There's evidence that some races, due to their importance, the caliber of the participants, or the difficulty of the track, take on a different value because they force athletes to leave everything they have on the field. This was certainly the case with today's events in Leogang, where the Olympic Cross Country World Cup races were held.

After Friday's sunny short track races, athletes today had to contend with treacherous conditions, similar to those of the 2024 European Championships: rain, cold, mud, and hazards at every corner.

It was 90 minutes where distraction was forbidden, and at the end of it, Lucia Bramati (pictured by Maxime Schmid) sported her beautiful smile. The 22-year-old once again finished among the top twenty Under 23 riders in the world, crossing the finish line in 19th position. But as mentioned, today the result takes a backseat: what truly matters is the character shown by the athletes and their ability to manage the challenges and the fatigue.

«Leogang is historically a tough race for me, and a result like this goes beyond expectations», Lucia confirmed. «Perhaps the rain helped me, as I felt more at ease today than in the short track. But the data and sensations we're gathering also count: since the beginning of the year, we've been noticing continuous improvements that make us proud of the work we're doing».

Young Sverre Van Lee also has reason to be proud. Despite being in his first year in the U23s category, he showed an incredible affinity for the rain, moving up through the field from 65th on the starting grid to a final 48th position. It's not the first time the Belgian, racing in his national team jersey, has performed well in the World Cup (he even came close to a sensational top 10 in Brazil), but today's comeback through mud and rivals certifies his talent.

Meanwhile, two U19, Alice Pascucci and Flavio Dispensa, enjoyed sunny races and excellent results. Yesterday, the young rider from Treviso (archive photo by Alessio Pederiva) competed in the Nosellari GF, a 36 km race with 1000 meters of elevation gain. The young athlete born in 2008 finished seventeenth overall, and third among the Under 19 category athletes.

Alice Pascucci also reached the podium, climbing to the top step as the best junior woman at the finish line, thanks to her fourth-place overall finish in the Il Carpegna mi basta Granfondo.

It was an atypical weekend on the Trinx Road bike for the team's other two U19 riders.

Giorgia Pellizotti, who won her debut race in Gossolengo on April 27, returned to a road race yesterday, participating in the 41st Gp Ciclisti Arcade, an Open race that concluded in a sprint with the victory of Agata Campana.

Pietro Cao chose Cologna Veneta and the Gran Premio Città del Mandorlato for his road cycling stint, where he finished eleventh. For him, it would have been another unexpected top 10 in this specialty, following his ninth place at the Gran Premio Rinascita in Roncadelle at the end of March.