Karin Tosato Cross Country World Champion “the most difficult opponent to beat was the cold”
A journey from the other side of the world to Patagonia, mud, cold and rain: despite the difficulties, nothing has been able to stop Karin Tosato from winning the Mountain Bike Cross Country Master category rainbow jersey.
The champion from Varese, already World Champion in 2021 in Praloup in France, was reconfirmed in Cerro Bayo, a ski resort in Patagonia after a very hard race, made even more difficult by the extreme weather conditions.
Karin, tell us about this adventure that has remained in doubt until the very last second.
Yes, the cost to go to Patagonia is very high and I would never have been able to go without the invaluable help of some sponsors. I struggled, I’m not used to asking but in the end I managed to leave because I didn’t want to retire as outgoing champion, instead I could be at the start and I’m still wearing this splendid jersey and now I just can’t stop
(Credit photo Claudio Bergamaschi)
How did the race go?
The race went very well, at the beginning the Spaniard (Cristina Barberan Morales ed.) Started strong and not knowing the South American athletes I went after her and after a lap together I forced the pace and pulled her off. The most difficult opponent to beat was the cold: I started with the short to wear the tricolor jersey but with 1 degree and the rain I could not warm up, usually in the race I can but this time not: such a thing does not had ever happened to me in 27 years of racing. After the finish line, I shivered for an hour and a half. I won thanks to the head, that’s what made the difference, more than the legs
Now you leave with the rainbow jersey. Your next goals
Now I want to try to win the Italian cross country championships and I assure you that it will not be easy because the opponents are really strong, then I will try to do the Marathon European Championships in the Czech Republic and the World Championship in Trentino. Finally, I also qualified for the Road World Championships and I want to try that adventure too. But the most important thing is to be able to go to these appointments with the whole family to fully enjoy the races and the places where you run because going alone is not the same thing.
