Beijing Express 2023 winners are Joe Bastianich and Andrea Belfiore- Corriere.it

Italian Americans Joe Bastianich and Andrea Belfiore won the 2023 edition of the Beijing Express. The eight rings of Real Sky have tormented many pairs of travelers by leading them through three fantastic countries – India, Malaysian Borneo and Cambodia – and yet, according to treacherous tradition, forced them to cross them, with backpacks on their shoulders and without bugs. The two friends, united by their passion for music and wild adventures, achieve victory at the end of the final, playing against the mediocrities Barbara Brezia and Carolina Stramar, eliminated first, but above all against the newlyweds Federica Pellegrini and Matteo Giunta, who are indomitable. competitors since the beginning of the competition.

“We always wanted to play with ‘gli Sposelli’ to the end,” Bastianich declared in the finale of the final episode, which opened with a big unknown factor solution related to the divine: Seven days ago, in fact, reality TV fans were in the audience, watched her flight and badly sprained her ankle. The final descent kept everyone in suspense: would Pellegrini have to give up the finish line just a hair’s width from the finish? Fortunately, the answer is no. Indeed, the ankle was badly dislocated, but not broken. The same was true of Joe Bastianich, who was recovering from an encounter with a mini bike that caused severe damage to his knee. The former Masterchef judge said he feared for his life after the crash but, again, thanks to good luck, nothing fatal.

And so the couple was able to fight without any strings attached, starting with the initial Malus imposed on the newlyweds by the Italian-Americans: a ten-minute late start for the athletes. “I was disappointed because he knows very well the conditions of my ankle. We were in the hospital together getting x-rays,” Pellegrini said. While Bastinich and Belfiore had already galloped towards the finish line, smiling under their mustaches. The penalty kick nullifies the result of the first half: Pellegrini and Giunta have in fact crossed the finish line after the Italian-Americans, but before the intermediates who are officially third.

Hence the neck and neck. After the last night in which the future winners in Cambodia spent weaving PR at a brewery to secure a lift for the next day, it was time to finish the 172km stage up to Angkor, the final destination of the trek that the two friends reached together first. In this latest adventure, we saw them forced to eat fried rats and then get (real) tattoos on the spot. Belfiore, who had never done this before, was not enthusiastic about the test, but eventually submitted so as not to inflict a punishment on the couple that would have been fatal. The design was the same for all: a symbol representing strength and protection from evil spirits. Even if it “looks like a light bulb,” conductor Costantino della Gherardesca joked. Perhaps also thanks to this lucky little charm, the Italian-Americans were able to defeat the brave rivals Federica Pellegrini and Matteo Giunta, who reached the goal with a margin of a few seconds. The perfect challenge and the deserved result. If only because both heroic couple didn’t flinch even at the sight of the giant (and stinky) nuts they had to count on to pass one of their last exams.

This version of the Beijing Express has finally crowned its kings, and it’s Italian Americans Joe Bastianich and Andrea Belfiore who triumph in the splendid setting of the Angkor temples, despite having a sinful sanctuary at first. A gripping, majestic, and heart-warming happy ending for the two old friends who, with this victory, add an important milestone to their list of personal and entrepreneurial triumphs. destined for success? maybe yes. More than mathematical value, they can have ingenuity and creativity, even if not above all shrewd. Well done, well done everyone.