It would have been a varied race. Sometimes Jenny Rissveds (SWE) was in front, sometimes Laura Stigger (AUT), sometimes Nicole Koller (SUI), later Samara Maxwell (NZL) also fought her way to the front. Would be. Because right at the front, world champion Puck Pieterse (NED) reeled off her laps in solitude. She mastered the technical passages and impressive jumps with confidence, albeit not as fast as the best technicians. But her average speed and power on the climbs is once again unmatched by any other rider.

Another challenge on Sunday in Val di Sole will be the enormous heat and, as a result, a dusty course. The field of riders split into many small groups early on. Pieterse can afford a small slip-up on the fifth lap, but her victory is never in doubt. "I lost focus in the noise of the crowd and made a mistake," she explains afterwards. After half a lap, she was back in rhythm. "When I heard that the group was getting closer, it was really tough again." Behind her, Samara Maxwell crowned her race to catch up with second place, with Laura Stigger in third. She said at the finish: "I had a bad start to the year, now I can finally fight for victory with the fastest women again. That feels absolutely great." Nicole Koller rides to the finish in fifth place behind Jenny Rissveds, Jolanda Neff reports back to the top of the world with 7th place. Nina Graf (GER) finished ninth, Ramona Forchini just missed the top ten in eleventh place. 

Samara Maxwell remains at the top of the overall standings, behind her comes Nicole Koller, followed in third place by Puck Pieterse, who did not ride the first two races of the season, those in Brazil. 

1. Puck Pieterse (NED)
2. Samara Maxwell (NZL)
3. Laura Stigger (AUT)
4. Jenny Rissveds (SWE)
5. Nicole Koller (SUI)
6. Jennifer Jackson (CAN)
7. Jolanda Neff (SUI)
8. Savilia Blunk (USA)
9. Nina Graf (GER)
10. Kelsey Urban (USA)

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Colombo slowed down by flat tire, Vidaurre Kossman takes first World Cup victory

Filippo Colombo (SUI) starts Sunday's race with anger in his stomach after a failed short race. He rode ahead alone on the second lap, before being caught by Luca Bardot (ITA) and later by Charlie Aldridge (GBR) and Luca Martin (FRA). "With the crowbar," judges team manager Thomas Frischknecht on SRF, "if it works, it's great." After a flat tire - one of many on this rough course - he has to bury his ambitions. 

But this season's rising star, Fabio Püntener (SUI), is riding in 3rd place at the halfway point of the race. On the last two laps, events come to a head, Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (CHE) takes the lead, Mathis Azzaro, longer at the front, goes down easily, Braidot misses a bridge, has to take an extra loop and let Püntener pass him. 

The 25-year-old Chilean rode to his first World Cup victory in the elite in Val di Sole, where he had become U23 World Champion in 2021. "The whole race I kept telling myself, you can do it. My bike is incredible over all these roots. A World Cup win is what every mountain biker wants. I finally did it." It is the fourth victory for Team Specialized in the fifth race of the season. And the first ever for a Chilean. Azzarro finishes second after being ill for the last two days. Püntener rides to third place again. "I think I've been dreaming since March. But my aching legs show me that it's not a dream." 

Sixth place for Julian Schelb (GER) and seventh for Luca Schätti (SUI) were also noteworthy, with Filippo Colombo finishing tenth after his flat tire. The Swiss veterans Nino Schurter and Mathias Flückiger are struggling, but with great fighting spirit they fight their way up from outside the top 30 to 14th and 18th place. Luca Schwarzbauer (GER) finished eleventh. 

Chris Blevins retains his lead in the overall classification, ahead of his Specialized colleagues Vidaurre Kossmann and Victor Koretzky (FRA). So the dominance continues. 

1. Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (CHE)
2. Mathis Azzaro (FRA)
3. Fabio Püntener (SUI)
4. Luca Braudot (ITA)
5. Charlie Aldridge (GBR)
6. Julian Schelb (GER)
7. Luca Schätti (SUI)
8. Christopher Blevins (USA)
9. Simone Avondetto (ITA)
10. Filippo Colombo (SUI)

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