The two riders who were left wanting more after the opening stage found redemption in Riolunato, claiming victory in Stage 2 after 65 km and 2,600 metres of climbing. The overall standings also saw new leaders emerge, with Emanuele Spica moving to the top of the men’s classification and Greete Steinburg taking over the women’s race.
There is always another day in stage racing. That was certainly true for Hans Becking and Syd Schulz, who bounced back in style on Tuesday, June 23, during Stage 2 of Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2026 from Lizzano in Belvedere to Riolunato.
Becking had finished third in Vidiciatico, disappointed after failing to hold the wheel of Vincenzo Saitta and Emanuele Spica in the finale. On the 65-kilometre route featuring 2,600 metres of elevation gain, however, the Dutchman matched the pace of the Rolling Bike Team duo throughout the day and eventually took advantage of misfortune for the race leader to claim both the stage win and a valuable leap up the standings.
Schulz, meanwhile, had slipped more than 21 minutes behind after the opening stage. The American showed resilience and determination to respond immediately, taking victory in Riolunato. The general classification may now be a long shot, but she has firmly re-established herself as one of the riders to watch over the remaining stages.
The 2026 edition is proving remarkably open and unpredictable on the trails of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines. Stage 2 reshuffled both overall classifications, with Emanuele Spica moving into the men’s lead and Greete Steinburg taking control of the women’s standings. Remarkably, neither rider has won a stage yet – perhaps the clearest sign of just how closely matched this year’s race is.
WIN FOR BECKING, JERSEY FOR SPICA
Hans Becking, Vincenzo Saitta and Emanuele Spica are emerging as the three strongest riders of this year’s Appenninica. Once again, the trio set the pace from the opening kilometres, gradually extending their advantage over the chasing group. The first selection came on the long opening climb towards Corno alle Scale, although their lead over Marek Sülzle and Luca Cacchi was still measured in seconds at Lago Scaffaiolo.
The race took a decisive turn on the descent towards Sestola, where the Bad Team rider Cacchi suffered a puncture and lost crucial minutes repairing his bike.
At the front, the leading trio remained together on the climb to Monte Cimone. The stalemate was finally broken on the descent to Riolunato, when Saitta accelerated and briefly opened a gap over his teammate and Becking. But with just five kilometres remaining, a puncture forced the race leader to slow down.
Becking and Spica moved past him and battled for the win on the uphill finishing stretch in Riolunato. The Dutchman came out on top, stopping the clock at 3:30:34. Spica crossed the line in second place and pulled on the Barbieri PNK Blue Jersey as the new overall leader, while Saitta eventually finished 2:02 behind. Marek Sülzle was fourth at 4:29, with Luca Cacchi fifth at 4:54.
“Today was a fantastic stage, with tough climbs and technical, enjoyable descents,” said stage winner Hans Becking. “Saitta and Spica are really strong – we stayed together all day. It will be difficult to drop them because they’re riding really well. I think the battle will stay open until the end. We’re all separated by just a few minutes and things can change very quickly, as we saw today.”
Spica now leads the overall standings, with Becking second at 1:31 and Saitta third. Cacchi sits fourth at 8:38 and Sülzle fifth at 8:45, still within striking distance.
“We pushed hard in the finale to try and win the stage, but Vincenzo’s puncture took him out of contention at the key moment,” said the new race leader, Spica. “I sprinted for the stage win, but taking the jersey is obviously important. In the coming days we’ll try to control the race, although we’re all very close and the outcome remains wide open.”
Among the Masters, Juul Van Loon retained the Green Jersey, backing up his Stage 1 victory with another win in 4:00:45. Jon Roberts repeated his success in the Grand Master category in 4:17:37, while Bernd Büdenbender claimed victory in the Great Grand Master division in 5:45:35.
SCHULZ STRIKES BACK, STEINBURG TAKES PINK
If the men’s race is separated by just a handful of minutes, the women’s competition is proving equally balanced. Five riders set the pace in the opening kilometres of Stage 2: overall leader Luiza De Souza, racing despite her crash on the opening day, alongside Lola Bakker, Greete Steinburg, Mara Parisi and Syd Schulz.
On the long descent towards Fanano, De Souza – first over the climb – lost several minutes and effectively dropped out of contention for the overall classification. The after-effects of yesterday’s crash had prevented her from recovering properly, and her performance inevitably suffered.
On the final climb, Steinburg increased the pace decisively, while Bakker and Schulz tried to hold her wheel. Before long, the American found herself alone in pursuit of the Estonian. In the closing kilometres, however, Schulz gradually closed the gap and eventually caught Steinburg, snatching victory in the final metres in 4:45:19.
Just 27 seconds separated the two at the finish, while Mara Parisi crossed the line in third at 1:27 after overtaking Lola Bakker late in the stage. Bakker finished fourth at 3:46, while De Souza lost almost an hour.
“I took the win in the final metres – it was amazing,” said Schulz after the finish. “On the climb to Monte Cimone I was second behind Greete and kept pushing because I knew Lola could come back on the descent. Then, near the end, I saw Greete again and gave everything I had. Yesterday everything went wrong: I punctured and lost a lot of time. Today I felt really strong. I’m probably out of contention for the overall, but I want to enjoy the rest of the race.”
Steinburg could still celebrate taking over the Barbieri PNK Pink Jersey as the new overall leader, with a slender advantage of 1:42 over Lola Bakker. Mara Parisi sits third at 4:39, while Syd Schulz has cut her deficit to 17:32. Luiza De Souza now trails by more than 50 minutes.
“I love this race, the atmosphere and the trails – I enjoyed every kilometre today,” said Greete Steinburg at the finish. “I didn’t want to take too many risks because there are still three days to go. Yesterday I lost time after crashing on a descent, so today I was more cautious. I usually get stronger day after day in stage races and that gives me confidence. The Queen Stage suits me perfectly and I’ve already ridden it in training, so I’ll tackle it with confidence.”
STAGE 3: RIOLUNATO – RIOLUNATO
After today’s demanding stage, riders face the Monte Cimone Challenge, a 38 km loop starting and finishing in Riolunato with 1,500 metres of elevation gain: the shortest stage of the 2026 edition, but certainly not without its challenges.
The route climbs Monte Albano, offering one of the most spectacular views in the Apennines along the border between Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany.
Riders will also tackle sections of the historic Via Vandelli, the 18th-century road connecting Modena and Lucca, before reaching the Giro del Diavolo above San Pellegrino in Alpe, where the panorama stretches all the way to the Apuan Alps.
The final descent back to Riolunato is technical and unforgiving, with rocky terrain leaving no room for mistakes.
