Wiedenroth and Ryf again on the second spot of the podium on Day 2 - WES Press release
Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Sunday 4 September 2022 - The fourth round of the UCI E-MTB World Cup comes to an end on an incredible sunny Sunday, with the Spa-Francorchamps WES track raced clockwise today, giving the protagonists an even greater challenge than on Day1.
In the morning’s Qualirace determining Race 2 starting grid, reigning World Champ, Nicole Göldi (Trek) was the fastest woman and managed to take the Pole Position and the Award Powered by Raspini in 8:33.68. In the Men’s qualification, once again, “The Specialist” and Reigning Champion Jérôme Gilloux (Lapierre) took the award thanks to a lap time of 7:45.97. They both lead the Pole Position General Classification with 5 and 7 best times, respectively.
Göldi made not the same perfect race start as yesterday - she reported - however, she widened the gap with runner up Sofia Wiedenroth (Specialized), lap by lap with an impressive race pace. Vice-World Champion Justine Tonso(Lapierre) was visibly sick in yesterday’s race and was brave to race again today in her physical conditions, showing the Belgian spectators she never gives up. The Women’s podium was a replica of Day 1’s, consolidating the top-3 positions in the overall World Cup standings with the Swiss Göldi on top of the leaderboard, ahead of French Tonso by 20 points now, and the German Wiedenroth 14 points behind.
In the Men’s field, Gilloux started first, Joris Ryf (Bergstrom) took back his normal 2nd spot on the grid, after yesterday’s Qualirace disappointment, and tried to make the most out of it. Kjell van den Boogert (American Eagle), in search for revenge today, did an excellent morning’s qualification and eventually grabbed the third position on the grid.
The battle for the first place was pretty close, as the Swiss was giving it all, notwithstanding Monsieur Gilloux was able to slightly widen the gap lap by lap and secure another victory and the double in this first-ever Belgian weekend.
Ryf fought until the end of the race, crossing the finish line in second, visibly worn out. Dutchman van den Boogert set a great race pace and took a well-deserved third place, his first podium of the season. The racer managed by Bart Brentjens was missing a podium finish since WES Barcelona 2019 and is now fifth overall.
Behind the top-3, Ismael Esteban (BH) from Spain was pushing hard to be among the podium finishers like yesterday, almost sprinting for the entire race and eventually finishing fourth ahead of Dutch Jeroen van Eck (Ghost), and Honduran Milton Ramos (Rockrider).
The Magneti Marelli Checkstar Power Lap Award went today to the World Champs, Göldi and Gilloux, setting the best lap in their respective category. This overall classification is led by Gilloux in the Men’s and his teammate Tonso, in the Women’s, while it was the first time for Göldi to bring home the traditional “Star” award.
The next WES Round will take place in 3 weeks time, in Girona, Spain, the races to be held on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 September at the Sea Otter Europe Festival.
