July 30, 2017 :
Xavier Dafflon from Switzerland and Helena Karaskova-Erbenova from Czech Republic captured the titles at XTERRA Italy Championship, at the Lago di Scanno in Abruzzo this afternoon.The win is the first as an Elite athlete, for the 2016 Amateur World Champion Xavier Dafflon and the fourth for Helena Karaskova-Erbenova this year.
Another European race and another beautiful day. Some years it seems rain is always the order of the day, but this year we have been blessed with some spectacular days, and Scanno was gorgeous.
Our 10th race and once again we have a new Champion. Xavier Dafflon nearly pulled off a victory in Belgium, had a disastrous France but came back super strong today to win a very difficult XTERRA Abruzzo. We know Xavier is a world class duathlete and is working hard on his swim. Today he was 25th out of the water despite having a 3 minute head start over the age groupers, some of beat him. But like others before him, the Swiss rider had the fastest bike split by nearly 7 minutes to arrive at T2 in 3rd place. Not only should all the elites worry about Dafflon but Roger Serrano is back in a very serious way. Our Spaniard was first from the water and led into T2. New Zealander Sam Osborne was just a tick behind Roger in the swim but came out from the Miracle of Scanno bridge under the highway in first. The two stayed together like peanut butter and jelly the entire two laps, it was a great race.
“Roger got about 100m on me coming into T2 but I really took off on the run hard” said Osborne. “I got him before the top of the first hill but going into town I started to get a cramp in my side and he came right back on me”. Roger had the same story “I nearly caught him and then my legs started to cramp and I could not stay with him”. Cramping seemed to be the order of the day as Dafflon began to suffer a bit as he caught Sam. “We got to the top of the highest place on the run and my legs were a bit tight. When we started down I pushed and got a gap and was able to hold my place.” It was a solid 90 second win for Dafflon and a great 2nd for Osborne. “I am very happy with 3rd” said Serrano. “I was doing a lot of 30 minute climbs in my training and it paid off today. I am back” he smiled.
For the women, tall and lanky Kiwi Lizzie Orchard was making her first appearance of the tour after injuries left her watching the Euro tour but too hurt to race. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I felt really good. My swim was nice and easy and I was able to ride almost all the steep climbs. I didn’t want to push myself too much first time out but it all went really well”. Our other quick Swiss Renata Bucher was on fire. She was second from the swim and quickly took the lead on the bike posting the fastest women’s bike of the day by nearly 2 minutes.
Czech Helena Erbenova had an excellent swim, posted the 2nd fastest bike and came into T2 just ahead of Lizzie. Both women run well. Helena took off and gapped Lizzie but was wondering where Renata was. “I could not see her, but I came around a corner in the village and there she was.
It is so much fun running in Scanno with people in the restaurants, the old women taking home their groceries or coming from church. Most of the time my run is great and my bike OK. Today the bike was really good and it put me in position to win”. Indeed her run was one of only two women under an hour.
Spanish age group wonder woman Eva Garcia Gonzalez put in an amazing 58 minute 11 K, just 1 second slower than Helena and finished 3rd woman overall. With Brigitta Poor away in Romania todays victory vaults our Czech woman into first place in the Tour standings.
Back to the men young Maxine Chane was an amazing 4th today. “this is my kind of course with lots of tough hills” he smiled. “the flat courses like Swiss don’t suit me too well, so I was very happy today”. Indeed Max rode in 3rd most of the bike until Dafflon got him at about 23k into the course.
Another great story was the return of Cedric Fleurton. Cedric has not raced an XTERRA in years, but back in the day he won several XTERRA European Tour races. “I remember Cedric well” said European Director Nicolas Lebrun “He kicked my ass a few times”. Fleurton has not stopped racing all together and is regarded as the fastest middle distance trail runner in Europe. He ran himself all the way up to 6th for a great return result. “I wanted to get in a hard race and this is why I chose Italy. Now I know how I stand against the best and will be ready for Maui.”
What he did not mention is he lost about two minutes when he followed some bikers down a hill back to the village before realizing he was running the bike course and had to back-track.Francois Carloni put in another fine event with a 6th and will keep his 2nd in Euro Tour points, but Dafflon is now up to 3rd and will challenge Francois over the next few weeks.
