The 41st edition of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali delivered thrills until the final meter, a race that ultimately was won by Mauro Schmid over Axel Laurance thanks to a two-man sprint at the finish line of the Cormons-Gemona del Friuli stage (165.5 kilometers), which allowed the Swiss rider from Jayco AlUla to secure the time bonuses necessary to dethrone his French rival from INEOS Grenadiers from the top of the final standings. Third, both at the finish and in the overall classification, behind the two main contenders for the final victory was Alan Hatherly, Schmid's teammate.

THE RACE

After covering the first kilometers at a sustained pace, five riders broke away from the peloton: Jacopo Pignatti (S.C. Padovani Polo Cherry Bank), Koki Kamada (Solution Tech NIPPO Rali), Martin Svrcek (Soudal Quick-Step), Andrea Pietrobon (Polti VisitMalta) and Emanuele Ansaloni (Team Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna Caffè Borbone). The five, with the peloton's consent, managed to build a lead of up to four minutes before Petrolike began setting the pace from behind, preventing their advantage from growing excessively.

The race reached the first climb at Monte Stella where, under pressure from XDS Astana and Jayco AlUla riders (especially Davide De Pretto), the gap of the breakaway riders was cut in half while behind them the chasing group was reduced to around forty riders. On the descent and in the subsequent flat section, however, the situation stabilized with the peloton regrouping and the leaders maintaining a gap between 1'40" and 2'10".

About forty kilometers from the finish, the long-awaited acceleration of the chasers became reality and in no time the deficit began to shrink until it was completely eliminated at the base of the second climb at Monte Stella when just 22 kilometers remained. On the final altitude difficulty of the 2026 Coppi e Bartali, it was once again Jayco setting the pace and launching an attack that reduced the group of contenders to no more than 25 riders.

Among these was also Alan Hatherly (Jayco AlUla) who, in the final hundreds of meters, increased the pace further and, bringing his team leader Schmid with him, crested the climb first with a slight margin over the main chasers. The stage and first place in the standings seemed to be heading toward the Swiss champion from Jayco, but on the descent, blue jersey Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers) dropped Jardi Christiaan Van der Lee (EF Education), Lorenzo Finn and Giovanni Aleotti (Red Bull BORA hansgrohe), Anton Schiffer (Visma), Kamiel Bonneu and Matteo Fabbro (Solution tech), Thomas Pesenti (Polti VisitMalta) and Andrew August (INEOS Grenadiers), and rejoining the two purple-jersey riders in solo fashion completely reopened the race.

With a lead of about twenty seconds over the men behind them, Schmid then attempted an attack with 3 kilometers remaining to distance his Alpine rival, who however responded and deferred any verdict to the final sprint on the Gemona straightaway. Here, in a desperate head-to-head, it was ultimately the Swiss road race champion who prevailed, closing ahead of the 2023 Under 23 world champion, bringing down the curtain on the 2026 Coppi e Bartali and securing the overall classification thanks to the time bonuses.

Laurance, author nonetheless of a superb week of racing enriched by two stage victories, had to settle for the second step of a podium completed by a useful Hatherly, at his first top-3 finish in a multi-day race in his career. Schmid, for his part, with this double achievement celebrates his third and fourth seasonal victories after those at the Tour of Oman and the Muscat Classic, topping off the cake by also winning the points classification.

Italy closes the domestic stage race with two stage wins (those of Filippo D'Aiuto and Tommaso Dati), the best climber jersey for Kevin Pezzo Rosola (General Store - Essegibi - F.lli Curia) and four men in the top ten of the final standings: Thomas Pesenti (4th), Matteo Fabbro (6th), Giovanni Aleotti (8th) and Diego Ulissi (10th).

STAGE FINISH ORDER

1. Mauro Schmid (SUI/Jayco AlUla) - 4:01:52

2. Axel Laurance (FRA/INEOS Grenadiers)

3. Alan Hatherly (RSA/Jayco AlUla)

4. Giovanni Aleotti (ITA/Red Bull BORA hansgrohe)

5. Matteo Fabbro (ITA/Solution Tech NIPPO Rali)

6. Thomas Pesenti (ITA/Polti-VisitMalta)

7. Alessandro Facellu (ITA/MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort)

8. Kamiel Bonneu (BEL/Solution Tech NIPPO Rali)

9. Anton Schiffer (GER/Team Visma Lease a Bike)

10. Andrew August (USA/INEOS Grenadiers)

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

1. Mauro Schmid (SUI/Jayco AlUla) - 4:01:52

2. Axel Laurance (FRA/INEOS Grenadiers)

3. Alan Hatherly (RSA/Jayco AlUla)

4. Thomas Pesenti (ITA/Polti-VisitMalta)

5. Anton Schiffer (GER/Team Visma Lease a Bike)

6. Matteo Fabbro (ITA/Solution Tech NIPPO Rali)

7. Andrew August (USA/INEOS Grenadiers)

8. Giovanni Aleotti (ITA/Red Bull BORA hansgrohe)

9. Jardi Christiaan Van der Lee (NED/EF Education Easypost)

10. Diego Ulissi (ITA/XDS Astana)

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

Points Classification: Mauro Schmid (SUI/Jayco AlUla)

Mountains Classification: Kevin Pezzo Rosola (ITA/General Store - Essegibi - F.lli Curia)

Best Young Rider Classification: Andrew August (USA/INEOS Grenadiers)