Photo Epic: Il Grande Finale - XC World Cup Val di Sole
Conditions change and and you have to be ready to adapt. The XC field enjoyed warm dry conditions in practice all week but mother nature decided to mix things up a bit on Saturday night. The Val di Sole track was a true climbing track with plenty of open features for the crowds as it ran down parts of the 4x track. While the rain had ceased by morning come race day, the track was much more slippery than the riders had left it in final practice. It was time for a change of tires and to trust in your lines and hold them firm. It was also advantageous to have put your climbing legs on when you got out of bed.
Grant Ferguson took the win in U23 Men after dealing with the worst of the conditions for the day, and Tituon Carod took the overall in the category. By the time the Pro Women raced most of the real slick stuff had been ridden off the track by the U23 Men. Annika Langvad had the ride of her life taking the win after a recent win in the Leadville 100. Jolanda Neff took second and claimed the overall for the season.
Nino Schurter took a victory ride to close the season. He took the win of the day and the overall with much style as he aired his way through the 4X sections of the track. It was also a stellar day for Schurter's team-mate Jenny Rissveds as she took both the win and the overall. It truly was a great finish to the season here in the Valley of the Sun.
![the clouds clung to the trees but the rain held off until lap two of the U23 women s race.]()
![Grant Ferguson changes lenses on his BBB glasses.]()
![Its all in the details. A last minute pressure check anc change .]()
![Time time time.]()
![Carnage in the men s U23 race in lap 1. Heavy rainshowers put down layer of Ultraslick TM coating on the course. Get caught behind and you ll struggle to catch up.]()
![It s a dirty job but some one has to do it. Unfortunately the U23 men had the job of blowing the mud off the course from the previous night s foul weather.]()
![Victor Koretzky hucking out of the rock Garden. Victor took fifth in U23 men.]()
![Titouan Carod took second in a slippery U23 men s race.]()
![Grant Ferguson rode a solid strong race to his well deserved World Cup victory. The fight is on for the jerseys of jerseys in Andorra in two weeks time.]()
![A disappointed Pablo Rodriguez after finishing at Val di Sole. The Spanish rider lost the overall World Cup lead in the last race putting in his worst result of 2015.]()
![The conditions proved hazardous for some in the U23 mens race.]()
![As loud as it gets.]()
![Georgia Gould runs her grips moto style.]()
![Irina Kalentyeva heading to the line up. Irina took third in pro women.]()
![Women s start.]()
![A young girl cheers for her local hero Eva Lechner.]()
![Catharine Pendrel leads Annika Langvad. The Canadian rider has had a strong season and remains a contender for another world title.]()
![Irina Kalentieva is getting stronger and stronger. The Russian seems to be aiming for a strong performance in Andorra during the World Championships.]()
![Maja Wloszczowska had a great ride today. she was strong in the climbs and held it together in the descents to finish fourth.]()
![Emily Batty spends time at Joyride in the off season. Batty had no problems with the 4x section as a result of said time spent at Joy ride. Batty rode to fifth place.]()
![Jolanda Neff]()
![Jolanda Neff s dominance is crumbling. After an early lead she spent the remainder of the race in pursuit.]()
![Gasping for air Catharine Pendrel climbs up one of the steep hills on the course trailed by Irina Kalentieva.]()
![Annika Langvad probably had no idea how well her day was going to turn out when she woke in the morning. She certainly put on one hell of a show out there.]()
![Langvad across the line for the win after a hard fought race.]()
![The most surprised at Annika s win was probably Annika herself. If ever there was a look of pure joy this is it.]()
![Eva Lechner s season has been tough. Today she proved to be back on track finishing in 10th.]()
![Viva Italia]()
![Standing water from rains the night before made for some slippery conditions in the early races.]()
![Fast line on the start straight.]()
![Men s start.]()
![Lap one Vogel Schurter and Kulhavy charge into the 4x rock garden.]()
![These four riders Nino Schurter Florian Vogel Jaroslav Kulhavy and Julien Absalon took jabs at each other in the first lap fighting for that first spot without mercy.]()