As for Xavier Dafflon? He is no longer a new pro with potential; he is a Tour winner and all the others now understand potential has changed to realization. This was a tailor made circuit for Xavier. Long and hard, the bike took him 1:36 and the fastest rider 1:42. Will he be able to make up his losses from the swim at events where the bike is not as difficult and takes an hour-thirty or less? He really wants Maui but did not have it in his race budget. Who out there wants to back a real winner? Xavier would be a real threat in Hawaii.
Stay tuned as we go next to Norway, then Poland and Germany for 4 straight weeks of racing before a break and the final of the year in Denmark. Ruzafa is back for Norway and that is an entirely new event so everyone will arrive without an advantage. Brigitta will be back to reclaim her top spot from Helena and also returning will be Carina Wasle. The next few weeks will be great fun.
Elite Men
Pos Name Time Points
1 Xavier Dafflon, SUI 02:51:32 75
2 Sam Osborne, NZL 02:53:01 67
3 Roger Serrano, ESP 02:55:14 61
4 Maxim Chane, FRA 03:00:57 56
5 Cedric Fleureton, FRA 03:02:06 51
6 Francois Carloni, FRA 03:05:41 47
7 Anthony Pannier, FRA 03:08:25 43
8 Rui Dolores, POR 03:12:45 39
9 Francesco Masciarelli, ITA 03:16:06 36
10 Hannes Wolpert, GER 03:20:23 33
11 Valentin Genewe, FRA 03:36:19 30
Elite Women
Pos Name Time Points
1 Helena Karaskova-Erbenova, CZE 03:32:45 75
2 Elizabeth Orchard, NZL 03:40:17 67
3 Renata Bucher, SUI 03:41:36 61
4 Genziana Cenni, ITA 04:01:24 56
5 Belinda Hadden, AUS 04:32:41 51
RUZAFA, KARASKOVA-ERBENOVA ON TOP OF EURO TOUR
Ruben Ruzafa the reigning XTERRA European Tour Champion is still leading the tour for the men after ten of 14 races on this year's tour. In the men's chase Carloni retains his spot at No. 2, with Xavier Dafflon now in third position followed by Yeray Luxem, who dropped in 4th. Rui Dolores who is racing more this year, is now in 5th place.
For the women, the new leader is Helena Karaskova-Erbenova, leaving the 2017 ETU Cross Triathlon Champion Brigitta Poor, in second. Behind them, Carina Wasle remains in 3rd position, Golsteyn in 4th place and Morgane Riou at No. 5.
Next Up: XTERRA Norway, August 5
Elite Points Standings
Elite Men
Pos Name Total MLT CYP GRE ESP POR BEL FIN SUI FRA ITA
1 Ruben Ruzafa, ESP 490 DNS DNS 75 75 75 75 DNS 90 100 DNS
2 Francois Carloni, FRA 373 61 47 43 DNS 61 51 DNS 63 DNF 47
3 Xavier Dafflon, SUI 351 DNS DNS 47 DNS 56 67 DNS 69 37 75
4 Yeray Luxem, BEL 293 DNS 75 DNS DNS 67 61 DNS DNS 90 DNS
5 Rui Dolores, POR 236 DNS DNS 39 36 47 DNS DNS 41 34 39
6 Arthur Forissier, FRA 233 DNS DNS 51 DNS DNS DNS DNS 100 82 DNS
7 Maxim Chane, FRA 214 30 DNS 36 DNS DNS 47 DNS DNP 45 56
8 Roger Serrano, ESP 203 75 DNS 67 DNS DNS DNF DNS DNS DNS 61
9 Sam Osborne, NZL 200 DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 75 58 67
10 Xavier Jove Riart, ESP 171 DNS DNS DNS 67 51 DNS DNS DNP 53 DNS
Elite Women
Pos Name Total MLT CYP GRE ESP POR BEL FIN SUI FRA ITA
1 Helena Karaskova-Erbenova, CZE 563 67 DNS 75 75 61 75 DNS 53 82 75
2 Brigitta Poor, HUN 512 75 75 67 67 75 DNS DNS 63 90 DNS
3 Carina Wasle, AUT 317 51 DNS DNS DNS 67 67 DNS 69 63 DNS
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