Andorra Epic 2026 - Etapa 1

The start of the 2026 Andorra Epic lived up to expectations with a first stage of pure mountain biking in the Pyrenees, where Davide Foccoli and Stefano Goria's Scott Racing team took a narrow victory in the men's category, while Mónica Calderón and Costanza Fasolis' Massi ISB Sport team dominated the women's race. The opening day, held this Thursday, July 2nd, on a demanding 49-kilometer course with 1,440 meters of elevation gain, clearly identified the main contenders for the overall victory. The high Pyrenees proved decisive from the start at Pal Arinsal Bike Park, located at almost 2,000 meters altitude. The climbs to Coll de Cabús, at 2,327 meters, and Collada Muntaner marked the first 23 kilometers of the race, before the riders tackled the exhilarating descent of the Super Sispony section. A hilly course in the final 10 kilometers allowed the strongest teams to launch decisive attacks. Scott Racing withstands the pressure from David Valero The Italian duo of Foccoli and Goria took center stage from the outset, challenging the favorites. A select group formed at the front of the race, including Lukas Baum and Georg Egger (Orbea Speed ​​Company), along with the Spanish-Italian pair of David Valero and Samuele Porro (Klimatiza Orbea). After the descent of Super Sispony, a change of pace by Scott Racing opened a small gap that would prove decisive. Men's standings Scott Racing's advantage over the Klimatiza Orbea team is just one second. Further back, the gaps are wider, although the Singer KTM Racing team of Simon Stiebjahn and Martin Frey remains in contention after finishing third, 1 minute and 59 seconds behind. For Klimatiza Orbea's strategic interests, the defending champions, Sebastian Gesche and Marc Stutzmann, delivered a solid performance, securing fourth place. David Valero emphasized the importance of having this second option in the race. Mónica Calderón and Costanza Fasolis strike first In the elite women's category, the team of Colombian Mónica Calderón and Italian Costanza Fasolis displayed a high level of performance to claim the first leader's jerseys of the 2026 Andorra Epic. Calderón, with previous experience winning in the Epic Series, made her debut in this Pyrenean round alongside Fasolis after competing together in the 4Islands Epic last April. The teamwork shown during the race allowed them to neutralize the initial push from Maria Zarantonello and Chrystelle Baumann.