![If you re able to make Absalon and Schurter s head bent you know you re doing well]()
![Rubbing is racing. Both came out the other end unscathed.]()
![Maxime Marotte had his climbing legs on today and rode to fifth place.]()
![the Brothers Fluckiger grinding up one of Val di Sole s many climbs.]()
![Julien Abalone putting the power down up the to the top. Julien finished second.]()
![Florian Vogel had no trouble in the technical sections. He was on a charger of a ride and finished third.]()
![Pushed hard but never seeming to fade. Schurter was attacked many times bit countered strong. Spectators cheer for the Swiss rider never afraid to style it up in the descents where he reigns supreme.]()
![Absalon giving it all in a slippery descent.]()
![Jose Hermida rode to a strong 7th place and couldn t be happier to end the season this way.]()
![Nino won again and this time he had plenty of features to throw whips and turn bars off to the pleasure of the crowds. There s winning and then there s winning with style.]()
![The victor once more. Nino took the whole kit a caboodle on this last World Cup of the season.]()
![Schurter congratulates Absalon on one last ride of the season well done.]()
![With lungs on fire muscles cramping and heart rates soring Matthias Fl ckiger lied down after the finish.]()
![Marco Fontana was the hero of the day. The cheers from fellow country men were loud very enthusiastic. Marco finished eighth.]()
![Raplh Naef was greeted by his family at the finish line with plenty of confetti to celebrate his retirement. Cheers Ralph we wish you all the best in your future endeavors.]()
![The women U23 field is off. Rain starts falling and the last few spectators flee from the venue. Please dear UCI please give these U23 women a better time to race.]()
![Jenny Rissveds took one last win of the season. This time the gap wasn t so big. Rains came mid race and slowed things up a bit. She finished fourteen seconds up this time.]()
![Alessandra Keller took second today for the U23 women and second in the overall for the season.]()
![With two more laps to go a last bottle provides necessary fuel.]()
![Margot Moschetti is incredibly fast on the uphills but looses a LOT of time on the downhills. Should this French girl get her downhill and cournering act together she might just become a top contender in the women s field.]()
![Kate Courtney took fifth in U23 women today.]()
![An emotional Rissveds falls into the arms of teammanager Thomas Frischknecht.]()
![The sweet taste of victory.]()
![That s all from Val di Sole and the season. It s been a wild ride. See you in Andorra in two weeks.]()
Grant Ferguson took the win in U23 Men after dealing with the worst of the conditions for the day, and Tituon Carod took the overall in the category. By the time the Pro Women raced most of the real slick stuff had been ridden off the track by the U23 Men. Annika Langvad had the ride of her life taking the win after a recent win in the Leadville 100. Jolanda Neff took second and claimed the overall for the season.
Nino Schurter took a victory ride to close the season. He took the win of the day and the overall with much style as he aired his way through the 4X sections of the track. It was also a stellar day for Schurter's team-mate Jenny Rissveds as she took both the win and the overall. It truly was a great finish to the season here in the Valley of the Sun.
The clouds clung to the trees, but the rain held off until lap two of the U23 Women's race.
Grant Ferguson changes lenses on his BBB glasses.
It's all in the details. A last minute pressure check (and change).
Time, time, time.
Carnage in the men's U23 race in lap 1. Heavy rain-showers put down layer of Ultraslick (TM) coating on the course. Get caught behind and you'll struggle to catch up.
It's a dirty job but some one has to do it. Unfortunately, the U23 men had the job of blowing the mud off the course from the previous night's foul weather.
Victor Koretzky hucking out of the rock Garden. Victor took fifth in U23 Men.
Titouan Carod took second in a slippery U23 Men's race.
Grant Ferguson rode a solid, strong race to his well deserved World Cup victory. The fight is on for the 'jerseys of jerseys' in Andorra in two weeks time.
A disappointed Pablo Rodriguez after finishing at Val di Sole. The Spanish rider lost the overall World Cup lead in the last race, putting in his worst result of 2015.
The conditions proved hazardous for some in the U23 Men's race.
As loud as it gets.
Georgia Gould runs her grips moto-style.
