For the fifth time in 2017, a different team has won a stage in the eighth edition of Brasil Ride 2017, this time Italians Michele Casagrande and Fabian Rabensteiner decided the win in the final meters, with the two podium contenders crossing, together, the finish line in Arraial d’Ajuda, Porto Seguro. In third, Avancini and Novak won because they finished ahead of Trek Selle San Marco’s second athlete, this time Casagrande and Rabensteiner finished before Novak. The gap remains the same, 10 seconds for the Italians.
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In the fifth stage, Henrique Avancini and Jiri Novak tried to attack several times. But they were always blocked, not only by leaders Michele Casagrande and Fabian Rabensteiner, but also by the second Trek Selle San Marco team, formed by Andrea Righetini and Samuele Porro. So it would all come down to the final kilometres, after the cyclists crossed the Pau Brasil National Park (PNPB), near Uiki Parracho in Arraial d’Ajuda, where Vila Brasil Ride is located.
“It was a hard stage, because it was very long. My legs were not very well, but I felt better in the final 15 kilometres, and with Fabian we managed to finish the second climb well, and won over Henrique and Jiri in the final sprint, entering Vila Brasil Ride at Arraial”, told Casagrande. “We worked well with our second team, who helped a lot. In the end we won, but I know it will be difficult to defend the leader jersey, because Avancini is very strong in XC, as well as Jiri”, anticipated Rabensteiner.
Henrique Avancini also highlighted the style of the race next Friday. “The dispute is hotter than ever. If anyone expected a calm day, it was not even a little, with attacks from the beginning to the end. I mean, it was an extremely aggressive race. We lost little time, and it’s going to be different on Friday. One hour and a half of high intensity, with a different effort, after five days with a large volume”, told Avancini.
Ladies dominate and suffer
Duo Raiza Goulão (BRA) and Margot Moschetti (FRA), keep the good work doing an excellent job in Brasil Ride 2017, with the fifth win in five stages. This time the French lady suffered, since she started the day with a discomfort in her right knee. “The route today had nice and fast sections, but we took many dirt roads with potholes. This way you need double attention when in the peloton”, analysed Goulão.
Americans lead mixed category at Brazil Ride
Americans Sonya Looney and Gordon Wadsworth are still on the lead in the mixed category in the eighth edition of Brasil Ride, after overcoming Portuguese Celina Carpinteiro and Valerio Ferreira. Favorite for the win, Looney has already conquered Brasil Ride in 2014, along with Nina Baum, and Gordon accumulates several North American championship titles in MTB and XCO, marathon and endurance.
“I have raced many stage races. This is my first Brasil Ride and I’m impressed. This is a special place. Guaratinga was beautiful, and very special. Coming back here (Arraial) was challenging, with many road and windy sections. Sonya is focused on the win, with a very high performance, so it has been very easy to ride with her”, said Gordon.
“This is my fifth Brasil Ride. I wanted to come back and check the ultramarathon new edition, see this different phase by the beach with new trails”, explained Looney. “The most important point of keeping the green shirt, from the mixed category leaders, is keeping the focus and racing in a safe way. I have won the women’s dispute, and decided that it was time to try and win the mixed. Gordon is a great partner, and winning this category is even more difficult than women’s”, finished.
Cross country at Brazil Ride
Riders will have two starts for the Olympic Cross Country, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., according to their classification, starting the first 30 duos in the first line-up. They will ride four laps, in a total of 31.8 km, in a circuit around Arraial d’Ajuda, with the start and finish at the Villa Brasil Ride, in Uiki Parracho. In a change to the other stages, the XCO the athletes do not need to ride together. At the end of the race, times will be tallied, and the average will count for the classification. The only rule regarding timing is that as soon as the leader finishes his fourth lap, no athlete is allowed to start their fourth lap, being allowed to finish it, in case they have already started.