“When the road goes up you can not hide”.
Eddy Merckx
“When the road goes up you can not hide”.
Eddy Merckx
Sidelined by injury in 2025, the runner-up from the 2024 edition is back to pick up where he left off: from 22 to 26 June, Italy’s hopes ride partly on him too
June 22–26 marks the return of the rivalry that electrified last year’s MTB stage race in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines. But behind the two favorites, a growing roster of ambitious outsiders is thinking big
After making themselves the standout story of the 2025 edition, the two Sicilians coached by former professional Paolo Alberati are back on the Emilia-Romagna Apennines from June 22nd to 26th. “We’re aiming for victory,” announces the Team Rolling Bike duo
Nearly 200 riders from 30 Countries will tackle Italy’s premier MTB stage race from June 22-26. Lizzano in Belvedere, Riolunato and Castelnovo ne’ Monti will host the eighth edition, presented today at the Emilia-Romagna Region headquarters in Bologna. “Appenninica is a major opportunity to tell the story of Emilia-Romagna through its landscapes, nature and local communities,” says Regional Sports and Tourism Minister Roberta Frisoni
The Emilia-Romagna Apennines are betting on summer outdoor tourism to breathe new life into local economies and counter depopulation. Appenninica MTB Stage Race (June 22–26, 2026) is already pulling in foreign tour operators, with a German agency set to follow in the tracks of a Polish group that made the trip in 2025.
From June 22–26, 2026, the Emilia-Romagna Apennines will take center stage over 310 km and 11,000 meters of total climbing. The race villages of Lizzano in Belvedere, Riolunato, and the grand finale in Castelnovo ne’ Monti are confirmed
Fresh off the 2025 edition, Appenninica MTB Stage Race is already looking ahead. The next chapter of the Italian stage race will take place from June 22nd to 26th, 2026, keeping its five-stage format. Early Bird entries go live on July 2nd
Colombian Diego Arias secures his second overall title after 2022, while Dutch rider Lola Bakker prevails in the women’s race after a week-long battle with Syd Schulz. Spica wins final stage and climbs to third overall.