Eliot Grondin blamed himself at the end of the Snowboard Cross World Cup in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where an error made in his quarter-final race cost him a place in the next round.
The athlete from Sainte-Marie had however had a good start in one of the strongest waves, in particular with the presence of the Dutchman Glenn de Blois. True to form, Grondin quickly came out of the gate to take second place, just behind his rival from the Netherlands.
The two snowboarders then fought a good battle, remaining neck and neck until the very end of the course. Grondin was then slowed down due to contact with his rival during a jump, which opened the door for American Senna Leith. He took advantage of the breach to overtake Grondin at the finish line a few moments later and head for the next stage.
“It’s always difficult to race against Glenn (from Blois) and I got caught today. We had a small collision in the air and I lost a lot of speed. On a course like that, where it’s a 30-second sprint, mistakes always hurt a lot and I wasn’t able to catch up in time,” analyzed Grondin at the end of his race.
The Quebecer then stayed on the edge of the track to watch the last rounds of the day. He was also able to observe de Blois finishing fourth in the grand final behind a trio led by the Frenchman Merlin Surget. American Jake Vedder and Léo Le Blé Jacques of France finished second and third in order.
“It’s hard to take, because I had a lot of speed this weekend and I know that a podium was possible, continued Grondin. I had big ambitions, but it’s only a postponement. It’s part of the game and we’ll get back together, that’s for sure. »
Also in action in Italy, Tristan Bell was stopped in the qualifications presented earlier in the day. The Gatineau resident ranked 36e of the session, 0.44 seconds from the 32e and last place giving access to the elimination rounds.
Place for the worlds
The Snowboard Cross World Cup circuit will take a break for just over a month to make way for the World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia. For Grondin, this will be the perfect opportunity to reconnect with the top 3 after a more difficult mid-calendar.
“After my bronze medal in France to start the season, I didn’t manage to race up to my expectations,” he said. It’s a shame, but there are still positives. I feel like I’m very fast, the equipment is on point and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before it all falls into place, hopefully at the World Championships. »
The snowboard cross activities will take place from March 2 to 4, while an individual event and another by team are planned. Until then, Grondin will enjoy a rest at home, before returning to the Old Continent for a preparatory camp in mid-February.
“We’re going to push the button reset during the leave and we will get back in a good state of mind for the future. The rest of the season will be very busy and I will manage to be ready,” concluded the double medalist from the Beijing Olympics.