Irina Kalentyeva heading to the line up. Irina took third in Pro Women.
Women's start.
A young girl cheers for her local hero, Eva Lechner.
Catharine Pendrel leads Annika Langvad. The Canadian rider has had a strong season and remains a contender for another world title.
Irina Kalentieva is getting stronger and stronger. The Russian seems to be aiming for a strong performance in Andorra during the World Championships.
Maja Wloszczowska had a great ride today. She was strong in the climbs and held it together in the descents to finish fourth.
Emily Batty spends time at Joyride in the off season. Batty had no problems with the 4X section as a result of said time spent at Joy ride. Batty rode to fifth place.
Jolanda Neff was off to a good start.
Jolanda Neff's dominance is crumbling. After an early lead, she spent the remainder of the race in pursuit.
Gasping for air, Catharine Pendrel climbs up one of the steep hills on the course, trailed by Irina Kalentieva.
Annika Langvad probably had no idea how well her day was going to turn out when she woke in the morning. She certainly put on one hell of a show out there.
Langvad across the line for the win after a hard fought race.
The most surprised at Annika's win was probably Annika herself. If ever there was a look of pure joy, this is it.
Eva Lechner's season has been tough. Today she proved to be back on track, finishing in tenth.
Viva Italia!
Standing water from rains the night before made for some slippery conditions in the early races.
Fast line on the start straight.
Men's start.
Lap one Vogel, Schurter, and Kulhavy charge into the 4X rock garden.
These four riders, Nino Schurter, Florian Vogel, Jaroslav Kulhavy and Julien Absalon took jabs at each other in the first lap, fighting for that first spot without mercy.
If you're able to make Absalon and Schurter's head bend, you know you're doing well
Rubbing is racing. Both came out the other end unscathed.
Maxime Marotte had his climbing legs on today and rode to fifth place.
The Brothers Fluckiger grinding up one of Val di Sole's many climbs.
Julien Absalon putting the power down up the to the top. Julien finished second.
Florian Vogel had no trouble in the technical sections. He was on a charger of a ride and finished third.
Pushed hard, but never seeming to fade. Schurter was attacked many times but countered strong. Spectators cheer for the Swiss rider, never afraid to style it up in the descents, where he reigns supreme.
Absalon giving it all in a slippery descent.
Jose Hermida rode to a strong seventh place and couldn't be happier to end the season this way.
Nino won again, and this time he had plenty of features to throw whips and turn bars off to the pleasure of the crowds. There's winning, and then there's winning with style.
The victor once more. Nino took the whole kit a caboodle on this last World Cup of the season.
Schurter congratulates Absalon on one last ride of the season well done.
With lungs on fire, muscles cramping and heart rates soaring, Matthias Fluckiger lay down after the finish.
Marco Fontana was the hero of the day. The cheers from fellow country men were loud very enthusiastic. Marco finished eighth.
Raplh Naef was greeted by his family at the finish line with plenty of confetti to celebrate his retirement. Cheers Ralph, we wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
The Women U23 field is off. Rain starts falling, and the last few spectators flee from the venue. Please dear UCI, please give these U23 women a better time to race.
Jenny Rissveds took one last win of the season. This time the gap wasn't so big. Rains came mid race and slowed things up a bit. She finished fourteen seconds up this time.
Alessandra Keller took second today for the U23 Women, and second in the overall for the season.
With two more laps to go, a last bottle provides necessary fuel.
Margot Moschetti is incredibly fast on the uphills, but loses a LOT of time on the downhills. Should this French girl get her downhill and cornering act together, she might just become a top contender in the women's field.
Kate Courtney took fifth in U23 Women today.
An emotional Rissveds falls into the arms of team-manager Thomas Frischknecht.
The sweet taste of victory.
That's all from Val di Sole and the season. It's been a wild ride. See you in Andorra in two weeks.
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/Thomas
A tough job but someone has to do it.
Also, XC-bashing comments coming from a guy whose only pictures are of him skidding down the easiest f*cking XC trails around Poznan all kitted out and calling it "enduro". Hilarious.