Wilier-Vittoria: Valais, UCI MTB World Championships 2025 - Full Recap

It was a World Championships to remember for the Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team. From Tuesday through Sunday — from the XCC to the XCO, with the Team Relay in between — the riders proudly represented their national teams of Italy, Denmark, and Canada.

The headline result came from Simone Avondetto, who produced a masterful ride to claim silver in the elite men’s XCO, beaten only by South Africa’s Alan Hatherly. For the Italian, it was a return to the Worlds podium after winning the U23 rainbow jersey back in 2022.“I’m happy. Of course, when you’re up there you aim for the rainbow jersey, but this is still a prestigious result,” Avondetto said. “Hatherly was in a league of his own today, incredibly strong, and he made the difference right from the start. Behind, the four of us kept marking each other. In the final lap I pushed hard and saw the others fading, so I managed to take silver. It’s a medal that means a lot and repays many sacrifices.”

It was also a strong week for Luca Braidot, who finished 7th in both the XCC and XCO (with Avondetto 9th in the short track). Juri Zanotti placed 17th in the XCO but had the satisfaction of winning Team Relay silver with Italy.

Alongside Zanotti in the relay was Elian Paccagnella, also from Wilier-Vittoria, and the pair were instrumental in Italy’s podium finish.“We obviously wanted the rainbow jersey, but the French were stronger, so congratulations to them,” Zanotti said. “We compete in an individual sport, but with the Team Relay you get the chance to race and think as a team. It was fun and special.”

“It’s incredible what one lap at that intensity can do,” added Paccagnella. “The course was tough, so pacing was key, but crossing the line knowing you’ve given everything — that’s special. We all did a great job and can be proud of a World Championship podium.”

Another standout performance came from Gustav Heby Pedersen, who followed up his 4th place in the XCC with a bronze medal in the U23 XCO, behind winner Finn Treudler. It was the perfect reward for a season in which the Dane has consistently challenged the very best in his category.

“I had a dream, and today that dream came true: standing on a World Championship podium,” Gustav said. “It’ll take some time to sink in, but I just want to thank everyone for the incredible support I’ve had since the start of the year. Having my parents here in Switzerland and winning a medal in front of them makes it even more special.”

His sister, Sofie Heby Pedersen, finished 19th in the XCC and 31st in the XCO among the elite women. For Ella MacPhee, the Worlds brought some disappointment after high expectations: the Canadian was 6th in the XCC but faded to 15th in the U23 XCO.