Iles leads Canadians through wild Val di Sole qualifying/semi finals Friday
Fleet of juniors set to take on Saturday's finals
Finn Iles led the Canadian results as downhill kicked of the first half of an absolutely hectic Friday of World Cup racing in Val di Sole. Specialized Gravity Racing’s Canadian was second in qualifying and semi finals to put an injury last week in Leogang behind him and move on to Saturday’s finals.
Iles wasn’t the only Canadians showing speed in Italy, though. A fleet of juniors are through to finals as well as a few other well placed elites. Here’s what went down on a busy day in Val di Sole.
Elite men: Iles fast and confindent in Italy
If Finn Iles is feeling his injury from Austria at all, it didn’t show on Friday in Val di Sole. The Canadian tamed the Black Snake with apparent ease, posting the second fastest qualifing time and then repeating that finish in semi finals a few hours later. That puts the Specialized racer safely through to finals on Saturday.
Loic Bruni was fastest in qualifying while Amaury Pierron (Commencal Muc-Off) put in the top time in semi finals. Iles will be looking to beat both French riders when it matters, in Saturday’s finals.
The perpetually fast Troy Brosnan (Canyon Cllctv) was just behind Iles while Loris Vergier (Trek Factory Racing) and Andreas Kolb (Atherton Racing) were a little further back.
Jakob Jewett (Pivot Factory Racing), who placed 21st in semi finals, and Bodhi Kuhn (Trek Factory Racing), slightly further back in 26th, both move on to finals with Iles.
Tegan Cruz (Kenad NS) in 44th and Mark Wallace (We Are One Momentum Project), who registered a DNF, made it through qualifying but will sit out Saturday’s finals racing.
Elite women
Emmy Lan was the only Canadian to start Friday’s elite women’s qualifying. Forbidden Synthesis’ enduro star showed she can still handle a downhill bike, too, squeezing through to semi finals in 15th place. Lan repeated that placing in semi finals, which puts her outside of the UCI’s absurdly harsh 10-rider cut off for finals.
It was Jess Blewitt (Cube Factory Racing) putting in the fastest semi final time. The Kiwi put a full three seconds into World Cup favourites Myriam Nicole (Commencal Muc-Off) and Vali Höll (YT Mob), though Höll was fastest through the middle section of track.
Juniors
Five Canadians made it through Friday’s qualifying round in Val di Sole. The Canucks were led again by Dane Jewett (Pivot Factory Racing), who posted the fourth fastest time behind Commencal Muc-Off’s Max Alran.
Jon Mozell (We Are One Momentum Project) moves through to finals in 11th. Loick Hudon in 20th, Ryan Griffith (Pivot Factory Racing) in 24th and Jack MacLeod (Outlaw United) in 25th all squeeze through just under the 25-rider cutt off for junior men’s finals.
New Zealand’s speedy trio were back on top of junior women’s qualifying. Eliana Hulsebosch (Union) led with Sacha Earnst (Trek Factory Racing) in second and Erice van Leuven (Commencal Les Orres) in third, though the wildly difficult Black Snake track had quite the range of finishing times between that trio.
Val di Sole World Cup action continues all weekend in Italy. Downhill racers are right back on the horse Saturday for finals. The junior races are free to watch on YouTube. The elite races are pay-access on FloBikes. Sunday it’s back over to cross country for the under-23 and elite XCO events. Again, the same age-group / elite broadcast split applies. See the full schedule for both days and broadcast details.Â
