The Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team was chasing its first seasonal victory and, in one fell swoop, secured two. In the second round of the Internazionali d'Italia Series, held in Esanatoglia (Macerata), the Italian team triumphed in both the women's and men's races, celebrating first with Sofie Heby Pedersen and then with Cameron Orr.
The 23-year-old Danish rider dominated her race, taking the lead from the very start and gradually distancing her opponents one by one. "It was an important race because it's the last one before the start of the World Cup," said the European U23 champion. "Being in my first year in the Open category, I needed to test some things, and I'm absolutely pleased with how it went. I was alone for most of the race, managed myself well, and it seems like my form is improving week after week.”
Cameron Orr, on the other hand, was making his seasonal debut after recovering from a hand injury sustained during the winter training camp, which had delayed his participation in the early competitions by a few weeks. However, the British rider showed that he was already in good shape, winning a tightly contested race that was decided only in a sprint involving six riders.
"I raced in a small local circuit in England last week, but this was the first real race," said the 25-year-old, who had won the Alpago stage last year. "It was great to get back to racing, especially here in Italy where I always have a lot of fun. I didn't know what to expect, I just focused on riding my race, and in the end, we ended up fighting it out in the sprint. It went well, and I'm really happy. A big thanks to the team for continuing to believe in me."
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