Wilier-Vittoria: UCI MTB World Series 2026, Round 8 Soldier Hollow - Preview

The UCI MTB World Series is back, and it’s time to cross the Atlantic. As usual, the final two rounds of the season will take place on American soil, starting with Soldier Hollow, in Midway, Utah, on Saturday and Sunday, 19–20 September. The Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team will of course be there, determined to finish the season on a high.

Although Soldier Hollow is making its debut on the UCI World Cup circuit, it is certainly no stranger to top-level competition. The venue hosted the biathlon and cross-country skiing events at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games and will return to the global stage in 2034, when it is set to host Olympic competition once again.

Located around 80 kilometres southeast of Salt Lake City, within Wasatch Mountain State Park, the course has some distinctive features, with sandy terrain and a wide-open, exposed landscape. The surface is typical of Utah’s red dirt: extremely hard-packed and fast in dry conditions, but capable of quickly becoming sticky and slippery if rain arrives, adding another variable for the riders to deal with.

Both courses have been purpose-built to encourage fast, flowing racing while also providing plenty of action for spectators. There will still be no shortage of technical challenges, most notably the famous Hard Line rock garden, where precision, commitment and bike-handling skills will be crucial. The XCO course measures 4.2 km with 178 metres of elevation gain, while the XCC circuit is 1.2 km long with 34 metres of climbing

Wilier-Vittoria has traditionally performed well in the American rounds and will be looking to continue that trend this year. Italian XCO champion Simone Avondetto will once again lead the Elite men’s squad, alongside double European silver medallist Juri Zanotti and the experienced Luca Braidot.

In the Elite women’s field, the focus will be on Sofie Heby Pedersen, while the U23 line-up will feature Gustav Heby Pedersen, who dominated both the Short Track and XCO at the last World Cup round in Les Gets, Elian Paccagnella and Ella MacPhee, currently sitting fifth overall.

WHERE TO WATCH THE SOLDIER HOLLOW WORLD CUP?

CLICK HERE to find out which channels/platforms are broadcasting the World Cup in your country. Here are the local start times for the XCC and XCO races, so you won’t miss a single pedal stroke from the Wilier-Vittoria riders!

Saturday, September 19

11:20 - 11:45 / 19:20 - 19:45 CET – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 (MacPhee)

12:10 - 12:35 / 20:10 - 20:35 CET – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 (G. Pedersen, Paccagnella)

13:00 - 13:25 / 21:00 - 21:25 CET – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite (S. Pedersen)

13:50 - 14:15 / 21:50 - 22:15 CET – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite (Avondetto, Braidot, Zanotti)

Sunday, September 20

09:00 - 10:20 / 17:00 - 18:20 CET – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 (MacPhee)

11:00 - 12:20 / 19:00 - 20:20 CET – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 (G. Pedersen, Paccagnella)

13:30 - 15:00 / 21:30 - 23:00 CET – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite (S. Pedersen)

15:30 - 17:00 / 23:30 - 01:00 (+1) CET – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite (Avondetto, Braidot, Zanotti)

I