Everyone expected a showdown between the legend Nino Schurter and World Cup leader Chris Blevins, but Val di Sole’s Cross Country track has a reputation for delivering surprises. Martin Vidaurre had already made history in Daolasa by winning the U23 World Championship in 2021 — four years later, the Trentino course has elevated him to the elite ranks of global mountain biking.
For the Chilean, this marked his first-ever Elite World Cup victory, but more importantly, it confirmed his ability to be a major contender in the seasons to come. Behind the Specialized Racing rider came two unexpected podium finishers: France’s Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing) and Switzerland’s Marco Puntener. Italy also impressed, with Luca Braidot (Wilier-Vittoria) finishing fourth after a strong first half of the race, and European Champion Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) charging back to ninth with a powerful second-half comeback.
Braidot, in particular, thrilled the large and vocal crowd in Daolasa with an all-out aggressive performance. It was the Friulian who delivered the first real shake-up among the lead group, attacking alongside Swiss rider Filippo Colombo. The Cannondale duo of Martin and Aldridge gave chase in the early laps.
Midway through the race, Azzaro launched a decisive move on lap six, soon followed by a brilliant surge from Vidaurre, while Colombo dropped back due to a flat tire. The Chilean climbed spot after spot between laps six and seven, overtaking Braidot and then reeling in Azzaro. It was a dominant move that left no doubt — the talented South American was simply unstoppable on the day. Behind him, Azzaro held on firmly to second place, while a late mistake by Braidot on the penultimate lap opened the door for Puntener to claim the final podium spot.
Rounding out the top five behind Vidaurre, Azzaro, Puntener, and Braidot was Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale). Blevins, the overall World Cup leader, finished eighth, just ahead of Avondetto. Reigning World Champion Alan Hatherly came in 13th, while Nino Schurter was 14th.
Chris Blevins remains securely at the top of the UCI XCO World Cup standings with 1,282 points, ahead of Vidaurre (952) and Koretzky (866).
