The rider from Granada puts on a fine race in the XCO World Championship, only to be outdone by the Swiss Schurter in the end
David Valero came very close to being crowned XCO MTB World Champion for the first time. In a great race on the demanding circuit of Les Gets (France), he finally won the silver medal in a great race, in which he kept in close contact with the legendary Swiss Nino Schurter, who managed to be the fastest and won his tenth world.
The performance of the Basque motorcyclist was memorable. He passed first with Schurter with one lap to go, but in the closing kilometers he was unable to resist the onslaught of his main rival, but that doesn’t detract from a second place many of his rivals had dreamed of from.
He showed from the start the great form with which he arrived at this World Championship after his great results in the World Cup. From the start he was in the leading group and never lost touch with the best. The test took place in good weather and there was no rain, which would have made the track even more difficult. He positioned himself well from the start and kept an eye on the main wheels that would compete for the podium.
He was a bit cut off at the beginning, but already in the first step over the finish line he was with the main group. Pidcok, one of the favorites, fell behind in the first round. Schurter and the Frenchman Carod led the way. De bastetano was in the leading group at the start of the second lap. A select group of six riders was formed, who already showed that they were the strongest and who started to fight hard for the three medals. In the relegation zones, David Valero lost a few seconds, but was later able to catch up with his rivals. He managed to place himself in third place at the end of the second lap. He was already very strong and everything indicated that he could be among the strongest in the race.
Pidckoc managed to catch up with the leading group again and even shoot, but that effort took its toll later. Valero did not lose sight of him and even took the lead at the start of the fourth lap. He escaped with Schurter and the Italian Braidot. The fifth round was spent in first place.
From that moment on, Schurter attacked hard and David Valero resisted that high pace of the Swiss. The two left together and everything suggested that they would go for the gold medal together. Gone are Braidot and Pidcok. The sixth lap showed that everyone was launched and ready to give their best.
David Valero didn’t reserve anything and went first through the absence of the last lap that would decide everything. He had a close duel with Schurter. Pidcok would no longer pose a threat when he was caught on a log in part of the track. Nor Braidot, who could not resist the rhythm of the two leaders.
Schurter opted for a change of pace and Baza’s man held out again. He tried to overtake him in some sections but it was not possible and the Swiss pushed again and this time he was able to gain a few more meters which was enough. David Valero didn’t give up but that distance already seemed insurmountable and he was aware that he had to settle for a brilliant second position. Only the legendary Nino Schurter surpassed him by nine seconds.
Source: La Verdad
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