Keller takes over World Cup lead thanks to fourth place
Alessandra Keller started in Friday’s short track race as the only representative of Thömus maxon. On the course in Snowshoe, USA, which was softened by the rain of the previous days, she finished in a strong fourth place. Thanks to this result she takes over the lead in the discipline World Cup. In the men’s race, neither Flückiger nor Albin started.
At the beginning of the week, pictures of fog and rain from Snowshoe were shared on social media. During Friday’s short track race, however, the floodgates remained closed and Alessandra Keller was able to start in a reasonably dry race. Always in the leading group, she parried several attacks by her opponents. Until the final lap, none of the riders was able to break away decisively. The constant ups and downs and the deep ground on the circuit around the Snowshoe ski station visibly strained the strength of all the riders. Nevertheless, Alessandra Keller tried to attack at the foot of the last steep climb in order to being able to fight for the victory until the finish line.
The enormously high speed over the entire race duration of 20 minutes had obviously left its mark, because her attack was parried. In the end, the result was a strong fourth place and thus a starting place in the front row for Sunday’s race.
No podium place but World Cup lead
“I acclimatised well and was able to leave the jet lag behind me quickly. I am not completely satisfied with the race, but I gave everything. A slip in the bend after the last climb set me back decisively. But thanks to this result, I can wear the leader’s jersey for the first time two races before the end, which makes me extremely proud. I will start on Sunday with a lot of self-confidence”, Keller summed up at the finish.
The race was won by the surprising local Gwendalyn Gibson ahead of Anne Terpstra (NED) and Jenny Rissveds (SWE).
No men at the start
The men’s race went without the riders of Thömus maxon. Mathias Flückiger had renounced the trip overseas after his Corona illness and Vital Albin caught a cold in the humid weather of Snowshoe. He already started his journey home to Switzerland during the day on Friday.