Fight to the final section: Italy win bronze at the X‑Trial of Nations, indomitable Azzurri

Precious bronze for Italy at the 2026 X‑Trial of Nations, Grattarola and Titli lead the Azzurri to the podium.

Team Italy (Maglia Azzurra) back on the podium at the X‑Trial of Nations. Matteo Grattarola (Beta) and Francesco Titli (Montesa), the two aces fielded for the 2026 event at the Palacio Municipal de Deportes San Pablo in Seville, brought home the bronze medal, matching the third place achieved last year in Nice. Host nation Spain (with the indomitable Toni Bou and Gabriel Marcelli) triumphed, followed by Great Britain, while Italy finished third at the end of a race fought right down to the final section.

The competition got serious right away: the first two rounds, each made up of six highly technical and selective sections, were designed to determine the three teams admitted to the final. In this phase, the Azzurri were called upon to give their all after a mistake in the first section of the second round, which could have complicated the path to qualification. Grattarola and Titli responded with determination, upping the pace and precision in the following passages, managing to recover and clinch a spot in the final.

In the decisive act, the tension rose even further, with teams having to tackle the sections in both directions. Italy battled with Great Britain for silver right up to the last sections, but the British managed to maintain a slim margin that handed them second place. The Azzurri still secured bronze, earned with a solid and combative performance that underscored the growth of the squad led by Technical Director Fabio Lenzi, consistently competitive among the world’s top nations.

“This third place was anything but guaranteed,” emphasized Fabio Lenzi. “The guys had an excellent race: after a few small mistakes at the start it wasn’t easy to stay focused, yet they showed great determination and professionalism. The British team had much more experience than us in this setting, and that makes the podium even more valuable. I want to congratulate Matteo Grattarola and Francesco Titli, who gave everything in the race, the minder, Cristian Bassi, and all the staff who worked hard to achieve this result.”