In the fourth round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Val di Sole, Trentino, Alpecin-Deceuninck emerged victorious in both the elite women’s and elite men’s short track openers. Puck Pieterse won the women’s race by just one second in a close sprint finish with World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Ferrand-Prévot acknowledged Pieterse’s strength and deserving victory, reflecting on possibly needing to change tactics in the race. Savilia Blunk finished in third place, five seconds behind Pieterse.
In the men’s race, Sam Gaze won by a slim margin of one second ahead of Victor Koretzky and Jens Schuermans. Gaze expressed satisfaction at his performance and the fun he had racing. Nino Schurter finished fourth, also just one second behind the winner. Despite finishing second, Koretzky remained the overall leader in the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup standings. He was content with his result, especially considering his recent recovery from illness. The event featured fierce competition among the top riders, with close finishes adding excitement to the races. Overall, it was a thrilling day of elite mountain biking competition in Val di Sole.
