David Valero is back to win his ninth XCO national title

The Granada runner from the BH Coloma Team David Valero has achieved his ninth Spanish cross-country mountain bike (XCO) champion title this Sunday in the Huelva town of El Almendro, who became the Spanish cyclist who won the most national golds, surpassing Jose Antonio Hermida.

However, Valero, dominator of the Olympic mountain bike in Spain in recent years, experienced one of his most complicated championships, as he punctured in the first lap and was forced to make a commendable comeback.

Until the BH Coloma cyclist took the lead, the star of the event was the Orbea rider David Campos, who made a brilliant start, left all his rivals and seemed ready to go for the second title of the weekend , after winning the short race. .

But when Valero caught up to him, he was unable to respond to the final attack of the Olympic medalist who went to the finish line alone in the last part of the circuit.

Before everything was marked by the peak of strength shown by Campos at the beginning; In a few meters he put himself ahead and set a very hard pace for the others, as if he was in a “sprint” race again.

At the end of the first lap, with Valero delayed by a puncture, only one of the favorites, Jofré Cullell, was able to keep up with him; The two stayed together for more than a lap, but the Catalan “stayed” and lost ground until Campos was left alone.

The Orbea player seems comfortable and safe, as if he is not aware that his big threat David Valero is “flying” from behind to catch him.

And he achieved it with just over two laps to go; At first he let Campos continue to the front, but then he passed him and risked waiting for an attack that never came.

In fact, Valero himself imposed his strategy, because he let his rival pass, stood behind him and on one of the last climbs attacked, something that seemed obvious, but this time could not respond Campos and he had to live. for the silver medal.

Cullell, who along with Valero will represent Spain at the Olympic Games, recovered in time to take bronze, ahead of a cyclo cross specialist, Felioe Orts.

Victory at the fine line for Estíbaliz Sagardoy

In the women’s event, the Navarrese runner Estíbaliz Sagardoy, from the Saltoki team, won after a race that was resolved emotionally, almost in the last stage.

The Balearic Nuria Bosh, from Massi, was almost alone and looked like a champion when Sagardoy overtook her in the final stretch, where she gained a six-second advantage over a rival who sank due to silver when she was. can almost touch the gold.

The winner crossed the finish line in 1.30:07 and was six seconds ahead of Bosh, while the bronze went to Sofía Rodríguez, from MMR Bikes, in 1.30:30.

The title of Spanish under-23 champion went to Catalan Marta Cano, who actually finished third at the finish line, with a time of 1.30:22.

The other national title of these championships, apart from the lower age group, the men’s sub-23, went to another rider from the BH Coloma Team, Alberto Barroso.