France dominates the 2nd FIS Worldloppet Cup stage
After eight kilometers a group of 20 skiers, dominated by French and Italians, was formed and worked together, then after the first half of the 42 km the race turned into a very selective one. One by one droppet off and in the end the 7 strongest athletes of today entered the finishing straight together. Among them Olympic gold winner from Italy, Giorgio Di Centa, who took 7th place. In the end Poirrier Bastien was the strongest and – as he said – his skies the fastest, followed by last weeks 3rd, Ivan Perrillat Boiteux and his team mate Loic Guigonnet. Benoit Chauvet, one of the favourites today took place 4. Best Austrian skier is Thomas Zlöbl with the 21st place.
This weeks FIS Worldloppet Cup race for the women was more exciting than last week in Autrans (FRA). Aurelie Dabudyk, last week’s winner and Elisa Brocard, the second place of the first stage, together with Antonella Confortola from Italy made the race. After 28 km Dabudyk attacked her opponents and fought her way through the last 14 km alone. The final sprint for the 2nd place Brocard could decide in her favour against Confortola. For the Italian Olympic medal winner it was only one of her first cross country skiing races this year. She focused her training on mountain running.
The two winners of today, Bastien Poirrier and Aurelie Dabudyk, are now the FIS Worldloppet Cup winners and will start in the first row at next week’s Marcialonga in Italy, the 3rd stage.
