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.
