European track championships, bronze for Renato Favero. Elisa Balsamo still fourth
Third day at the European Championships in Turkey and third medal for the Italian expedition. Another bronze comes thanks to Renato Favero, 20, from Bassano del Grappa, in the individual pursuit event. Like the previous medals, today’s medal has important significance for the Italian movement. With a time in the final of 4’01″749, the Italian not only showed that he had a chance in his legs to bring home an even more valuable metal (he missed the final for gold by a tenth in qualifying), but he also moved decisively closer to the overall best times of Ganna and Milan. Russian Gonov wins. Also excellent performance by Etienne Grimod (20), sixth with a time of 4’04″545.
“A result that is the classic glass half-full or empty – commented head coach Edoardo Salvoldi – depending on how you look at it. Definitely a great result, time-wise and medal-wise, which rewards the work of Favero and the whole group, good in the team tournament and also with Sierra’s seventh place yesterday. It’s a young group, already able to compete with more experienced athletes. This gives us hope for the future. There remains some regret: with this time we could easily have fought for the gold. This result gives us the right charge to face the next two days” with enthusiasm.
Elisa Balsamo’s Omnium starts badly, in the last positions in the scratch. She partially recovers in the Tempo Race (fourth place) and in the Elimination (sixth). Results that make her land in the final round with 70 points, 40 from the top and 30 from the podium. Halfway through the race the Piedmontese rider gains a lap and precious points that catapult her to fourth place, still far from the podium, however. Time to recover and the race ignites. L’azzurra makes the final sprint (second), which allows him to save the position. It is the third fourth place in these European Championships.
Mattia Predomo, on the strength of a fine performance at the Team Sprint, starts the tournament in the best way, setting a new Italian record in the 200 sprint (9″443) and fifth place. However, fate does not allow him to continue: in the sprint in the sixteenth round, against the approachable Nikolov, he loses the pedal and cannot respond to the Bulgarian’s sprint. Stefano Minuta, 9″524 and 14th time in qualifying, passes the first round but stops in the round of 16 eliminated by Frenchman Derache.
