14 Jul Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team Top10 Südtirol Dolomiti Superbike
Report from the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team, ambassador of ISB SPORT bearings, at the Südtirol Dolomiti Superbike
Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team: Top 10 teams in the Südtirol Dolomiti Superbike
Arias and Taffarel led the pack, with all five riders in the top 10. The leading duo finished fourth and fifth. Billi, Candeago, and Maria Zarantonello rounded out the team’s performance.
July 12, 2025, Villabassa (BZ) – Metallurgica Veneta MTB Professional Team delivered a remarkable performance at the 30th Südtirol Dolomiti Superbike. Under a historic sky and the majestic peaks of the Dolomites, in the prestigious Puster Valley Marathon, included in the UCI calendar, all five athletes from Martino Tronconi’s team finished in the top 10, confirming the team’s excellence in the race, which was partnered with Merida Italy, the team’s technical bicycle supplier.
“As always, it was an intense and difficult race to interpret, with moments of great speed alternating with more tactical, controlled phases. As I had predicted, the race really heated up on the final climb. When the first three sprinted, their pace became unsustainable for me. Despite this, I managed the climb steadily, closing the gap and maintaining control of my performance. I had a rather uphill start to the season, but I feel like I’m coming back, step by step. The road is still long, but this is definitely the right direction,” said the Colombian rider, visibly satisfied with his placing.
Alongside him, Nicola Taffarel experienced a race of pure courage, finishing in fifth place.
“It was a very tactical race, tough due to the distance and elevation gain. Diego Rosa took the lead on the first climb, and I tried to follow him, but Siffredi closed the gap. There were skirmishes on the Croda Rassa climb, and the leading trio broke away. I stayed with Diego and the others, trying to stay in the front row, but on the final climb, I felt my legs tightening from cramps, and a pain in my stomach was making me feel weak. Finishing fifth in these conditions makes me satisfied, especially because it was a demanding and renowned race, one of the most important in the international marathon scene.”
An excellent team performance, with all five athletes finishing in the top 10
Completing the team triumph were Jacopo Billi and Andrea Candeago, who finished eighth and ninth respectively, demonstrating solidity and consistency from the first kilometer to the last. Among the women, Maria Zarantonello completed her feat with eighth place, demonstrating great tenacity in a particularly challenging race.