Valentina Corvi confirms her outstanding form. Today, in Melgaço, Portugal, she claims the European Champion jersey after dominating World Cup races in Val di Sole and Andorra.

With optimal condition, the Italian immediately imposed selection, setting the pace and forcing her rivals to burn precious energy: "I felt good and so I attacked right away. In the final, the race became more tactical, but on the last climbs I increased the pace and created the right margin to manage with tranquility. It's a joy to share with the entire team and the National team staff."

Head Coach Mirko Celestino doesn't hide his satisfaction with Corvi's performance: "Initially, I was afraid she was pushing too hard, especially when she left too much space for the Swiss rider. But in the last lap, she managed perfectly: a couple of accelerations, the rival broke, and she didn't bring her to a sprint - a smart choice, given the opponent's dangerousness. Excellent race reading."

Celestino then praised the other Italian riders: "Cortinovis performed well, defending herself on a track not suited to her characteristics, and Bramatti was excellent, managing a crisis in the finale and still finishing eleventh. All three in the top 11, a result that truly satisfies us".

The 20-year-old from Sondrio thus signed the second continental title for Italy after the triumph in the Team Relay.

The Melgaço European Championship concludes with a smile for the National team: 4 medals and 2 titles, the same haul as last year, but with maturity and confidence that speak of growth. Completing the medal table are the two outstanding performances by junior Brafa, who managed to podium in both short track (bronze) and XCO race (silver).

President Cordiano Dagnoni is satisfied: "Off-road continues to be a driving sector and a flagship for the entire movement. Credit goes to a compact group that grows year after year in results and spirit. Celestino is doing extraordinary work, transforming potential into concrete results, working in synergy with the technical staff and societies. This year we won 4 medals, just like in the previous season, with 2 golds that confirm our absolute value. Managing to maintain these levels is a strong signal: consistency is fundamental, and we have remained competitive and protagonists at the top of the discipline. This is the right path, the results prove it".

WOMEN ELITE - Excellent performance by Martina Berta, who fought for the medal until the last lap before finishing fourth, just seconds from the podium. The Head Coach: "She was battling for the podium until the last lap, then dropped to fourth position. Some disappointment, but we look ahead: she still had a great performance. The heat was impressive and made everything even more difficult for the athletes. Teocchi was also good, finishing fifteenth after a fall, and Nicole Pesse's first experience among the Elite was positive, arriving twentieth and bringing important points".

MEN ELITE - Tom Pidcock confirms his dominance at the 2025 MTB Europeans, winning his second continental cross-country gold after 2022. Starting from a back position, he recovered to take the lead in the fifth lap, then clearly distancing his compatriot Charlie Aldridge, who lost ground from the sixth lap, finishing 36 seconds behind. Italian Juri Zanotti, after remaining in the lead group for most of the race, struggled in the last lap and gave ground to the chasers, still finishing eighth, a position he maintained from the second lap to the finish line.

Concludes Celestino: "The start was incredible, with all three of our riders in the top positions. Unfortunately, Luca Braidot had a technical problem and had to retire, while Avondetto punctured, losing a lot of time. Zanotti, however, raced extraordinarily, fighting until the end".