SR SUNTOUR Claims Elite DH Podium in Italy
In an absolutely incredible race run on one of the world’s most technically challenging downhill tracks, Thibaut Daprela of Rogue Racing/SR SUNTOUR was able to secure a World Cup elite podium position – a first for SR SUNTOUR in 2025. The legendary ‘Black Snake’ at Val di Sole is a rough, raw beast of a racetrack that threads its way 2.24km from the start hut to the finish, descending 554m in the process. Along the way, riders face relentless rock gardens, massive root lines, and high-speed corners with seemingly bottomless braking bumps. It’s a track that demands not only focus and skill from the racers, but every millimeter of suspension from their bikes in the search for traction, an elusive thing in the dry and loose conditions this year. Deprela dropped into his race run with 10 racers to go and quickly got up to speed. However, he snapped his chain five turns into his run! The Frenchman kept his cool, though, knowing that the track was steep enough that he’d just need to maintain speed, trust his RUX/VORO COIL suspension to work its magic, and minimize his braking to finish. Maintaining that focus, Daprela set an astonishing pace, going quickest in the first two sectors and building a solid lead. Solid enough to come home in a time of 3:42.224 – 2.075 seconds up! – and claim the hot seat! As rider after rider came down it began to look like Deprela might take the win with his chainless run, but he was just edged out by the final two competitors on the hill. Still, he secured SR SUNTOUR’s first podium spot in an elite World Cup downhill event this year in a ride that will become legendary.
Congratulations Thibaut! While Deprela’s chainless race was a stunning performance in its own right, Mathis Azzaro’s race in the XCO was equally spectacular.
Mathis Azzaro Claims Second in Val di Sole for XCO
In an unexpected twist on the dusty track at Val di Sole, Origine Racing Division’s Mathis Azzaro nearly picked up his first Elite XCO win under a blazing sun in northern Italy. Sadly, an attack in the penultimate lap by a former SR SUNTOUR U23 athlete, Martin Vidaurre Kossmann, saw Azzaro relegated to second position after an epic ride on the challenging XCO track in Val di Sole. Despite losing the lead after such a good race, Azzaro wasn’t at all disappointed. “I’m super happy today. Over the week I was thinking I would be unable to race today,” stated the Frenchman following his stunning performance. “I was so sick last Sunday.” Skipping the XCC two days prior underscored his weakened health, and relegated him to a fourth row starting position – less than ideal, to say the least! But Azzaro surprised himself, finding his legs in lap two of the eight lap affair, and moving up from 32nd to 12th. Feeling confident now, Azzaro pushed hard on lap four to make the front group, and then gassed it again to surge into the lead on lap five, his AXON WERX 34 and EDGE shock making quick work of the steep, technically challenging descents. Azzaro continued to extend his lead over the next two laps, but it isn’t over until it’s over. A vicious attack from his Chilean competitor near the end of lap seven showed that, despite finding his legs, there wasn’t much left in the tank. “The last lap was a bit too much for me,” confessed Azzaro after the race. “I didn’t think I’d even be able to race two days ago. But when I woke up today I thought, ok, I’ll just give it my best.” If Azzaro can do this when recovering from illness, then his performance here will definitely give him a shot of confidence for the next test in Andorra. See you there in three weeks!
