The duel has been seen more than once this season, or to be more precise: Vlad Dascalu and Filippo Colombo have occupied the first two places three times. At the start in Albstadt, the Swiss rider was successful, then the Romanian took four wins in a row.
After two laps, the race is once again coming down to a duel between these two rivals.

It didn't even matter that the Spaniard Jofre Cullell suddenly reappeared in the penultimate lap with the two rivals. The 30 seconds he had made up were taken back at the end when Filippo Colombo and Vlad Dascalu rode an impressive finale.
"I really wanted the win and on the last lap I was always riding from the front," explained Colombo. "In the technical parts I rode a bit more smoothly, in other passages he was stronger. So we were equally strong."

The fact that he rode into the last forest passage from the front ultimately helped him. In the last hundred meters after crossing the bridge, he gave Dascalu no chance in the sprint, even though the two were only separated by a bike length.
"That was my big goal," says Colombo, "really cool."

Joel Roth doesn't get off to a good start, but then rides from 18th position further and further forward. On lap four, however, his race to catch up came to a brief standstill before he made up two positions with strong lap times and ultimately took tenth place in the sprint between Simon Andreassen (Den, 9th) and Martin Siggerud (Nor, 11th).

Filippo Colombo breaks Dascalu's winning streak. Photo ©Balz Weber

U23 women: Koller sixth despite bruises

The Italian Martina Berta wins an U23 race for the first time in her career on Sunday morning. She rode away at the start of the third of five laps and was never caught by the German Ronja Eibl (+0:25), who came on strong at the end.

Eibl secures the overall classification ahead of time after the Austrian Laura Stigger has to retire early due to illness.
Nicole Koller fights her way to sixth place. After a training crash on Saturday, that was the maximum for her. Bruises and abrasions on her left leg and arm are a handicap.
After the 3.8-kilometre starting lap, she was in ninth position, fought her way up to sixth place and then became involved in a four-strong group fighting for position.

The Austrian Lisa Pasteiner has a strong finish, almost ending up on the podium in a sprint against the American Haley Batten. She finished sixth behind French champion Loana Lecomte (+1:54).
"It was clear to me that I would start in front of my own fans. I was already in pain, but I didn't want to give up. I've been chasing a podium place all season, but today I have to be happy with sixth place," commented Koller.

Despite bruising, Nicole Koller fights her way to sixth place. Photo ©Balz Weber

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