Under the watchful eye of national coach Mirko Celestino, who is finalizing the roster for the XCM World Championships (September 21-22 in Snowshoe, USA), Samuele Porro put on a show, claiming victory at the Mythos Primiero Dolomiti. His outstanding athletic form shone against the stunning backdrop of the Pale di San Martino mountains.
On the 82 km course, with a total elevation gain of 3400 meters, the Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team rider from Como made an impressive comeback, overtaking Andrea Siffredi, who had been leading for most of the race. Porro broke away in the final stretch, crossing the finish line solo. His teammate, Italian champion Fabian Rabensteiner, finished in 4th place, 3 minutes and 35 seconds behind, on a course not particularly suited to his strengths.
“I definitely didn’t expect this victory, because even though I felt good this morning, I was a bit tired,” Porro admitted. “My legs weren’t responding well, and I was struggling a lot—I had sore legs and wasn’t feeling fresh. I tried to set the pace up until Calaita, and from there, no one really wanted to take the lead. Siffredi gained a 3-minute advantage, but on the second-to-last climb, I attacked, trying to shake things off. There were three of us chasing him, and on the final climb, we caught up. I think he also was struggling a lot. The course is amazing, one of those that keeps you on your toes, with a bit of dampness that makes it really fun on a mountain bike.”
In the women’s race, Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team was represented by Giada Specia, who took on the XCM event just a few kilometers from her hometown. Known for her climbing ability, the Belluno native finished in an honorable 3rd place, 5 minutes and 36 seconds behind winner and Italian marathon champion Claudia Peretti.
“I struggled a lot after the first climb,” Specia explained. “I probably didn’t digest breakfast well, and it was a bit cold on the first descent, so I had some stomach issues. The first part of the race was tough. From mid-race onwards, I felt better and managed to recover quite a bit. I’m really happy overall. I love this course—living just 40 minutes away, I was here on Sunday trying it out. In my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful marathon courses out there.”
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