The Swiss squad under the guidance of Ralph Näf will take part in Internazionali d’Italia Series’ stage 1 in Andora on Saturday, March 7th with Alessandra Keller, Kathrin Stirnemann, Vital Albin and Ursin Spescha
As Andora Race Cup, Internazionali d’Italia Series’ stage 1, approaches, the entry list of the event keeps welcoming new top-notch names of international mountain biking. On Saturday, March 7th, the event organized in the Liguria region by ASD Andora Race in collaboration with Italian Mountain Bike Team Coach Mirko Celestino will also see Ralph Näf’s Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team on the start line.
Athletes like the 2018 U23 World Champion, Alessandra Keller, and XC Eliminator multiple World Champion Kathrin Stirnemann, will compete for the success in the opening round of the Italian circuit, against home riders motivated to make their mark.
Italian riders will have the chance to train on the race-field, arriving on Tuesday, March 3rd to take part in the Training Camp of the Italian National Team, but the Swiss bikers aim will look to start the season on a high after their 2019 was hampered by injuries.
Besides, the Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team will line-up a strong team in the Open Men’s race. Vital Albin, U23 bronze medalist at the 2019 Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), and Ursin Spescha aiming to gain points and positions in the UCI World Ranking, given the promotion of Andora Race Cup to the C1 international category.
At the moment, the participation of the 2018 Marlene Südtirol Sunshine Race winner Mathias Flückiger is on hold due to a bad crash in South Africa. After a great 2019, headlined by the World Cup triumph in Albstadt (Germany), the Swiss rider is trying to recover from his injury. “We don’t know yet whether Mathias will start the season in Andora – Ralph Näf explains. – He was still ailing after the fall, and he is momentarily riding only on the road”.
Andora Race Cup’s programme runs on two days. On Saturday, March 7th the event will start with the Internazionali d’Italia Series racing categories – Men Junior (9.00 CET), Women’s categories (11.15 CET) and Men Elite and U23 (13.00 CET) – followed by the Youth competitions scheduled on Sunday, March 8th.
