Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Nino Schurter win Elite XCO Olympic World Cup event in Val di Sole
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Published 16/06/2024 at 20:15 GMT
Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) secured back-to-back wins in the Women’s Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup, while Nino Schurter (Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team) captured his eighth title at Val Di Sole in the men's event. Ferrand-Prevot finished ahead of Puck Pieterse and Candice Lill while Schurter crossed the line before Alan Hatherly and Mathis Azzaro
'Making it look easy' - Ferrand-Prevot wins at Val Di Sole to take second victory of season
Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) secured back-to-back wins with a convincing victory at the Women’s Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup in Val di Sole.
The French rider built up a lead on Dutch cyclist Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Deceuninck) during the second lap and never looked back, going on to win by almost a minute.
Pieterse held on to claim second, with South Africa's Candice Lill taking third.
Ferrand-Prevot admitted her two rivals pushed her to the limit despite a second convincing win in a row.
"It was not an easy one," she said. “Today I was a bit tired, but I was able to take the front and stay in the lead so I’m quite happy with that.
"It was just about focusing on my own pace and my own tempo and go as fast as possible.”
Lill's podium finish marked her out as a potential medallist at this summer's Olympics.
She dedicated the result to everybody who has stuck by her over the years.
“It’s been a long time coming for me,” she said.
“Today feels really triumphant for me and all the people who believed in me.”
Schurter secures first win of season
Nino Schurter (Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team) held off stiff competition from Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory Racing) to seal his eighth win at Val Di Sole.
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Schurter claims first win of season at Val Di Sole in UCI World Cup
Schurter finished ahead of South Africa's Hatherly in second and France's Mathis Azzaro in third to seal his first triumph of the season.
The three-time Olympic medallist looked like he was tiring in the closing stages of the race, and admitted that he had been giving it his all from the word go.
"I’m super happy about this victory,” said Schurter. “It’s a really cool course - tactical but also physical… It’s nice to still be able to win at 38, great to still be at the top.
"It’s a track where riding in the group doesn’t help you very much so my plan was to make it hard from the start.”
This was Hatherly's second podium finish of 2024, having finished third in Araxa in April.
He has been proud of his performances with the Olympic Games now just around the corner.
"I’m really happy, at this point in the season with the [Olympic] Games not far away," he said.
"The crucial point was when Nino went when I was in the feedzone taking a bottle.
"At that point, I thought I’d ride at my own steady pace and get back.
"It ended up being a time trial - Nino versus me.
"Unfortunately, I came off second best, but a close second.
"It was quite a wild one."
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