After 290 km and 11,000 metres of climbing, the trails of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines have announced their verdict. The winners of Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2026 are Vincenzo Saitta and Greete Steinburg.

On Friday June 26, at just his second appearance at Italy’s most prestigious mountain bike stage race, the Sicilian stepped onto the top step of the final podium. Estonian Steinburg was completely won over by the beauty of this race and its surrounding region.

Saitta’s victory marks a historic first in the Elite men’s race: no Italian had ever won Appenninica in its previous eight editions. A triumph built from day one – with a stage win in Vidiciatico – then consolidated in stages three and four after the misfortune of stage two.

The Rolling Bike Team rider had already finished second here in 2025, behind Diego Arias Cuervo, whose title he has now inherited – confirming his remarkable feeling with the trails of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines. Behind him, Hans Becking secured second overall, edging out Marek Sülzle with a stage win on the final day.

Among the women, Greete Steinburg was the most consistent and dominant rider of the week. Starting quietly – including a puncture on stage one – the Estonian pulled on the Pink Barbieri PNK Jersey on stage two and never let it go, building her lead day by day.

Behind her, defending champion Lola Bakker claimed her third podium finish in four appearances at Appenninica, while Mara Parisi completed the women’s podium with a week of steady, reliable racing.

The 2026 edition closes as a week defined by balance, drama and emotion, shared by 188 athletes who explored breathtaking routes, landscapes and scenery across one of Italy’s most beautiful mountain territories.

BECKING: STAGE WIN AND SECOND OVERALL

The final stage – 53 km and 1,900 metres of climbing, starting and finishing in Piazza Matteotti in Castelnovo ne’ Monti – was decisive for the overall standings behind Saitta. Sülzle started the day with a six-second buffer over Becking and 2:38 over Spica: thin margins that made the finale a battle right to the last metre.

The Rolling Bike Team’s intentions were clear from the opening kilometres: get Spica onto the podium, and go for the stage win while they were at it. The Sicilian duo set the pace on the climb towards Monte Ventasso, but dropping Sülzle and Becking proved impossible.

As had been the pattern all week, the German struggled on the descents, and at km 35 three riders attacked: Spica, Saitta and Becking. When the road went uphill again at the foot of the Pietra di Bismantova, a mechanical problem forced Spica out of the move, while Sülzle tried in vain to close back onto a now-flying Becking.

The Dutchman was not caught, crossing the line in 2:31:19. Sülzle came in at 1:38, Saitta at 1:44. Chiarini finished fourth at 5:37, Cacchi fifth at 7:36. Spica paid 11:35.

“I felt second overall was the best result I could aim for, and that’s what I came here to get today,” said Becking after the finish. “This year there were a lot of strong climbers – Vincenzo, Marek – it was hard to do better than that. It’s been a tough week in the heat, but it’s always great to be here at Appenninica.”

The first Italian overall winner in the Elite men’s race in the history of Appenninica MTB Stage Race comes from Sicily. Vincenzo Saitta did it in a combined time of 14:40:47. Becking’s stage win lifted him to second overall at 7:58, while the ever-consistent Sülzle rounded out the men’s podium at 9:30.

Spica finished fourth overall at 22:11, while the battle for fifth went to Chiarini at 28:46 over Cacchi (+30:07).

“I’m satisfied – after finishing second last year, I came back to make things right,” said Saitta. “Today I rode for Emanuele; we wanted to get him onto the podium and help him take the stage, but unfortunately he had a mechanical. In the finale I didn’t take any risks – protecting the overall win was all that mattered.”

STEINBURG’S DAY, BAKKER SHOWS HER PRIDE

In a week with plenty of comebacks, the final stage of the women’s race could only end that way. The last stage win went to Lola Bakker, the defending champion. At yesterday’s finish, many had noticed her tears after a gruelling day made harder by physical problems. But there was always another day, and today Bakker stayed at the front and took the reward she deserved.

Luiza De Souza set a fierce pace from the gun on the climb towards Monte Ventasso. The Pink Barbieri PNK Jersey and Bakker stayed on her wheel before using the descent to move past the Brazilian. Bakker then attacked, opening a gap of over a minute – only to see it wiped out on the climb to the Pietra di Bismantova.

At the finish, Bakker crossed first in 3:20:41, just four seconds clear of Steinburg. De Souza was third at 3:23, Schulz fourth at 11:01, Parisi fifth at 14:52.

“The race was still open today and I wanted to win at all costs,” said Bakker. “I felt strong from the start and decided to go with my own pace. We swapped the lead several times, then I attacked on the descent and opened a gap of about a minute, but Greete came back on the Pietra di Bismantova climb. From there we rode together to the finish. Congratulations to her – she was the strongest rider all week, in what has been the highest-level edition of this race ever.”

Today’s finish also marked the passing of the torch from the 2025 champion to the new queen. Greete Steinburg won Appenninica 2026 in 19:42:18, with 8:16 over Bakker. Italy’s Mara Parisi took the third step of the podium, just under half an hour back. Schulz and De Souza complete the top five.

