Pitturina Ski Race 2015 - the race

The team formed by Filippo Beccari and Roberto De Simone wins the Pitturina Ski Race. In the first round of the Coppa delle Dolomiti women's race victory goes to Elisa Compagnoni and Federica Osler

The team formed by Filippo Beccari and Roberto De Simone wins the Pitturina Ski Race. In the first round of the Coppa delle Dolomiti women's victory goes to Elisa Compagnoni and Federica Osler

On Sunday morning in Sega Digon in Val Comelico, a cloudy sky greeted the 90 teams registered for the seventh edition of the Pitturina Ski Race, a team ski mountaineering race included in the Coppa delle Dolomiti calendar. At altitude, on the other hand, a clear sky awaited the passage of the athletes. Finally, splendid sunshine greeted the victorious arrival of Filippo Beccari in team with Roberto De Simone, who with arms raised stopped the stopwatch with a time of 2:22'48''. In the women's field there was a fine performance by Elisa Compagnoni and Federica Osler, who won ahead of Monica Sartogo and Anna Finizio from Friuli.
Immediately after the start the battle began between the Beccari-De Simone duo and Thomas Trettel-Ivo Zulian. Trettel-Zulian led the race until the second climb when the winners of the Fisi race of the Marmotta Trophy held on Saturday took the lead and held it until the finish line. Beccari-De Simone crossed the finish line, thus inscribing their names in the roll of honour of the race organised by the Spiquy Team. Behind them, with a delay of around four minutes, Trettel-Zulian took second place. In third place were Lois Craffonara and Michael Moling. Craffonara and Moling had to battle, exchanging positions several times, with Marco Del Missier and Paolo Meizinger and with Enrico Frescura and Elia Della Pietra in order to take the third step on the podium. Among the women, the pair of Elisa Compagnoni and Federica Osler led from the early stages of the race over Monica Sartogo and Anna Finizio. On the long climbs, the women from Valtellina and Trento had the better of the race, reaching the finish line with a lead of nine minutes over the US Aldo Moro athletes.
"This was a 'historic' edition," said Michele Festini, coordinator of the Organising Committee, "with the Pitturina Ski Race we wanted to remember the tragic events of the First World War, which took place precisely on the peaks and ridges that the athletes ran on in this seventh edition. We also had confirmation that our choices, the zero-kilometre race pack and the Casera Pianformaggio rally, were appreciated. During the course of the race, about seventy people came up to Casera Pianformaggio to cheer on the competitors, but also to spend a few hours in friendship and serenity. Finally, I must thank all my volunteers, whose work once again made the Pitturina unforgettable."