Mont-Sainte-Anne - UCI MTB World Series 2025, Round 10 - Full Recap

The curtain has fallen on the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Series — and with it, on the racing season of the Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team. It’s been a year of worldwide travel, big highs and tough lows, but above all, one in which the team left everything out on the trails.

On the technical Canadian course, Simone Avondetto secured 7th place in the overall World Cup standings, finishing 9th in the XCO after a furious final lap that saw him recover several positions and improve on his 28th place in the XCC. For the Italian rider, the silver medal won at the World Championships in Valais remains the ultimate highlight of his 2025 campaign.“It was a solid end to the season, even though I had to dig deep after a tough XCC on Friday,” said Avondetto. “I’m happy overall — I was missing just that podium I was aiming for, but I can be satisfied. I’ve been consistent all year, collecting strong World Cup results and a good overall ranking. Next year I’ll need to take another step forward to fight at the very top, but motivation is high and I can’t wait to get back to work. A huge thanks goes to the whole team for their support and commitment all season long — I’ve been able to perform at my best thanks to them.”

It was heartbreak, instead, for Luca Braidot, who was forced to skip both North American rounds after breaking his collarbone in Lake Placid. The injury ended his season prematurely, costing him what could have been a Top 10 — or even Top 5 — overall finish.

The most consistent and perhaps brightest note of the year came from Gustav Heby Pedersen, who once again delivered in Mont-Sainte-Anne, scoring a double 2nd place in both the U23 XCC and XCO. With multiple podiums and a standout win in Nove Mesto’s XCC, the young Dane closed the season 2nd overall in the U23 XCC standings and 3rd in XCO — an extraordinary season to remember.

“After a great XCC, Sunday’s race started with really poor sensations,” Gustav explained. “Halfway through I was struggling to find rhythm and had to fight not to lose ground. Then I reminded myself of the overall standings — one of my big goals for the season — and from there my pace kept improving lap after lap. Looking back on the year, I couldn’t be happier: I’ve been competitive in nearly every World Cup round. A special thanks to all the staff for putting us in the best possible conditions to perform. Now it’s time to rest and enjoy a well-deserved break!”.

Ella MacPhee also climbed onto the final World Cup podium, finishing 3rd overall in both the U23 XCC and XCO standings after a season highlighted by her XCO victory in Nove Mesto and several weeks leading the rankings. In her home race at Mont-Sainte-Anne, she took 11th in XCO and 14th in XCC, results that were still enough to secure her double podium finish.

“If someone had told me at the start of the season how this year would go, I probably would have laughed,” said MacPhee, the Pan-American Champion. “It’s been a demanding season. I started much stronger than I expected, wearing the leader’s jersey and winning a World Cup — something truly special. Then came a tougher stretch, when my legs just wouldn’t respond the way I wanted, but I never gave up. In the last two rounds I finally found my rhythm again, and the overall podiums are a dream come true. Now it’s time to rest, recharge, and then get back to work to raise the bar even higher.”

In Canada, Sofie Heby Pedersen delivered one of her best performances of the year with 12th place in the elite women’s XCC, while Elian Paccagnella, after a challenging second half of the season, closes 2025 with the sweet memory of his XCC victory in Araxá, Brazil, during the second World Cup round. Juri Zanotti, in his first year with Wilier-Vittoria and Italian XCC Champion, showed remarkable consistency, frequently inside the top 20 and taking 18th in Mont-Sainte-Anne’s XCO.

“I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved this season,” said Marco Trentin, Wilier-Vittoria’s Team Principal. “The riders have been outstanding — they showed commitment, team spirit, and a real hunger to improve. Every year we aim to raise the bar, technically and organizationally, to give our athletes the best possible environment to perform. We’ve collected great results: World Cup victories, numerous podiums and top finishes, both in individual races and in the overall standings. Avondetto’s silver medal at the World Championships was one of the emotional peaks of a season that started early with a strong showing at the Cape Epic. Behind these results is an incredible amount of work from a world-class staff — skilled, passionate, and always ready to give everything. A heartfelt thanks also to our sponsors and partners, whose trust is our greatest strength. We’re a young team with a strong identity. We look ahead with enthusiasm, aware of our solid foundations and room to grow. The goal remains the same: to keep improving.”