Wilier-Vittoria, Saalfelden Leogang: UCI MTB World Series Round 4 - Full Recap

Mud, rain, crashes, and a weekend to forget. Round four of the UCI MTB World Series in Saalfelden Leogang was one to move past quickly for the Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team. The squad returns from Austria without the results they had hoped for, but with a clear sense that this could mark the turning point for a stronger second half of the season.

Athletes and staff alike were pushed to the limit by extreme weather conditions—when the skies open like that, it takes more than legs and skill: a bit of luck is needed too. Simone Avondetto, Luca Braidot, and Juri Zanotti all spent the weekend chasing back, unable to find the rhythm or positions they typically fight for.

Avondetto got off to a solid start with a 7th place in Friday’s short track, but Sunday brought a crash and a mechanical that sent him tumbling down the order. Sofie Heby Pedersen also had a tough time in the XCO race, unable to follow up on her promising 17th place in the XCC.

It was a tough weekend as well for Gustav Heby Pedersen and Elian Paccagnella. After a strong start to the World Cup season, both riders hit their first rough patch. On a course that didn’t suit their style, Pedersen placed 14th in the short track and fell further back in the XCO. The Italian champion, meanwhile, struggled to find his pedal stroke all weekend. Despite that, Pedersen (winner of the XCC in Nové Město) still holds on to 2nd in the overall U23 World Cup standings, while Paccagnella (winner of the XCC in Araxá) slips to 6th.

Showing true grit and determination, Ella MacPhee managed to battle through conditions far from ideal for her style, finishing 3rd in the XCC and 7th in the XCO. Thanks to her win in the Nové Město XCO, the Canadian rider retains the lead in the U23 overall standings.

“It was a brutal weekend,” said MacPhee. “The rain and mud made the course even tougher and more unpredictable. My goal was simply to collect as many points as I could to hold on to the overall leader’s jersey—and I did, so I’m happy. Now it’s time to turn the page and focus on what’s next.”

The next stop on the calendar is just two weeks away (June 20–22), as the World Cup heads to Trentino for the classic and much-loved round in Val di Sole. The perfect stage to bounce back after a difficult Austrian weekend.