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.

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.”

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.

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.