Cross-country specialists Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto of the Wilier Vittoria Factory Team made a strong impression at the Absa Cape Epic, securing seven podium finishes over eight days. Their performance included three stage wins and a day in the yellow jersey. Remarkably, they finished second overall in the general classification – an impressive achievement considering this was not only their first Cape Epic but also their first race in South Africa.
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Braidot is an experienced cross-country racer with multiple top finishes in World Cup events and is currently ranked fourth. His younger teammate, Avondetto, has also built an impressive résumé, having won the U23 UCI Mountain Bike World Championship in 2022 and currently holding the European Champion title. The Wilier Vittoria Factory MTB team benefits from a highly experienced support staff, with expertise spanning World Cup XCO, marathon racing, and nearly a decade of Cape Epic participation. Among them, team mechanic Fabio Sartori is a key figure within the dynamic Italian squad.
Sartori graciously shepherded off.road.cc through a finish-line photoshoot and an overview of Luca Braidot’s Wilier Urta Max SLR.
Luca Braidot and teammate Simone Avondetto ascend switchbacks en route to Lourensford.
Luca Braidot and teammate Simone Avondetto finish in Lourensford. The end is in sight.
Finishline interviews with Braidot and Avondetto.
Italian flair, Braidot’s Willier Urta Max SLR, a full spec of Shimano XTR and Fox Suspension.
High-end raceworthy mechanical is not dead. XTR sets the standard in this area, there were no faults throughout the eight days.
A small departure from XTR, SPD Assimo Pro MX pedals are an integrated power meter solution.
Vittoria is a key partner of the team, using various combinations of their tyres and inserts. Peyote is used for fast days, like the prologue and Mezcal, for overall racing efficiency and rougher terrain.
Willier’s integrated cockpit and ‘aero’ board placement. In the bottom right you can just make out the quick link for fast access.
Shimano Freeza rotors and Roval hubs running CeramicSpeed bearings.
Vittoria Mezcal tyre, this was a fresh set mounted just before stage six.
ESI grips and straightforward XTR cross-country brakes.
The new Fox 34 SL is tuned through RAD, Fox’s in-house suspension tuning department.
Carbon-railed Prologo perched upon a Fox Kashima dropper post. We noticed the dropper was the mechanical version, while there were one or two amateur riders with the new electronic version.
The royal paint job is just glorious, and only an Italian squad could pull it off with the orange.
XTR trigger shifters may seem a bit dated in the current climate of electronics, but they still offer some of the best ergonomics and usability.
XTR two-pot calipers front and rear. An anomaly based on the fact that almost all teams opt for four-point systems over the arduous days. But according to the mechanic, regular pad swops and running 180mm IceTech rotors kept these running just fine.
Fox Float SL Factory in the rear.
CeramicSpeed keeping things smooth throughout.