“I’m so happy with this win,” said Steinburg. “This race genuinely surprised me – I’ve done a lot of stage races, but this is absolutely among the best. The atmosphere, the routes, the landscapes – Appenninica has found a place in my heart. I hope more and more people in Estonia get to discover it.”

MASTERS, GRAND MASTERS AND GREAT GRAND MASTERS CATEGORIES

The Masters title was never really in doubt, with Dutchman Juul Van Loon dominating from stage one. It is his third category win in the last four editions, ahead of Thomas Naerland and Oscar Pujol, who also took the final stage.

Jon Roberts was equally dominant among the Grand Masters. The Welshman won four of the five stages, surrendering only the Queen Stage to Mirko Pirazzoli, who finished third in the category overall. Sven Husveg took second.

The Great Grand Masters produced a closer contest, with Bernd Büdenbender claiming both the overall title and the final stage, holding off a strong challenge from Emiel Kunkeler. Italy’s Flavio Gullì rounded out the podium.

Among the women, Appenninica seems to have found its queen: Greete Steinburg. The Estonian claimed her second consecutive stage win and now holds a commanding lead over Lola Bakker and Mara Parisi.

The Mountain Queen Stage confirmed what the women’s race has been telling us all week. Despite pressure from her rivals, Greete Steinburg was simply the strongest rider on the road, adding another stage win to her overall lead.

Syd Schulz and Luiza De Souza tested the pace on the opening climb, but Steinburg covered both moves seamlessly. Mara Parisi tried to hold on just behind, while Lola Bakker struggled to find her rhythm in the early going.

As the stage wore on, De Souza’s challenge faded and Steinburg moved to the front. Parisi hit a difficult patch between kilometres 40 and 60, which Bakker used to claw back onto Schulz.

A brief lapse in concentration from Steinburg handed the lead to the Bakker-Schulz duo, but on the descent into Castelnovo ne’ Monti the Estonian reasserted herself with authority. The Barbieri PNK Pink Jersey crossed the line in 6:00:34, with 3:27 over Schulz.

Bakker was third at 4:58 – a result that effectively ends her hopes of defending the 2025 title. Parisi finished fourth at 6:26, De Souza fifth at nearly half an hour.

“Today was brutal – the heat was really something,” said Steinburg. “I’m thrilled with how it went, but my legs were heavy in the finale. There’s one more day and I know it won’t be easy: head down, stay focused.”

Steinburg’s overall lead now stands at 8:20 over Bakker and 14:12 over Parisi. Schulz is fourth at just over thirty minutes, De Souza rounds out the top five.

Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2026 will be remembered as the year of the comebacks. Every day brings a new twist; every stage, an athlete rising from the previous day’s disappointment. It happened again on Thursday June 25 on the Mountain Queen Stage, from Riolunato to Castelnovo ne’ Monti.

The most eagerly awaited day of the week went to yesterday’s great unlucky: Riccardo Chiarini. The 42-year-old from Faenza had victory in his hands in Riolunato, only for his chain to betray him in the final kilometres. Fate, it turned out, had something far greater in store – the Queen Stage, 91 km and 2,900 metres of climbing. A win made even more special for the former road cyclist by the setting: the very same piazza where Richard Carapaz claimed his Giro d’Italia stage glory a year ago.

Chiarini, Vincenzo Saitta and Hans Becking each got what they came for in Castelnovo ne’ Monti. The stage win went to Chiarini, overall control stayed with Saitta, and Becking reopened his podium fight.

Stage 4 opened much like Stage 3, with Chiarini forcing the pace from the gun. The Faenza rider went clear on the first climb but was quickly brought back by the favourites – Vincenzo Saitta, Emanuele Spica, Luca Cacchi and Marek Sülzle. Becking chose to trust his gut and ride his own race, working his way up gradually.

At the front, Cacchi made a move to shed his companions, but was reeled in before eventually losing the lead group to the heat and fatigue. Spica was the first to crack, though he managed to keep things together and limit his losses. Saitta and Chiarini held firm at the top with Sülzle on their wheels, and with 20 kilometres to go Becking completed his comeback to the front.

The three rode the finale as a unit, sharing turns smoothly – each with his own objective, and the outcome satisfied all of them.

Chiarini crossed the line for Torpado Kenda FSA in 4:26:51, with Saitta one second back and Becking at three. Sülzle conceded 47 seconds; Spica finished fifth at 9:34, ahead of Cacchi at 12:51.

“I’m over the moon – this one meant everything to me,” said Chiarini at the finish. “Yesterday things didn’t go my way, but honestly, if I’d won then I wouldn’t have come back today with this kind of fire. I needed to try again. I was lucky to find an agreement with Vincenzo and Hans in the finale, and I have to thank them – giving up a Queen Stage win isn’t something you do lightly. The stage for me, the time gaps for them.”

