DE FABIANI AND PELLEGRINO BRONZE AT THE WORLDS TEAM SPRINT IN SEEFELD

DE FABIANI AND PELLEGRINO BRONZE AT WORLDS IN SEEFELD

A spectacular team sprint saw the couple in blue get the bronze medal with a final in which the emotions were not lacking at all.

Seefeld, Austria – February 24th 2019 - The couple from Valle d’Aosta engaged in the Team Sprint of Seefeld made people dream. The result largely repays expectations with a bronze that enters history.

A race that has had different interpretations during its development: the first two changes with a not very high pace have seen our skiers stay in the mid-peloton trying to save energy; then the first skirmishes halfway through the race. Penultimate stint by deFast is worth framing: the skier from Gressoney manages to nail the third position and keeps it until the last change with the policeman from Nus, who starts to give his best to close as much as possible on the leaders. At the top of the last climb he’s in the top three, but the race almost seems to stop: once again at these world championships we see a lot of tactics, in fact the group of the first slows down a lot. The first to break the lines is the Russian Sasha Bolshunov, followed by the Norwegian Johannes H. Klæbo. Pellegrino in the inner part of the curve reacts quickly to the two Norse, remains at first a little tight and hampered by Halfvarsson, but later manages to run away and close on the first. The descent and the final meters towards the finish line are breathtaking: Norway of Klæebo and Iversen wins the gold with almost two seconds on Russia of Retivykh and Bolshunov. The real battle is for the third place: an amazing sprint sees Federico Pellegrino dominating Halfvarsson. Italy is back on the podium in a Worlds team sprint.

Soon after the race, Francesco commented: «It was a race that I really cared about, and I'm absolutely happy it went this way, both for me and for Italy as a team. It was incredible to be on the edge of the track and enjoy the final sprint. A great feeling being able to confirm expectations. This morning in the semi-finals I did not have very positive feelings, while in the final I felt good again and I was able to compete giving my best. The skis were great and the race evolution went according to plans. I'm happy for our team: nice to have got this result with Chicco since it is now years that we train and work together almost every day, but also exciting to share this joy with all those who, with a hard commitment, have contributed to this memorable result!».

In 2007 in Japan at the Sapporo Dome Renato Pasini and Cristian Zorzi won the gold medal. Today in Seefeld, Austria, a new chapter for the Italian National Team Sprint: Francesco De Fabiani, paired with Federico Pellegrino, have conquered tooth and nails a bright bronze.

The Austrian World Championships in Seefeld 2019 do not end here for DeFast: as soon as the joy for this long-awaited medal will be over, he will race the 15 km classic on Wednesday February 27th. So we look forward to seeing the skier from Gressoney to perform in one of his most beloved competition.

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Press Office of Francesco De Fabiani