The Sicilian from Rolling Bike Team and the Brazilian claim opening stage victories in Vidiciatico. Saitta leads home teammate Spica and Becking, while De Souza overcomes a crash to beat Lola Bakker and Greete Steinburg in the women’s race.
They had promised fireworks, and they delivered from day one, crossing the finish line side by side. Stage 1 of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2026, held on Monday, June 22nd, was won by Vincenzo Saitta, accompanied all the way to the finish by his teammate Emanuele Spica.
The Rolling Bike Team duo prevailed after 48 km and 2,000 metres of elevation gain, on a course starting and ending in Vidiciatico. However, there is still a long road ahead before the final finish in Castelnovo ne’ Monti, and with four stages remaining, anything can still happen. The standings remain tight, the competition is balanced, and both the men’s and women’s races are wide open.
SICILIAN DOMINANCE IN THE APENNINES
The opening stage erupted into decisive action from the initial ascent toward Lizzano in Belvedere. Federico Mandelli ignited the flames, establishing a seven-rider break. The decisive selection, however, came on the long ascent to the day’s highest point at 1,480 metres, where race favourite Hans Becking made his move.
The Dutchman increased the pace and shattered the lead group, but the Italian trio of Saitta, Spica and Cacchi refused to back down and matched every attack. The first casualty was Marek Sülzle, who lost contact after suffering a mechanical issue.
Misfortune later struck Becking as well. A technical problem on a descent forced him to put a foot down, costing him valuable seconds that he never managed to regain. On the following climb after Rifugio Segavecchia, Saitta and Spica raised the pace once more, finally distancing Cacchi.
The two Sicilians managed their advantage on the final descent and crossed the line together in 2:20:46. Becking secured third place after overtaking Cacchi on the final climb, finishing 1:40 behind the leading duo, while the Italian rider lost 2:31. Sülzle completed the top five at 4:17.
“Today’s stage was short, but we managed to make the difference on the second long climb and build a gap that ultimately proved decisive,” said Saitta after the finish. “I came here after finishing second overall last year and I really wanted to wear the leader’s jersey. It will be difficult to keep it all the way to Castelnovo ne’ Monti, but I believe I have a chance. Tomorrow I’ll have even more motivation, and having Emanuele high in the standings will be crucial. Every day is different, and being able to play two cards changes everything for the team.”
Juul Van Loon claimed the Green Jersey as leader of the Master category, finishing tenth in 2:44:33. In the Grand Master category, Britain’s Jon Roberts took the win in 2:57:16, while Germany’s Bernd Büdenbender prevailed in the Great Grand Master category with a time of 3:33:40.
DE SOUZA OVERCOMES ADVERSITY
Luiza De Souza was among the riders to watch, and she delivered. The 23-year-old Brazilian won the opening women’s stage, overcoming both her rivals and a late crash that could have cost her dearly.
As in the men’s race, the stage was decided on the long central climb, where the lead group shrank to four: De Souza, Lola Bakker, Greete Steinburg and Mara Parisi. On the final ascent the Brazilian launched the decisive attack; Bakker held on for a few hairpins before cracking.
A crash by the leader on the final descent threatened to reopen the race, but De Souza remounted and crossed the line in 3:10:46. Bakker came home at 1:33, still firmly in contention for the overall. Steinburg took third at 3:10, Parisi fourth at 6:49.
The sour note was Syd Schulz, fifth at more than 21 minutes. The American, the 2025 runner-up, was well below her best: she may have been affected by jet lag, having landed in Italy only the day before, or not yet adjusted to the heat.
After the finish, De Souza was taken to Porretta Terme Hospital as a precaution for checks, following a blow to the head sustained in the crash.
“I felt good for most of the race, but in the finale I couldn’t hold Luiza’s pace,” Bakker admitted. “I didn’t see the crash, but I really hope she can start again tomorrow morning.”
STAGE 2: LIZZANO IN BELVEDERE (VIDICIATICO) – RIOLUNATO
If Stage 1 served as a tasty appetizer for Appenninica MTB Stage Race, the real battle begins tomorrow. The Lizzano in Belvedere–Riolunato stage, covering 65 km and 2,600 metres of elevation gain, promises to shape the general classification much more significantly.
The “Corno alle Scale Dressed in Pink” route follows the same 11-km climb featured in Stage 9 of the 2026 Giro d’Italia, before continuing for another 3 km on gravel roads to reach an altitude of 1,779 metres, where the King of the Mountain point is located near Scaffaiolo Lake. It is an immediately demanding start, with nearly 1,000 metres of climbing in the opening section of the stage. The panoramic reward justifies the suffering.
After a spectacular, technical descent through Fanano and Sestola, competitors face the iconic Monte Cimone – an Appenninica institution. A sustained final descent delivers riders to Riolunato’s finish, where the general classification is anticipated to assume more permanent contours.
