Italian athletes won both the women's and the men's 200m freestyle sprints on day two of the Roller Ski World Cup finals in Ziano di Fiemme. Emanuele Becchis won the men's race ahead of fellow Italians Michele Valerio and Alessio Berlanda. In the women's race, Alba Mortagna beat Linda Kaparkaleja of Latvia, with Ragnhild Aarekol of Norway in third. Italy also won the junior men's sprint through Raul Castagna.
An all-Italian men's podium
According to Neveitalia, Saturday's men's sprint was also about the discipline's crystal globe, and Becchis needed to overtake the leader, Raimo Vigants. Becchis suffered a sudden adductor problem but still set the fastest qualifying time, Neveitalia reported, with Trentino's Valerio just behind him.
Neveitalia reported that Vigants went out in the quarterfinals, beaten by Berlanda. Berlanda, who was born in 1979, then lost to Becchis in the semifinals. Neveitalia said the final between Becchis and Valerio was decided on the line. Valerio tangled his roller skis at the crucial moment and had to settle for second.
Becchis told Neveitalia that winning in his second home was fantastic, and that everything had gone well despite the physical problem. Berlanda won the small final against Norway's Soerset to take third. He said the podium in front of his own people felt like a win to him.
According to Neveitalia, Vigants won the sprint World Cup crystal globe. He finished fifth on the day.
Mortagna beats Kaparkaleja in the final
Neveitalia reported that Mortagna dominated qualifying and made her way through to the final, where she beat Latvia's Linda Kaparkaleja. Norway's Ragnhild Aarekol finished third.
Cross-CountryItaly names 14 cross-country skiers for Grand Prix Sportful in FeltreAccording to Neveitalia, the races were held in bright sunshine on Via Nazionale in Ziano.
Castagna and Ruud Lia take the junior races
According to Neveitalia, Raul Castagna won the junior men's race and Norway's Emilie Ruud Lia won the junior women's race.
Sprint qualifying in all four categories was scheduled for 14:00 CEST, with the junior women's final set for 15:15 CEST. The World Cup weekend in Val di Fiemme started on Friday, September 18, with a 10km classic mass start.
