The Queen Stage is always the most anticipated by all Appenninica MTB Stage Race athletes, especially for those targeting overall victory and looking to make their mark on this crucial stage.
Diego Arias delivered exactly that performance today, Thursday June 26th, soloing to victory in Castelnovo ne’ Monti on the 88km stage 4, High Mountain Queen Stage with 3,000m of climbing. The Colombian extended his advantage over closest rival Vincenzo Saitta after the race exploded on the Ligonchio descent, where Arias and teammate Massimo Rosa broke away from the six-man leading group. Hans Becking crashed during the action and was forced to abandon, though he escaped serious injury.
On the subsequent climb toward the Bismantova Rock, Arias and Rosa were caught by Saitta, forcing the Colombian to increase his pace and go solo. The overall leader completed his effort in 4:15:54 in Castelnovo ne’ Monti, while Vincenzo Saitta overtook Rosa to finish second, 2’26” behind.
Massimo Rosa took third place, 7’54” behind his teammate. Rounding out the top five were Emanuele Spica in fourth at 9’41” and Andrea Candeago fifth at 11’52”.
“I dedicate this victory to my wife, my daughter, and my team who never miss the smallest detail,” said Arias after the finish. “Massimo and I found ourselves in front, but when we saw Vincenzo Saitta catching up, I preferred to go alone to try to consolidate my overall lead.”
The strategy worked perfectly, as Arias now leads Vincenzo Saitta by 9’19” overall. Andrea Candeago holds third place, 24 minutes behind his teammate, though he’ll need to defend his podium spot from Emanuele Spica, who trails by just 2 seconds.
The situation remained stable in other categories, with overall leaders also winning the fourth stage:
Green Jersey Masters: Oscar Pujol
Orange Jersey Grand Masters: Mirko Pirazzoli
Purple Jersey Great Grand Masters: Axel Strauss
