The opening weekend of the Roller Ski World Cup hosted in Piglio (Frosinone – Italy) and organized by the Sci Club Madonna del Monte, concluded with two clear victories by athletes of the Italian national cross-country team in the 10/15km mass start. A light rain provided welcome relief from the high temperatures. After victories by Roland Clara and Arianna Follis on in the 5 km up-hill race, yesterday’s race was again dominated by the “specialists of the snow†who overcame the odds and ruled over the “specialists of the road.â€
Italy Dominates First Weekend Of World Cup Roller-Skiing
FasterSkier · July 2, 2008
</font></center></p><p>The race started in the town of Genazzano, with the finish line in the center of Piglio. The final results among the men didn’t change much from Friday, with Roland Clara on the top of the podium. Clara decided to force the pace on the steepest part of the last up-hill, with a full 5 km to the finish line. His pace was unbearable for the other athletes at the head of the pack: his teammates Di Centa, Checchi and the roller ski specialists Di Gregorio and Bonaldi. The last kilometers turned into a parade for Clara, who won with the time of 30’11”, while Di Gregorio, who overcame a broken pole, crossing in second in second, winning the final sprint against his teammate Sergio Bonaldi. </p><p><center><img decoding=)
Sabina Valbusa, one of the most famous members of the Italian cross-country team, took the victory in the women’s event. Valbusa started her winning sprint with one kilometer to go, and only her teammate Antonella Confortola attempted to follow. Confortolla couldn’t hang and finished second. Russian Tatiana Yambaeda was third while Marianna Longa, another cross-country team-member, who set the pace from the start, came in fourth.
</font></center></p><p>Solange Chabloz who picked up her third win in a row in the women’s junior classification, while Robin Norum (NOR) repeated his victory of the 5 km up-hill in the junior men’s race.</p><p>In Friday’s 5 km hill-climb, Follis and Clara led a strong showing by the National cross-country team. Racing in the classic technique, athletes struggled through scorching temperatures in excess of 95 degrees and a brutal course. </p><p><center><img decoding=)
Clara finished in a time of 16'20'', just 30 seconds faster than Giorgio Di Centa (ITA), the Olympic gold medalist in the 50 km in Torino 2006. Third place went to Di Gregorio, crossed the line 42''3 back of Clara.
The women’s race was extremely tight, with Follis edging Longa by a mere four seconds. Confortolla took third, 20 seconds back with sprinter Karin Moroder in fourth.
</font></center></p><p>This roller-ski World Cup event is a preview of the 2009 World Roller-Ski Championships which will be held in Piglio next summer.</p><p>Source: Newspower.it</p></div></div></div><div class=)