Today’s result all but seals the Barbieri PNK Blue Jersey. Saitta leads by 9:36 over Sülzle, who has been rock-solid throughout the whole week. The podium fight, however, is anything but settled: Becking is third at 9:42, just six seconds behind the German, while Spica sits fourth at 12:20 with 2:38 to make up. The battle for fifth looks equally fierce – Cacchi holds just 37 seconds over Chiarini going into the final stage.

“Today we needed to stay at the front and keep things under control,” said Saitta. “Chiarini pushed early on, we came back together and rode as a group from there. In the finale we had an agreement: I locked down the overall, Riccardo won the stage. He deserved it.”

Among the Masters, Oscar Pujol took his second stage win of the race in 5:01:56, while Juul Van Loon remains firmly in command of the overall standings. In the Gran Masters, Jon Roberts‘ winning streak finally comes to an end – the queen stage goes to Mirko Pirazzoli in 5:41:33, though the Welshman holds on to lead the category. Emiel Kunkeler took the Great Grand Masters stage in 7:10:54, with Bernd Büdenbender still leading overall.

On the women’s side, overall leader Greete Steinburg claimed her first stage win of the race. The Barbieri PNK Pink Jersey triumphed in comeback fashion over Lola Bakker. The Dutch rider had pushed hard early to put pressure on her rival, but the Estonian responded with an unstoppable surge, clawing back time kilometre after kilometre.

On the descent into Riolunato, Steinburg kept things under control without taking risks – indeed managing to extend her margin even further. She finished in 2:50:56, with Bakker at 1:39. Mara Parisi was a consistent third at 3:06, a rejuvenated Syd Schulz fourth at 9:02, and Luiza De Souza fifth at 13:22.

“A beautiful stage – fortunately with plenty of descending,” said the Estonian at the finish. “The heat wasn’t excessive, which worked in my favour. We’re past the halfway point and I’m in control: I couldn’t ask for more. I tried not to repeat yesterday’s mistake, when I descended too cautiously in the finale.”

Steinburg extends her overall lead, bringing her advantage over Bakker to 3:22. Mara Parisi remains 7:45 back and still very much in the race. Schulz and De Souza are further adrift.

The script for Stage 3 of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race was already written: short, explosive and full of plot twists. That is exactly what unfolded across the 38 km and 1,500 metres of elevation of the Monte Cimone Challenge, a loop around Riolunato held on Wednesday, June 24. Particularly in the men’s race, a succession of dramatic twists completely reshuffled the overall standings.

It seemed everything was set for Riccardo Chiarini, but two chain drops in the final kilometres snatched the victory away from him. The winner was Vincenzo Saitta, as fortune gave back what it had taken away the day before. The Sicilian rider claimed the stage and got back the Barbieri PNK leader’s jersey and extended his advantage over his rivals.

The defining figure of Stage 3 was Riccardo Chiarini. The experienced Italian biker attacked solo after just 5 km, in the village of Pievepelago, leaving everyone behind. At the first feed zone at km 15, his advantage had already grown to a minute and a half over Marek Sülzle and Vincenzo Saitta, with Emanuele Spica, Hans Becking and Luca Cacchi a little further back.

On the subsequent climb to 1,840 metres above sea level at Monte Cimone, the gap shrank to nothing – but a relentless Chiarini launched himself into the descent and again managed to shake off his pursuers.

Behind him, just before the second feed zone at km 25, Spica and Becking both suffered punctures. The Italian found support from his team car to change the wheel; the Dutchman had to rely on neutral service, managing only to limit the damage. Meanwhile, Saitta and Sülzle continued their chase of Chiarini.

On the treacherous descent back into Riolunato, Sülzle lost ground to Saitta, who caught and passed Chiarini – struck by two chain drops in the final kilometres. Victory slipped away from him in the worst possible fashion, forced to finish 39 seconds behind Saitta, who crossed the line in 1:47:08. Marek Sülzle was third at 2:07.

Emanuele Spica came in 4:49 back, crossing the line alongside Luca Cacchi. Hans Becking’s deficit was far heavier: 10:02, a gap that effectively rules him out of the fight for overall victory.

“I feel for Riccardo – I even waited for him at the end because he deserved this stage win,” said Saitta straight after the finish. “The final descent was treacherous; I came close to losing control of the bike several times and preferred to be a little more cautious. With ten kilometres to go I caught Chiarini, and in the finale his mechanical problems allowed me to win the stage.”

Thanks to today’s win, Saitta returns to the top of the general classification, though the positions behind him have changed significantly. Teammate Spica moves into second at 2:47, while Sülzle jumps to third at 8:51. Becking follows at 9:41 and Cacchi at 11:25.

“We came to Appenninica to race as a team: whether I wear the jersey or Emanuele does makes little difference tactically,” reflected Saitta.

Among the Masters, Oscar Pujol took the stage win in 2:02:23, though Juul Van Loon remains firmly in control of the overall standings. Jon Roberts claimed his third consecutive stage win in the Grand Master category in 2:09:36, while Bernd Büdenbender once again proved unbeatable among the Great Grand Masters.