It was only a matter of time: Simone Avondetto scored his first World Cup podium with a stunning second place in today's XCC in Mona Yong Pyong, South Korea, the season-opening round. The Wilier-Vittoria MTB Factory Team rider put in a fierce race from the first of eleven laps, with the riders battling it out relentlessly.
Source: Wilier press release
Avondetto handled the most tense stages with clarity, staying in the leading group and playing for the result until the final sprint, in which he was beaten only by the Frenchman Mathis Azzaro.
“I didn't expect my first podium so far, especially in an XCC race,” Avondetto admitted. “I just tried to stay out front, avoid problems, and never drop out of the top 10. My legs were good, and when the attacks began on the last lap, I had the strength to follow my opponents. In the end, it was a tough race, as always, but I'm really happy with this podium.”
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Gustav Heby Pedersen also took second place in the U23 XCC race, beaten only by Spaniard Thibaud Francois Baudry in the sprint. For the Dane, who already finished on the podium in the specialty last year, this confirms a great winter of work.
Now all eyes are already on Sunday, when difficult weather conditions are forecast in Korea, with rain and cold making the test even more challenging.
MEN'S ELITE RANKING
| 1 | Mathis AZZARO (FRA) ORIGIN RACING DIVISION | 00:24:09- |
| 2 | Simone AVONDETTO (ITA) WILIER-VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM | + 00: 00: 01 |
| 3 | Dario LILLO (SUI) GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM – XC | + 00: 00: 02 |
| 4 | David LIST (GER) DECATHLON FORD RACING TEAM | + 00: 00: 05 |
| 5 | Filippo COLOMBO (SUI) SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM | + 00: 00: 07 |
| 6 | Finn TREUDLER (SUI) CUBE FACTORY RACING | + 00: 00: 07 |
| 7 | Fabio PüNTENER (SUI) SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM | + 00: 00: 08 |
| 8 | Vital ALBIN (SUI) THÖMUS MAXON | + 00: 00: 09 |
| 9 | Lars FORSTER (SUI) THÖMUS MAXON | + 00: 00: 18 |
| 10 | Riley AMOS (USA) TREK – UNBROKEN XC | + 00: 00: 19 |
FEMALE ELITE RANKING
| 1 | Sina FREI (SUI) SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING | 00:23:20 |
| 2 | Evie RICHARDS (GBR) TREK – UNBROKEN XC | + 00: 00: 01 |
| 3 | Martina BERTA (ITA) ORIGIN RACING DIVISION | + 00: 00: 01 |
| 4 | Laura STIGGER (AUT) SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING | + 00: 00: 03 |
| 5 | Jenny RISSVEDS (SWE) CANYON XC RACING | + 00: 00: 06 |
| 6 | Gwendalyn GIBSON (USA) TREK – UNBROKEN XC | + 00: 00: 06 |
| 7 | Anne TERPSTRA (NED) LAPIERRE PXR RACING | + 00: 00: 08 |
| 8 | Mona MITTERWALLNER (AUT) MONDRAKER FACTORY RACING XC | + 00: 00: 15 |
| 9 | Rebecca HENDERSON (AUS) ORBEA FOX FACTORY TEAM | + 00: 00: 15 |
| 10 | Kira BÖHM (GER) CUBE FACTORY RACING | + 00: 00: 23 |
