On the final day of racing at the MTB World Championships in the Canton of Valais, Italy's big-bike team finally found its way to the podium after two days of placings. Simone Avondetto, former European champion in the discipline, took a silver medal behind South African Alan Hatherly, who dominated the race. Avondetto rode intelligently, consistently staying in the lead and making a decisive push in the finale that allowed him to hold off the comeback of Frenchman Victor Koretzky, who finished third just seconds behind.
The Italian team's day was rounded out by Luca Braidot's seventh-place finish, who, despite not having his best day, made the most of his experience by staying close to his teammates, and Filippo Fontana's eighth-place finish, author of a powerful comeback after starting from the back of the pack. Juri Zanotti was less fortunate, forced to retire with a puncture while riding in tenth place, but still managed to finish 7th. This overall result confirms the group's unity and ability to compete with the strongest nations, as coach Celestino himself had anticipated the day before. The Ligurian coach was enthusiastic at the end: "We had a perfect race with the elite. Everyone pushed hard: Zanotti was unlucky with a puncture, Fontana made an extraordinary comeback, Braidot put his experience to good use for the group, and Avondetto made the right attack to take a beautiful silver."
MEN'S ELITE RANKING
| 1 | HATHERLY Alan |  | 1:30:30 |
| 2 | AVONDETTO Simone |  | + 0: 48 |
| 3 | KORETZKY Victor |  | + 0: 51 |
| 4 | SCHÄTTI Luca |  | + 0: 53 |
| 5 | FLÜCKIGER Mathias | | + 0: 57 |
| 7 | BRAIDOT Luke | | + 1: 31 |
| 6 | ANDREASSEN Simon |  | + 1: 06 |
| 8 | FOUNTAIN Filippo | | + 2: 16 |
| 9 | COLUMBUS Philip | | + 2: 38 |
| 10 | PUNTENER Fabio | | + 2: 48 |
