It was meant to be a weekend in the spotlight for Wilier Vittoria MTB Factory Racing at the Coppa Città di Albenga, and it certainly delivered. The team heads home with two third-place finishes: European Champion Simone Avondetto in the men’s elite race and Sofie Heby Pedersen in the women’s elite race.
The men’s race proved to be highly competitive, with a tightly packed group of riders staying in contention until the final sprint. In the end, the experience of a legend like Nino Schurter made the difference, securing him the win. Right on his heels, five more riders crossed the line, including Avondetto, who claimed third place, and Juri Zanotti, who marked his debut with Wilier-Vittoria with a promising sixth-place finish. Luca Braidot finished eighth after a puncture compromised his race.
“It was a great race, I really liked the course, and the level of competition was very high,” Avondetto admitted. “It was the perfect test to build up my form, and I’m happy with the podium finish. Now it’s time to pack my bags and head to South Africa for the Cape Epic adventure.”
In the women’s race, Martina Berta took the win, with Sofie Pedersen finishing third, 34 seconds behind the leader. Also worth mentioning is the double Top-15 finish by young talents Gustav Pedersen and Elian Paccagnella, who could have raced in the U23 category but chose to challenge themselves against the elites.
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