Great expectations for the Spanish golden boys Montalvo and Baron in Vermiglio (Trentino, Northern Italy), from August 23rd to 25th. Marco Bonalda leads the Italian team. Live streaming on UCI’s Facebook and Youtube channels
Photo: Spain's Alejandro Montalvo in action in 2018 UCI Trials World Cup in Vermiglio (Credits: Mauro Mariotti) - Free usage granted with credits. Click on the image to download.
It’s been three weeks since the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup stage, but Val di Sole is ready to host another prestigious cycling event. In fact, Vermiglio (Trentino, Northern Italy), at the foot of the Tonale Pass, will be the location of UCI Trials World Cup’s stage 2 (August 23-25).
In the Trials event, Spain looks like the Nation to beat, thanks to its big tradition in this discipline. Despite his young age (born in 2000), Alejandro Montalvo represents an established favourite for the “Class 20”, but his teammates Borja Conejos, Ion Areitio and Julen Saenz confirmed their ambitions in World Cup’s opening stage in Salzburg (Austria).
Austrian Thomas Pechhacker and German Dominik Oswald will be the big rivals for the Spanish team, whilst the Italian supporters will cheer for Marco Bonalda, tenth in Salzburg. The final round will be the goal for the Italian rider in Val di Sole.
In the “Class 26”, the eve’s predictions assign to Brit Jack Carthy and Frenchman Nicolas Vallee, winner last year in Vermiglio and 2016 JR World Champion in Val di Sole, the role of favourites. Even for this race, Spain will have two options to grab the podium, such as Sergi Llongueras and Pol Torres.
In the only Women category, German Nina Reichenbach found on her road a big rival such as Spain’s Vera Baron (born in 2004). Baron won the World Cup opening stage in Salzburg, preceding Reichenbach. However, the German athlete hopes to confirm her supremacy in Vermiglio, whilst French Manon Basseville and Spain’s Irene Caminos and Alba Hidalgo will be in the frontline to disrupt the plans of the main favourites.
The UCI Trials World Cup program will start on Friday August 23rd, with the Men’s Class 20” quarter finals. The morning of Saturday August 24th will stage the Men’s Class 26” quarterfinals, followed by Women’s semifinals in the afternoon. Sunday August 25th will be the key day: after the Men’s 20” and 26” semifinals in the morning, all the finals and the awarding ceremony will conclude an intense program in the afternoon.
UCI Trials World Cup's stage 2 will be aired in live streaming on the UCI’s official Facebook and Youtube channels.
