In 2025 they finished second and third overall, behind winner Diego Arias. This year, Vincenzo Saitta and Emanuele Spica are setting their sights on the top step of the podium. The two Sicilians will line up at the 2026 edition of Appenninica MTB Stage Race, scheduled from June 22nd to 26th, with one goal in mind: becoming the first Italian ever to win their country’s most important mountain bike stage race.

The two riders from Team Rolling Bike were the biggest surprise of the 2025 edition – each won a stage, and both stood on the final podium: Saitta in second place, Spica in third. That result gave confidence to the team coached by former professional Paolo Alberati, and their strong early-season form suggests they are ready to take the next step.

At the Italian MTB Marathon Championship, Saitta finished 7th, with Spica close behind. “I’m feeling great,” Spica explains. “Over the last month I’ve had solid results – 5th at the Castro Legend Cup, 18th at the Capoliveri Legend Cup, and 8th at the Italian Championships. It’s a positive period, and I hope it continues through the end of June.”

Saitta echoes that optimism: “We’re arriving in excellent shape, as confirmed by our result at the Italian Marathon Championship. On June 13th we’ll race the Hero Dolomites, which will be the perfect final preparation for Appenninica.”

Like many riders who have passed through these mountains before, the two found the pull of the race impossible to resist: “We decided to come back above all to relive the fantastic experience of last year – an impeccable organisation and stunning landscapes,” the two Sicilians say. “It’s one of the few Italian stage races with a truly spectacular course, and we were completely won over.”

Now that they have discovered Appenninica MTB Stage Race, Saitta and Spica are ready to set out to conquer it. Both will start from Lizzano in Belvedere on June 22nd with serious ambitions – and, as teammates, they have the option of working together to wear down rivals before settling it between themselves.

“I haven’t studied the competition closely yet, but after second and third place last year, we’re coming back to win,” says Spica. “If our form holds as it is now, we’ll go for the victory,” Saitta promises.

After their 2025 performance, underestimating Team Rolling Bike would be a mistake. The trails of the Emilia-Romagna Apennines will reveal whether, for the first time in the race’s history, an Italian rider will stand on the top step of Appenninica – and take the crown on home soil.

Now in its eighth edition, Appenninica MTB Stage Race has established itself as Italy’s flagship MTB stage race and one of the most respected events on the international calendar. But the event organized by ASD Happy Trail MTB is far more than a race.

“Appenninica has become a genuine tourism driver for the Emilia-Romagna Apennines, the numbers tell the story. Tour operators are now repackaging the race routes as guided trips, bringing year-round visitors to an area that has struggled with depopulation.” Regional Sports and Tourism Minister Roberta Frisoni made the case at Tuesday’s press conference in Bologna, joined by Lizzano in Belvedere Mayor Barbara Franchi, Castelnovo ne’ Monti Sports Councillor Carlo Boni, and race organizers Milena Bettocchi and Beppe Salerno.

SOLD OUT FOUR MONTHS AHEAD

For the first time in its history, Appenninica sold out its initial 150 spots four months before the start. Organizers responded by expanding capacity to nearly 200 riders – a significant logistical challenge, but one worth taking to accommodate demand.

The international field reflects the race’s growing reputation: 30 countries represented, led by the Netherlands (37 riders), Belgium (25), Italy (23), Spain (15), and Germany (15). First-timers include Estonia, Finland, and Norway, while South American contingents from Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Colombia remain strong.

FROM SPORTING EVENT TO TOURISM CATALYST

When Appenninica launched in 2019 with around 50 participants, the goal was simple: introduce riders to a spectacular yet underexposed region. Eight years on, that vision is paying off.

Race footage and rider testimonials circulating globally have caught tour operators‘ attention. Several now offer guided trips along Appenninica routes, creating new revenue streams for local businesses and communities. For a mountain region facing demographic challenges, this represents meaningful economic opportunity.

Dubbed the “Italian Cape Epic”, Appenninica runs as a full-service individual event (unlike its South African counterpart, raced in pairs). The entry fee covers accommodation, meals, feed stations, medical support, bike washing and stage transfers – everything needed to focus on riding.

What keeps riders coming back is the “Appenninica Family” atmosphere. The region’s renowned hospitality creates genuine connections, with many participants returning year after year, and that loyalty is worth more than any marketing campaign.

THE 2026 ROUTE: CORNO ALLE SCALE TO PIETRA DI BISMANTOVA

The race launches on June 22 from Lizzano in Belvedere, beneath Corno alle Scale – the same climb featured in Stage 9 of this year’s Giro d’Italia. Registration and preliminary operations open on Sunday, June 21.

Stage 1 kicks off with a loop around Vidiciatico combining forest roads and singletrack requiring full focus. Fast but already high-altitude, its 48 km and 2,000m elevation gain offer riders a first taste of technical Apennine terrain through beech forests.

On the second day, featuring 65 km and 2,600 m elevation gain, comes the Giro d’Italia tribute stage, the “Corno alle Scale Dressed in Pink”. Riders climb the same route as the pros, continuing to Madonna dell’Acero (3km gravel terrain up to 1,779m asl) for the KOM. After iconic Scaffaiolo Lake comes a technical descent through Fanano, then up Monte Cimone before the long drop to Riolunato.

The midweek stage (40 km and 1,500 m elevation gain) could decide the overall victory. Monte Albano runs along the Tuscany border in stunning scenery. Short but technical, with a tricky final descent into Riolunato: again, no time to relax.

Thursday, June 25 brings the feared Mountain Queen Stage. Passo delle Radici, Giovarello, Lama Lite – hours on forest roads and Apennine trails before the spectacular finale at the Bismantova Rock. Energy management is everything. 88 km and 3,000 m elevation gain will take the peloton from Riolunato to Castelnovo ne’ Monti, host town for the final two stages of Appenninica 2026.

On Friday, June 26, the closing “Windy Way Home” stage tackles the Monte Ventasso routes, which demand full concentration to earn that finisher medal. A 30km climb to Calamone Lake, then technical descending to the Bismantova Rock. 56.5 km and 1,650 m of elevation gain will be the last of this year’s Appenninica.