season in the Top 3. The Australian will need to keep up the pressure in his final race as he looks to chase down Bruni who is 46 points ahead. “I expect to ride to my best and see if that can get me the win! I have been so close to winning another World Cup this year and I know I can do it”, said Brosnan.
Watch the athletes cross the line live on Saturday, August 22 from 12:30pm GMT/ 05:30am PDT/ 08:30am EDT.
Action in the XCO
The XCO course of 4 km lap will be dominated by the rider who can best conquer its short, steep climbs and difficult descents. It starts at 830 m above sea level at Daolasa, before leading into the individual sections. Among them there are also a few new names: the New School section, the Corratec section and Snake Hit section, all of which are guaranteed to provide tingling moments. Three Swiss riders are placed in the top 5 Men Elite ranking, with Nino Schurter leading the pack. Can the defending champion Julien Absalon from France stop him from bagging the UCI overall title? This exciting duel will be decided in Val di Sole.
Nino Schurter performs at the UCI World Tour in Lenzerheide on July 5th, 2015 // Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool There’s a strong contingent of Australian riders racing, either finishing their World Cup campaigns, or just hoping to get some last minute preparation at altitude and with European racing before the World Championships in Andorra. Sebastian Jayne shared his video of the course.
Amongst the Women Elite the defending champion Jolanda Neff also stands a good chance of claiming the crown. However, the Norwegian Gunn-Rita Dahle is close on Jolanda’s tail and never misses an opportunity to attack.
Jolanda Neff performs at the UCI World Tour in Mont Sainte Anne, Canada on August 2nd, 2015 // Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool Don’t miss all the coverage this weekend, via Redbull TV.
Don’t forget, you can win a great Norco Sight just by subscribing to AMB.
