Italian Skialp athlete Federico “Chicco” Nicolini won the 35 km race in the Pontedilegno-Tonale area, from Monno to Vezza d’Oglio, in the province of Brescia. The Trentino native bagged his first World Cup skimo win in Ponte di Legno in 2020, and enriched his palmarès today, September 21, by conquering the 35 Km Adamello Ultra Trail.
Nicolini dominated the shortest race of the event from the start, stopping the clock in 3:18:03. While Gabriele Del Longo initially kept pace, matching Nicolini at the first checkpoint at Rifugio Malga Mola, the Trentino athlete’s tempo soon proved too much for his rivals. Even pre-race favourite Henry Hofer couldn’t keep up, settling for second place, 9:18 behind the winner. Gabriele Del Longo rounded out the podium just ahead of Marco Piccin, 17:39 off the pace.
“It’s a technical course, but there are stretches where you can really give it all,” Nicolini remarked at the finish. “When I hit the final climb alone, I knew I could ease off a bit on the last descent. I’m really excited about this win, and I have to say, the race organization was top-notch. Now, it’s time to switch gears for the upcoming ski mountaineering season.”
The women’s race saw Sophie Maschi pulled off an upset, after outpacing pre-race favourite Raffaella Rossi. Maschi, a Milan native now based in Bozen/Bolzano, crossed the line in 4:05:11, leveraging her downhill skills. Fellow Italian Rossi, two-time race winner, had to settle for second, trailing by 9:59. Sara Dorato claimed the final podium spot, reaching Vezza d’Oglio 29:02 behind the winner.
“I didn’t start all out, as I was dealing with some physical issues,” Maschi revealed post-race. “Rossi and I were neck and neck for most of the run, but I managed to break away on the descents, which gave me the crucial edge I needed for the win.”
