Another strong performance by Simone Avondetto and the Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team in the World Cup. The Piedmontese rider secured an encouraging 5th place, earning a spot on the podium, in the Les Gets stage in France, the third-to-last event of the UCI MTB World Series and the last one in Europe before the two American rounds at the end of the season in Lake Placid (USA) and Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada).
The French race was won by South African Alan Haterly, with Avondetto finishing 2'19" behind. After a good start, the European champion remained in contention for the podium for a long time, faltering slightly towards the end but still securing an excellent 5th place, his best ever finish in an elite World Cup race.
"I am very happy with my performance," said Simone. "It was a tough and competitive race from the start. I started from the second row, defended well at the beginning, and caught up with the group fighting for the podium. In the last two laps, I struggled a bit but managed to hang on and secure a good Top 5 finish, also taking advantage of Samuel Gaze's problem. The signs are very encouraging, especially with the Olympics in sight.”
The Wilier-Vittoria team also shone on Saturday during the XCC races. In the U23 women's category, Ginia Lara Caluori placed 5th, while Gustav Heby Pedersen achieved a solid 7th place, confirming his recent improvements. Caluori, on her part, is currently 6th in the overall World Cup standings.
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