On Sunday, March 7, the first big showdown of the mountain bike season will take place at the Andora Race Cup, the opening event of the Internazionali d'Italia Series. The "parterre de roi", which already includes names such as Jolanda Neff, Evie Richards, Yana Belomoina, Eva Lechner, Lars Forster, Gerhard Kerschbaumer and Stephane Tempier and many others, will be joined on the Ligurian Riviera by the two athletes who donned the world champion jerseys last October: Jordan Sarrou and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Together with them, Titouan Carod will also be traveling to Andora, adding to the already packed French squad. Together with new Specialized teammates Gerhard Kerschbaumer, Sina Frei and Laura Stigger, Sarrou is training in Finale Ligure for the first challenges of the season. "I'm coming to Andora to win," asserts the world champion. "I want to make my mark on the first races and prove that the preparations for the season have paid off."

In 2019, the French dominated the races with elite rider Stephane Tempier and junior Luca Martin: With Sarrou and Carod at the start, as well as Tempier himself, the chances of a one-two punch are all the higher. "I want to enjoy the rainbow jersey to the full," Sarrou continues. "On the one hand, it's an obligation, but on the other, it will prepare me for tougher races. Now I'm concentrating on getting back into my usual racing routine and having fun," adds Sarrou.

Like Sarrou, the Frenchman Carod also wants to confirm himself and develop further. The Absolute Absalon Team rider won the bronze medal at the World Championships and a silver medal at the European Championships, just a few seconds behind Nino Schurter. A great stepping stone towards the Olympic season. "Starting the season in Liguria is just perfect. I live in Nice, so I know this climate. After a great year in 2020, I hope I can continue on the same path, but I have to work for it," says Carod.Carod's teammate, women's world champion Pauline Ferrand Prévot, has also opted for the Internazionali d'Italia Series to kick off the 2021 season on a high note. The 2015, 2019 and 2020 world champion and reigning European champion will face Jolanda Neff in Andora. The last time they met on Italian soil, at the 2019 World Cup in Val di Sole, they fought an unforgettable duel. The hope is that the two stars will also go head-to-head in Andora. "The first races of the season are difficult to predict," explains Ferrand Prèvot. "The season will start without an audience and I'll miss the support of the fans, but during the race I'm just concentrating on my performance. Above all, I want to find my feeling on the bike."

www.internazionaliditaliaseries.it