Cycling, Cyclocross World Championships in the USA: Italy wins the relay

It’s a demonstration test, but winning is always nice. The Cyclocross World Championships open on Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which will award six titles between juniors, Under 23s and elites, men and women. Today the relay was held, with four cross riders per nation, a demonstration test designed to involve more and more nations in this specialty, and Italy has made a fool of the American hosts.

Last fractionist, with the dida to indicate the heart and the flag, moved at the finish line, the Under 23 Davide Toneatti, 20, from Friuli from Buja, like the professionals Alessandro De Marchi and the Olympian Jonathan Milan. Coach Daniele Pontoni, one of the great players in this specialty with two World Championships won, had selected three Under 23s (Davide Toneatti, Samuele Leone and Lucia Bramati, daughter of art) and the elite Silvia Persico. Silver to the United States and bronze to Belgium; six nations participated in all. A really good start for Pontoni’s new adventure in the national team: the Friulian coach wanted to give confidence to the young players and today his boys have repaid him with a wonderful performance.

The coach Pontoni explains: “I do not hide my happiness. These guys will go down in history, as this was Team Relay’s first time in the cyclocross world championship. I am happy for all the staff and for those who have worked to achieve this result: the clubs, the Federation and the people who have allowed us to get here. As you know it was a troubled away match, but we are here to obtain other results as well ”.