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WILIER-VITTORIA KICKS OFF 2025 SEASON AT VITTORIA PARK

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Now, everything is truly set. With the official team presentation held in the stunning setting of Vittoria Park, the Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team is ready to embark on its new season. As previously announced, 2025 will mark a year of transformation for the Italian squad, as it goes all-in on cross-country, the premier discipline of mountain biking. To achieve this, the team will rely on seven talented riders who will take on the sport’s top competitors on the world’s most prestigious stages throughout the year. "We are proud of the journey we began a year ago with this incredible team," said Vittoria CEO Stijn Vriends. "2024 was a season of great results, and in 2025, we aim to raise the bar even higher, with both Vittoria and Wilier increasing their investment in the team. Thanks to this partnership, we now boast a full range of race-ready cross-country tires. With a mix of returning riders and exciting new additions, I truly believe we have an incredibly strong lineup. I’d like to thank the Gastaldello family for their outstanding work in growing Wilier on an international scale, as well as Sport Marketing Manager Mattia Palombini and General Manager Marco Trentin, the driving force behind the team. This is a long-term project, and we have never hidden the fact that the 2028 Olympics are a concrete goal, but I expect Wilier-Vittoria to already be one of the world’s top teams this season.""


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2024 was a season filled with success, and we are extremely proud of our riders’ efforts," said the Gastaldello family, owners of Wilier. "That’s why we made a bold strategic decision to focus entirely on XCO, the flagship discipline of MTB. Our goal is to become a benchmark team in a category that offers immense global visibility, embodies off-road excellence, and perfectly aligns with our vision for growth in the MTB world. Expanding our roster with Luca, Juri, and Ella was the right move in this direction. For this project, we’ve also embraced a new, fresh, and youthful image in tune with the MTB scene. The Urta Max SLR for the 2025 season will feature a dedicated livery with bold, vibrant colors."

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In 2025, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup will feature ten rounds, kicking off in Brazil in April and concluding in Canada in October. In between, the tour will visit the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Andorra, France, Switzerland, and the United States—an around-the-world journey where Wilier-Vittoria’s riders will aim to make their mark.While the team’s main focus is XCO, they won’t be skipping the “Tour de France of mountain biking”—the Cape Epic, the toughest stage race in the world. From March 16-23, Simone Avondetto and Luca Braidot will head to South Africa. The two top Italian XCO riders—Avondetto, the reigning European champion, and Braidot, the Italian champion—will form a duo with the goal of pulling off some surprises."There’s a lot of excitement for this new season," admitted Avondetto. "The team has changed a bit, and I can’t wait to get started. Personally, the biggest novelty will be the Cape Epic with Braidot. I have no idea what to expect—we’ll find out as the race unfolds. Maybe we’ll fight for the overall, or maybe we’ll target a stage win. After that, my focus will be on the World Cup, where last year I managed a couple of top 5s that I’d love to turn into podiums. Having a contract through 2028 allows me to race with a clear mind and less pressure. A huge thank you to the team."


"My main goal for 2025 is to find more consistency," added Braidot. "I want to return to the top three in the overall World Cup standings and aim for a race win. The World Championships remain a big target, but I need to maintain steady performances instead of putting all my hopes on a single race like last year. The Cape Epic will be a fresh challenge—I’m training hard to be ready. It’s not a time of year when I usually perform at my best, but that’s exactly why it’s a great motivator. Racing alongside Avondetto gives me extra motivation, and even though it’s our first time at this race, I think we can make an impact."Despite his young age, Avondetto is already a veteran at Wilier-Vittoria, while Braidot is the team’s marquee signing this winter. Both are coming off strong seasons and will look to raise the bar even higher, aiming to leave their mark on the World Cup.

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Joining them is fellow Italian Juri Zanotti, the 2021 U23 World Championship silver medalist, eager to take a big step forward. Braidot isn’t the only Italian champion on the squad—Elian Paccagnella will proudly wear the tricolor jersey after winning the U23 national title in his first year in the category. In 2025, he’ll look to take his performances to an international level."2025 opens the doors for me to a world-class top team, and on top of that, an Italian one, with brands that have made 'Made in Italy' great," Zanotti proudly admitted. "I won’t hide it—being here is truly a dream for me. I’m ambitious; I’d love to break into the Top 10 in World Cup races and, why not, even in the overall standings. I know the bar is set very high, but I’m working for this, and here I have the means to dream big. The first training camp with the team went really well. I already knew Braidot and Avondetto well from our many appearances with the national team, while with the others, I immediately managed to build a great relationship. I can’t wait for the season to start."


