Alpecin-Deceuninck had a successful day at the fourth round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Val di Sole, Trentino, with Puck Pieterse winning the elite women’s short track race and World Champion Sam Gaze triumphing in the elite men’s race. Pieterse narrowly beat World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot in a two-rider sprint to the finish line, with Savilia Blunk coming in third. Pieterse used a smart race tactic to secure the win, while Ferrand-Prévot admitted she may have waited too long to make her move. Alessandra Keller maintained her lead in the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup standings.
In the men’s race, Gaze took the victory by just one second, with Victor Koretzky and Jens Schuermans finishing close behind. Nino Schurter came in fourth, also just one second back. Koretzky, the overall leader in the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup standings, was happy with his second-place finish after recovering from illness. Gaze expressed his satisfaction at his win and the enjoyment he had racing his bike.
Overall, it was a successful day for Alpecin-Deceuninck as both Pieterse and Gaze secured wins in the elite women’s and elite men’s short track races, respectively, at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Val di Sole.