The intense UCI MTB World Series triple-header is wrapping up this week and next with events in Megève (June 29) and Les Gets (July 5-7) in the French Haute-Savoie, following the previous weekends in Val di Sole and Crans-Montana. This time, however, the Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team will be able to compete in full force, as the first weekend is reserved for Marathon riders, followed by the XCO stars.
The second XCM race will kick things off, with high stakes as there are only three races on the calendar, each potentially decisive. The beautiful hills at the foot of Mont Blanc will set the stage for the race, but there won't be much time to admire the scenery, as the course includes a 5,000-meter elevation gain over 100 km. Starting from Megève, riders will face the Col du Jaillet climb up to Tête de Torraz – a grueling 16 km mountain pass with a 1,200-meter elevation gain. Riders will return to Megève at the 70 km mark after reaching the summit of Sommet Bellastat, before tackling a final 30 km loop with a rugged profile, ending with a descent to the finish line.
The Wilier-Vittoria team is coming off a strong performance in the debut race at Nove Mesto, where Fabian Rabensteiner, the reigning World Cup champion, finished with a solo victory, and Samuele Porro secured an excellent 3rd place. They will aim for a repeat in France, joined by the ever-solid Daniel Geismayr.
The following weekend in Les Gets, near the Swiss border and part of the Portes du Soleil ski area, one of the largest in the world, will host the third-to-last World Cup XCO (and XCC) race. The elite races will feature European champion Simone Avondetto, Cameron Orr, Giada Specia, and Sofie Heby Pedersen, while the U23 competitors Gustav Heby Pedersen, Elian Paccagnella, and Ginia Lara Caluori will be fighting hard.
"We are in for two intense weeks" said Wilier-Vittoria's general manager Marco Trentin. "The Marathon riders have a crucial first appointment with the second World Cup race in Megève, a very challenging stage in terms of elevation gain. In Les Gets, we'll have the complete XCO team back with Simone and Sofie. On July 5, the selections for the Italian team for the Paris Olympics will be announced. After Sofie Heby Pedersen's selection, we are waiting for another call…”.
The Wilier-Vittoria team comes from a relatively uneventful weekend in Crans-Montana, having competed with a significantly reduced squad. Caluori finished 8th in the XCC and 11th in the U23 XCO, while the young Paccagnella secured a respectable 16th place in the U23 XCO. The goal for the next two weekends is to improve these placements.
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