BATTLING THE BLACK SNAKE IN VAL DI SOLE

June 27, 2025

One of the most challenging courses on the World Cup circuit, the Val di Sole “Black Snake” is almost entirely in the trees, and known for its ruts, dust, and technical steeps. Breaking down throughout practice and qualifiers, it makes for particularly difficult finals. It was a character-building weekend for Norco Race Division, and while results on paper didn’t tell the full story, the team is leaving Italy fired up and with a clear sense of forward momentum.

Gracey Hemstreet finished fourth in an incredibly tight race, where the top five riders were separated by just over two seconds. She’s holding strong in her fight for the overall as current second-fastest in the world. The rest of the team faced a mix of challenges and progress, some building back from injury, others dialling in speed or making tough calls to prioritize long-term health throughout the season. While not everyone made finals, the takeaway was clear: the drive to push forward is stronger than ever.

Watch Episode 5 of Just Getting Started for a peek behind the scenes and the full recap of an intense weekend battling it out on the infamous course.

Check out norco.com for more about the athletes, and to stay up to date on race news @norcoracedivision.

About Norco Bicycles

Founded as Northern Cycle Industries in 1964, Norco is a global leader in high-performance mountain bikes, known for its commitment to innovation, quality craftsmanship, and the pursuit of industry-leading excellence. The mountains and trails of BC are hard-wired into the DNA at Norco, and they will always be the ultimate inspiration for the character and performance of every Norco bike.