UAE TEAM ADQ

A splendid silver medal for Silvia Persico at the Gravel World Championships in Italy.

A splendid silver medal for Silvia Persico at the Gravel World Championships in Italy. After the winter cyclo-cross activity, the long road season with the UAE Team ADQ jersey, the Italian added another prestigious gravel result to her palmares. After 140 kilometres on the white roads of Veneto with an elevation gain of 1,660 metres, behind the lone winner Kasia Niewiadoma of Poland, Persico won the sprint for second place against Dutchwoman Demi Vollering, both of whom were also companions in many battles during the last road season.

In addition to Silvia Persico, Sofia Bertizzolo was also competing in the race with the Italian national team jersey, as she closed her season on her home trails in the province of Treviso.

The cast was very qualified, as mentioned, with several champions also returning from the road season, and the athletes competed on a hot and sunny day that also made the course very dusty.

Niewiadoma's decisive action came with around 30 kilometres to go. The Polish rider gained a handful of seconds and stretched her lead over Vollering and Persico, who remained in a pair to chase.

The last climb of Collagu' (5 km to the finish; 1.4 km; 11.8%) increased the advantage of Niewiadoma, who flew to a well-deserved victory. In the sprint for second place, the Italian athlete prevails.

After placing the deserved silver medal around her neck, Silvia Persico said: “I gave everything I had, I have no regrets. It was a really tough competition. I definitely started with the ambition of getting on the podium, but it was exhausting. In particular, the final 50 kilometres were very hard. I tried to keep my rhythm without overdoing it. I lost something on the climb when Vollering accelerated, but then I managed to come back downhill. I am definitely satisfied with my performance and this medal. Today marks the end of a very long season that started with cyclo-cross and continued with many road races, and I think I deserved this medal. A season of ups and downs, I am aware that I still have much to improve, but now I will have time to recover, this winter I will not participate in cyclo-cross races and I want to come back ready and loaded for the new season on the road”.