Andorra Epic 2026 Etapa 2 - Entrevista a David Valero

The queen stage between Canillo and La Massana strengthens Davide Foccoli and Stefano Goria's lead in the men's standings, while Mónica Calderón and Costanza Fasolis open up a significant gap in the women's general classification. The second stage of the 2026 Andorra Epic, designated as the queen stage of this edition, brought a strategic shift in the final kilometers of the mountain course. The Scott Racing team, comprised of Davide Foccoli and Stefano Goria, achieved a crucial stage victory, allowing them to retain and extend their coveted lead in the general classification. The Italian duo completed a commendable comeback after trailing by a minute to the Klimatiza Orbea team, made up of David Valero from Granada and Samuele Porro, who were severely hampered by livestock in the middle of the trail and a subsequent mechanical problem with the rear wheel of their mountain bike. The demanding Andorran course forced participants to overcome a 61-kilometer high-mountain profile with 2,200 meters of elevation gain, reaching the highest point of the event at Llac de Pessons, located at 2,350 meters above sea level. The challenging terrain served as a natural filter, selecting the main contenders for the overall victory in this pairs race format. Tactical battle and mechanical setbacks in the Pyrenees The Klimatiza Orbea team's strategy began to take shape from the very beginning of the initial 18-kilometer climb. Valero and Porro distanced themselves on the steepest sections, cresting the summit with a half-minute advantage over the yellow jersey wearers. After a conservative descent by the Scott Racing duo to minimize the risk of punctures, the time checks at the second technical assistance point in Canillo (kilometer 36) showed the breakaway's lead at exactly one minute, virtually placing them at the front of the race. However, the approach to the Coll d'Ordino completely changed the course of the race. Davide Foccoli set a blistering pace on the uphill ramps, managing to catch up with the leaders near the summit. On the final downhill section of the Collada de Beixalís trail towards the finish line in La Massana, misfortune struck the Orbea riders. Having already been held up by cattle on the trails, they suffered a severe rear wheel failure that prevented the wheel from turning smoothly. Goria and Foccoli capitalized on the technical issue to pull away decisively and cross the finish line in 2:55:12, putting 1 minute and 57 seconds between themselves and their closest rivals. With this result, Scott Racing now leads the overall standings by 1:59 over Valero and Porro.