Perrin-Ganier and Tormena conquer heat and climbs in Sakarya, Türkiye

Titouan Perrin-Gannier (FRA) and Gaia Tormena (ITA) have won round 6 of the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup in Sakarya, Türkiye. In hard circumstances (hot weather and a demanding track), they took the victory in front of an enthusiastic Turkish crowd.

In the Ayçiçek Vadisi Bisiklet Adası, the biggest bike stadium of the world, riders representing 18 nations and 5 continents gathered for the next race of the UCI World Cup. The track with tough climbs and spectacular downhills was the opposite of last week’s one in Oudenaarde, Belgium. But still, the qualifying time-trial winners were the same: Quentin Schrotzenberger from France and Gaia Tormena from Italy, both securing an additional 30 UCI World Cup points and an excellent base for the heats.

“This is incredible. I can’t believe it: I wasn’t feeling 100 percent today”, Gaia Tormena revealed after her win. “I was very, very stressed and nervous on the start of the final heat. I wasn’t sure if I should open the gas from the beginning, or wait and play a mental game. I decided to go, and it worked!” In the UCI World Cup standings, ‘Torpedo Tormena’ is now sitting even stronger on the top spot.

Perrin-Ganier enjoyed his win with a big smile, although he called it a “super tough one”: “Edvin was super strong. I made a good start and managed to take the leading position all along the race. In the last corner, Edvin was still in my rear wheel. I had to go full gas, full gas, full gas until the finish line.” The Frenchman also goes to the lead position in the men’s category, replacing the German UCI World Champion Simon Gegenheimer, who was absent in Sakarya but returns to UCI World Cup racing in next week’s historic round in Palangkaraya. See you all in Indonesia!