The American trip for the Wilier Vittoria MTB Factory Team kicked off with the XCM World Championships, held in Snowshoe, West Virginia, on a 100 km course winding around Cheat Mountain Mauler and diving into the heart of the Monongahela National Forest.
Wilier-Vittoria was represented by Samuele Porro and Fabian Rabensteiner. Porro finished 10th after a tough start, while Rabensteiner, still affected by recent physical issues, had to settle for 21st place.
“It’s a shame about the start,” said Porro, who finished 4’34” behind winner Simon Andreassen. “Some riders jumped the gun before the official start, causing chaos in the group, and I got stuck, losing a lot of positions and having to chase from the beginning. Mentally, that was a blow because I knew it would be hard to catch up with the leaders. My legs were strong, though, and I managed to rejoin the group battling for 7th place by the end. So, it is what it is—only partly satisfying.”
Meanwhile, back in Europe, the XCO group was completing preparations for the final UCI MTB World Series rounds overseas. European champion Simone Avondetto claimed a commanding win at La Prevostura in Lessona, Piedmont, while young Elian Paccagnella finished 8th. The women competed in the Swiss Cup in Lenzerheide, where Ginia Lara Caluori secured 4th place in a race won by Ramona Forchini, and Sofie Heby Pedersen took 5th, just seconds behind her teammate.
Now the entire team heads to the U.S. for the next challenge in Lake Placid, specifically Mount Van Hoevenberg, where the penultimate round of the XCO World Cup and the final Marathon event will take place from September 27-29. The stakes are especially high for the XCM, as Fabian Rabensteiner currently leads the standings with 390 points, and Samuele Porro sits in 3rd with 320. The goal is clear: bring home the World Cup title.
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