David Campos, tenth in cross-country at the U-23 World Cup

Martin Vidaurre is Chileandefending the U23 world champion title in the cross-country event, led the race for three laps but then he was surprised by a blow from Italy’s Simone Avondetto, who took the gold at the World Mountain Bike Championships held in Les Gets (France), at the foot of the Alps.

Avondetto completed six laps of the circuit, which is 3.39 km and has ramps of up to 17.4%, in 1h10:35, with Frenchman Mathis Azzaro in 0.28 and Swiss Luca Schatti in 0.57.

Fourth, at 1:13 and between gestures of great disappointment, Vidaurre finally arrived.

The best Spaniard was David Campos, tenth in 2:45. Francesc Barber finished in 59th place in 8:36 and Alberto Barroso was on the winner’s lap.

Martín Vidaurre left feeling incomparable about his chances of repeating the world title at the start of the race. At the end of the first lap he was already leading a group of six cyclists where he imposed a devilish pace, which David Campos, among others, had to give up.

With each step in the section that the organizers christened as ‘the endless climb’, the man from Santiago took the opportunity to speed up his pace and lead the group of companions.

Midway through lap four the race lead turned around, as Avondetto regained a deficit of 12 seconds, got on Vidaurre’s steering wheel and immediately took his place in front.

In his effort to catch up, the man from Santiago got into trouble in the area of ​​the forest, which forced him to descend, and he lost some precious seconds. The beneficiary was the French Mathis Azzaro, who finished second.

Vidaurre’s crisis worsened in the penultimate lapwhen the podium positions were lost, which he could never get back.

Avondetto was ahead and by the fifth time he crossed the finish line he had a half minute lead which he maintained effortlessly en route to victory.

In the women’s under-23 event held earlier in the day, 19-year-old Frenchwoman Line Burquier prevailed, clocking 1:11:09 and a comfortable lead of 43 seconds over second-placed Dutchwoman Puck Pieterse .

Danish Sofie Pedersen completed the podium in Les Gets, 59 seconds behind.

The best Spaniard on the time table is Lucía Gómez, at 10:45 in 33rd place. Estibaliz Sagardoy and Paula Martín entered in one lap.

Burquier took the lead of the race at the end of the second lap of five to complete the circuit, twisting and very dry terrain. Only Pieterse could keep pace with her, although there was no chance of catching her, and the fight was for the bronze medal, with Pedersen taking advantage in the final meters to beat Italian Giada Specia.

This Sunday the men’s and women’s events of the elite category will also be held.