Vera Baron won her first elite world title

The women’s final at the 2021 UCI Trials world championship in Vic developed as we anticipated, with a battle between 2019 world champion Nina Reichenbach (22) and Vera Baron (17). And as the sections got tougher, compared to the semi finals, it was Vera that managed to ride the best. Though, it was a close battle…

Vera Baron in section 1, where she scored 60 points. Photo: Gaute Ulltang/Bashguardian

In section one, three out of six women got a perfect score of 60 points: Vera, Nina and Manon Basseville (23). A great start for the three favourites, and it was onto the next section.

Manon in section one. Photo: Gaute Ulltang/Bashguardian

In section two, Manon was very unfortunate, and scored zero points. Vera barely outscored Nina, by scoring 50 points, to Nina’s 40. It was now a battle between Vera at 110 points and Nina at 100, with Manon out of contention.

Manon was unfortunate and got zero points in her second section. Here she’s on her way to score 30 points in section four, in a battle for third place. Photo: Gaute Ulltang/Bashguardian

“I was really concentrated in the race.”
Vera Baron

Nina watching Vera in section three, where she is about to get 60 points. Photo: Gaute Ulltang/Bashguardian

In section three, they both rode perfectly, scoring 60 points, and only 10 points separating them at this moment.

Nina Reichenbach in the last section, where she scored 60 points, but still not enough to beat Vera. Photo: Gaute Ulltang/Bashguardian

It was in section four Vera kind of won the race, where she scored 20 points more than Nina. Then it didn’t matter much that Nina scored a perfect 60 points in the last section, because Vera had already scored 50 points in the same section. Vera won with 270 points, whereas Nina got 250 points. In third place followed Manon Basseville (23), with 160 points.

With only 30 points in section 4, Nina now understands the title may have been lost. Photo: Gaute Ulltang/Bashguardian

“Everyone was there with me, I was feeling like I was really loved by everyone. It was crazy.”
Vera baron

The podium. Photo: Gaute Ulltang/Bashguardian

This was Vera’s first elite world championship title, and we asked her how it felt to win:

– I’m feeling amazing, I can’t believe it. Because it’s crazy that in my second year at the world championship I manage to win.

– Everyone was there with me, I was feeling like I was really loved by everyone. It was crazy.

How was the feeling during the race?

In the semi final I felt really bad. So I was really nervous, because I wasn’t sure how I would react in the final. I was really concentrated in the race. But, it was amazing.