Ella Conolly and Sławomir Łukasik secured victory at the UCI Enduro World Cup in Val di Fassa. The race was not only technically challenging, but also demanded everything from the athletes physically in temperatures well above 30 degrees. Conolly and Lukasik were able to prevail against the strong competition on two race days and further extend their lead in the overall standings.
Two days, seven stages, over 3,000 metres in altitude
There were a total of seven stages with a total length of 60.1 kilometres. The riders had to conquer 3,057 metres of downhill and 3,316 metres of uphill. After the first three stages on Saturday, many of the riders were very close together.
On the second day Titans, Mulled wine, Tutti Frutti and Ciasates four stages that we were already familiar with from previous events in Canazei. These stages were the most demanding both technically and in terms of fitness.
Women's Elite: Conolly takes control on day two
After the first day, Nadine Ellecosta (ITA), Simona Kuchyňková (CZE) and Ella Conolly were all within a second of each other. However, the Brit was able to take the lead right at the start of the second day with a win on the Titans stage.
A flat tyre for Kuchyňková and two crashes and a flat front wheel for Ellecosta set them back. Conolly seized the opportunity and also set the fastest time on the key stage "Tutti Frutti" and secured overall victory with a strong performance on "Ciasates".
I've finally found my rhythm, said Conolly. The terrain requires a lot of initiative when building up speed. Everything was just right today.
Men's Elite: Łukasik remains strong nerves
Łukasik started the second day of racing with a five-second lead over team-mate Richard Rude Jr. After Rude's stage wins on "Glühwein", the lead shrank to just 1.6 seconds. However, a puncture on "Tutti Frutti" threw Rude back - as did Charles Murray, who lost over 30 seconds due to a flat tyre.
Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV) capitalised on the situation, winning the stage and finishing third overall. Łukasik showed another controlled performance on the final stage and confidently defended the overall lead.
It was a tough day with a lot of heat. I tried to ride consistently and cleanly - that was crucial today. - Sławomir Łukasik
Outlook: Next stop in La Thuile
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series enters the next round next weekend. Europe's best enduro and downhill riders will once again meet in La Thuile (Valle d'Aosta). We'll keep you up to date!
Max Fuchs
Editor
