No chance for a break away in...
Inline-Skating is a perfect sport for the whole family – the “9. Roller Marathon de Dijon” showed this again. After the track was open for all, the Kid’s Race offered the first ambitious competitions of the day. Then the adult fitness sport skaters followed before the world elite started in the afternoon. In the 6th race of the World Inline Cup Cecilia Baena (COL) and Shane Dobbin (NZL) emerged victorious.
Wonderful weather dominated the scene – at least right until the professionals started. When the first raindrops fell, the tactical decisions about which rolls to take began. After the rain got heavier all athletes quickly changed their rolls. They had done well, because the race got very risky especially in the 180 ° turns at every end of the lap. Moreover the wet streets in France are very slippery because of diesel soiling. The athletes had to pay careful attention to these conditions, so that the field of the men stuck together almost during the whole race. Only the favourites tried a few breakaways, such as Yann Guyader (FRA/Powerslide) after 20 minutes – but he tried in vain. His direct rival Diego Rosero (COL/Rollerblade), who is only one position behind him in the overall ranking, observed him persistently. After no-one could break away, a mass sprint had to yield the result. Finally the New Zealander Shane Dobbin was able to compete against the Belgian Bart Swings (both Cado Motus) and Felix Rijhnen (GER/Powerslide Phuzion). Besides that, the performance of the later registered Severin Widmer (Luigino Swiss Team) from Switzerland has to be pointed out. He became 4th.
Similar was the ladies race, because of the hard conditions of the road surface. Each breakaway was nipped in the bud by the high profile of the Powerslide and Bont Team. So the race became a tactical one without a single serious attack. It had to be decided by a mass sprint, too whereas the Powerslide team had the edge over the others. Like in Korea Nathalie Barbotin (FRA) prepared the sprint of her team colleague Cecilia Baena very successfully. Neither Alexandra Vivas (COL) nor Tamara Llorens (ARG) from the Bont-Team could follow her. She cleared the way for Cecilia Baena and her team-mate Jana Gegner (GER) who thus made the double of the Powerslide Matter World Team perfect.
Next stage of the World Inline Cup
A special highlight in the race calendar of the professionals will start the following weekend. The international race series will take place in Zurich and this will be the first meeting in Switzerland this year.
Results Ladies
1. Cecilia Baena COL 1:21:45 h
2. Jana Gegner GER 1:21:45 h
3. Tamara Llorens ARG 1:21:45 h
Results Men
1. Shane Dobbin NZL 1:06:25 h
2. Bart Swings BEL 1:06:28 h
3. Felix Rijhnen GER 1:06:28 h