"2024 was mainly a learning experience for me at the international level," Paccagnella explained. "In terms of results, maybe it could have gone a little better, but with school to finish in the middle of it all, it wasn’t always easy to focus 100% on racing. However, being alongside athletes like Avondetto and Braidot is a great source of motivation and learning. For 2025, I haven’t set any specific goals—I mainly want to start the season strong and then maybe set some targets along the way."

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The team also boasts two reigning Danish champions, siblings Sofie and Gustav Heby Pedersen, who will race in their national champion jerseys in the elite women’s and U23 men’s categories, respectively.

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"Last year was really positive for me," said Gustav. "I had a dip in form in the middle of the season, but I bounced back and finished strong. Placing 6th in the Canada World Cup was a huge confidence boost for 2025. I have more experience now, and my expectations are higher. Training has gone well, and I feel ready to push myself.”

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"2024 was my first year in the elite category," Sofie commented. "I have to admit, it wasn’t easy at all—there weren’t any major results, but at least I learned a lot. And I even got to compete in the Olympic Games, an incredible experience, a dream come true. I’ve had the best winter ever, my preparation has gone great so far, and my motivation for the 2025 season is at an all-time high."


Rounding out the squad is the team’s latest addition, 20-year-old Canadian Ella MacPhee, who aims to establish herself among the top U23 riders on the international stage. "2025 will be my third year in the U23 category, and I have big ambitions," said MacPhee. "Last year, I came close to podium finishes in several World Cup rounds but couldn’t quite make it. This season, my goal is clear—I want to be on the podium, including in the overall standings. I’m working on improving my technical skills while also having fun with the team. I’m grateful and proud to be here, surrounded by a group of experienced, dedicated, and supportive people. We’re having a blast—on and off the bike. It already feels like family."

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Wilier-Vittoria’s 2025 identity blends fresh innovation with deep-rooted tradition. The team has reimagined its image with inspiration from one of Italy’s most iconic symbols: pasta. The new design features bold, vibrant colors and elements reminiscent of the shapes of one of cyclists' favorite foods. This tribute to Italian culinary heritage is reflected in the team’s dedicated livery on the Wilier Urta Max SLR, the Gobik-designed jersey, and the new Miche K1 RD wheels.


Vittoria, the team’s main sponsor alongside Wilier, will supply the riders with Barzo, Terreno, Mezcal and Peyote tires. This partnership, established in 2024, is built on close collaboration between Vittoria and the team, involving both technical staff and athletes in the development of new products and compounds.


New technical sponsors for 2025 include Met, providing Manta and Trenta helmets with a custom team design, Northwave with the Extreme XC2 shoes, and Favero Assioma power meter pedals. Wilier-Vittoria will also continue to count on top-tier partners such as Prologo (saddles and grips), Fox (Step Cast 34 Factory forks and Transfer XL dropper posts), Shimano (full XTR groupset), Autovega (team vehicles), Benexé (sport products), Alba Optics (eyewear), CeramicSpeed (ceramic bearings), Joe’s (bike care products), Bryton (cycling computers), Named Sport (sports supplements), Elite (cycling flasks and rollers) and Chameleon Skin (frame protection).



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"We're almost there—the season is just around the corner," said Wilier-Vittoria General Manager Marco Trentin. "We've worked hard to build an extremely competitive team. I'm grateful for the trust our sponsors have placed in us for the 2025 season, and I want to take this opportunity to thank them all. We’re coming off a very productive training camp in Finale Ligure, where we worked on the riders' form and fine-tuned the technical aspects for the newcomers. We'll start the season with a couple of races in Italy before heading straight to the Cape Epic and the World Cup in Brazil. We can't wait to get started."


The 2025 Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team season will officially kick off on March 1st at the Verona MTB International.

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