TROFEO VANONI: FRANCE IN MENS AND DUO COMPAGNONI-SORTINI TAKE THE WIN

The French Team (Orhlac, Petit, Meyssat)took the victory in the men's category (three men teams) for the eighth time in 10 years, in the 66th edition of Trofeo Vanoni. while in the women's 40th edition of the Italian race, this year in a 2-piece relay version, the victory after an evening with pouring rain wnet for the duo Sortini and Compagnoni, Sortini won for the second time (individual time 22'43" and relay final 47'05").

WOMEN'S CATEGORY

The sun came to kiss the 40th edition of the Vanoni women's race, this year in a 2-piece relay version, after an eve with pouring rain. As many as 57 relays took part in the race, a long, colourful snake on the 5 km orbital track with an altitude difference of 248 metres. Recordwoman Sarah McCormack (Ireland) got off to a flying start in the first stage, immediately gaining an advantage of 31" at the Dosso, where the GPM is located, over Slovenian Varineja Drasler and 50" over Britain's Caroline Lambert (Snowdon Race Team). Elisa Compagnoni (Atl. Alta Valtellina) and Beatrice Bianchi (La Recastello Radici Group) finished fourth and fifth. In the downhill, McCormack increased her advantage and passed the baton first to Aine Gosling with the best time of the day (22'34"), but behind her, the situation evolved positively for Beatrice Bianchi (La Recastello Radici Group), who put the turbo and passed the baton to Samantha Galassi with a gap of 45".

Slovenia changed to third, and Elisa Sortini started fifth behind the Snowdon Race Team. The Irish Aine's breakaway did not last long: at the "Dosso", the lead dropped to 9", with Samantha Galassi in second and Sortini already up to third place. When the thunderous cheering makes it clear that the finish line is not far away at the Tempietto, the overtaking occurs: Sortini leaps into the lead, followed by the Irishwoman and the Recastello Radici Group. In St. Anthony square, it is the apotheosis for the Talamonese Sortini, but the surprise comes from the expert Galassi, who overtakes Gosling and conquers the second place. Behind the first three, the Scottish Catriona MacDonald and Slovenia hold the position.

On the red carpet in Vanoni Street, amidst a delirious crowd, Sortini won for the second time (individual time 22'43" and relay final 47'05"). The records do not waver, but for Sortini and Compagnoni, the absolute regional title also arrives. To Galassi and Bianchi the place of honour in 47'35", a well-matched duo that made the difference on the downhill. Ireland settled for the bronze medal in 47'50", while further back were Scotland at 49'31" and Slovenia at 49'54". Completing the top ten were the Snowdon Race Team, Wales, Poland, Castelraider and GP Valchiavenna; a total of four Italian and six foreign relay teams.

The winners were enthusiastic: 'I did my best not to get too far behind, especially because the downhill is not my favourite part,' said Compagnoni, 'then Elisa made the difference. "The Vanoni is my race,' Sortini declared, 'I wanted to do well, and the public charged me up. To win in two is beautiful".

"I had a great run," echoed Beatrice Bianchi, "the Vanoni has a course that suits my characteristics. To finish second with Samantha, a great example for me, is something special". "Years and situations change,' Galassi concludes, 'but today I managed to run fast, and this result achieved in front of my son and my partner is a great emotion.

Emotions also ran high at the floral prize-giving with a rose for all 114 protagonists, amid applause from the Morbegno public, which always lives up to expectations, as do the organisational skills of the GS CSI Morbegno.

MEN'S CATEGORY

In the first stage, Alberto Vender (SA Valchiese) set off at full speed on a course that was definitely in his favour and climbed to the top of the Arzo GPM with a 50-second lead over Michael Galassi (US Aldo Moro), Frenchman Boris Orlhac and Briton Matt Knowles. On the descent, things changed behind the outriders. If at the change Vender is the fastest of the day at 29'32", behind him we find the English Ben Rothery (Snowdon Race Team) who with a great descent (he is the best time of the day with 8'59") is second, followed by Knowles (best under 23), the Malenco Alessandro Rossi and Galassi. In the second leg, Luca Merli was held by the Scotsman Any Douglas, but the Frenchman Arlic Petit began to close the gap.

In the third fraction, coach Jean Claude Louison relied on the experienced Manu Meyssat and did not make a mistake. With the best time on the climb (19'50"), he climbed to the GPM of Arzo in the lead, overtaking the British Ross Gollan and the young Devid Caresani of Valchiese. On the descent, the captain of the bleu took no risks. He secured the victory and collected the crowd's applause in Via Vanoni.

For France, it is the eighth victory in the last ten years, the third consecutive one that means the definitive triumph of the Vanoni Trophy, a wooden work of art by the sculptor Ivan Fabani, a gift of the Municipality of Morbegno, with a time of 1h32'00".  At 36" the Great Britain of Knowles, Douglas and Gollan, while the students of Ennio Colò, after two-second places, had to settle for the lowest step of the podium with a time of 1h34'10", but with the certainty of having given their best. Also in the top five were the Snowdon Race Team (Ben Rothery, Grant Cunliffee, Chris Holdsworth) and the excellent US Aldo Moro (Michael Galassi, Rok Bratina, Nicola D'Andrea).

For the red devils of the GS CSI Morbegno (Francesco Bongio, Diego Rossi, Marco Leoni with a time of 1h38'10") came an excellent sixth place, which meant the conquest of the overall regional relay title. The fastest of the hosts was junior Francesco Bongio, already a national champion in Innsbruck, with a time of 31'47". The top ten were GS Orobie of recordman Alex Baldaccini, the US Malonno of icon Emanuela Manzi (team record holder with Rinaldi and De Gasperi), Scotland, Wales and Poland. The emotion of the transalpine was great, who dedicated the victory to Gianpietro Bottà. A considerable crowd supported all the athletes on the course, creating that magical atmosphere that only the Vanoni Trophy can provide.

Results: https://www.fidal.it/risultati/2023/COD10524/Index.htm

Photo Credits: Davide Vaninetti, Roberto Ganassa, Angelo Testa