Piedmontese Stefano Goria is the winner of the 2026 edition of La Dario Acquaroli, the prestigious international MTB race held in Iseo. After finishing third in 2025, the rider from Asti with Gs Scott Racing Team managed to get the better of all his opponents in the final, crossing the finish line on Viale Repubblica all alone.

Second place went to Italian Under 23 champion and Team Relay world champion Fabio Bassignana (KTM – Protek – Elettrosystem), who gave way on the final climb and crossed the finish line 22 seconds behind. Third-placed finisher Jacopo Billi (Gs Cicli Olympia) at 37 seconds.

In the women's competition, Novarese Claudia Peretti dominated the scene (Gs Cicli Olympia), current Italian champion and Marathon world vice-champion, who after 4 podiums in the last 4 editions finally manages to claim the top step. Second place went to Maria Cristina Nisi (Cicli Andreis Gioielleria) and third was young Marika Celestino (KTM – Protek – Elettrosystem), daughter of former professional cyclist and Italian National MTB coach Mirko Celestino, who was also present in Iseo.

Almost 450 competitors lined up for this 25th edition, including several champions, with the standout presence of Fabio Bassignana, the 22-year-old Piedmontese athlete from KTM – Protek – Elettrosystem who at the end of August was among the protagonists of the Italian National team that won the gold medal in the Team Relay at the MTB World Championship in Val di Sole. Before the start, he posed with his rainbow jersey alongside Iseo's mayor Riccardo Venchiarutti and sports assessor Michele Brescianini, then donated his jersey to the organization.

Another special moment was dedicated to the 10 Faithful followers of the event who, in addition to applause from the entire crowd, received a Special Edition T-shirt dedicated to them for having participated in all 25 editions, and posed for a commemorative photo. A moment strongly desired by the organization to capture an instant that tells 25 years of shared passion.

The course covered 42.7 km with just over one thousand meters of elevation gain. After the start from Viale Repubblica, the climb towards Polaveno (Marus) made the first selection, then passages through the vineyards and castles of Franciacorta, up to the grand finale with the Madonna del Corno time trial climb (1.320 km with maximum gradient of 23% and average 13.6%), in its traditional time trial format, and the final descent towards the finish line in the center of Iseo.

The first climb towards Polaveno already made the first selection among the women. Claudia Peretti immediately took off, quickly opening a gap between herself and the first pursuers Maria Cristina Nisi, Marika Celestino and Mariachiara Signorelli.

At the end of the descent towards the Sergnana area, a group of five formed at the head of the men's race. It included last year's winner Davide Foccoli, Stefano Goria, Fabio Bassignana, Jacopo Billi and Elia Rial. The latter lost contact with the race leaders before passing Passirano Castle, where four riders remained at the front. Meanwhile, among the women, Peretti passed with approximately 4 minutes advantage over Celestino and Nisi.

Billi, Goria, Bassignana and Foccoli passed together at Bettolino locality, near the 25 km mark, but shortly after, the 2025 edition winner also paid the price and at Monterotondo only three riders remained leading the competition: Bassignana, Billi and Goria, who went on to tackle the Madonna del Corno time trial climb.

Italian Under 23 champion Fabio Bassignana tried to anticipate, but on the climb Stefano Goria proved to be the strongest, recovering in the most demanding section and cresting alone with an 8-second advantage over Bassignana and 22 seconds over Billi. Goria also set the fastest time on the time trial climb with a time of 6:37.

The situation did not change; in fact, Stefano Goria managed to gain something on the descent towards Iseo and presented himself in perfect solitude at the finish line with a 22-second advantage over tricolor Fabio Bassignana and 37 seconds over third-place Jacopo Billi.

Among the women, Claudia Peretti concluded her triumphant ride on Viale Repubblica with a 5:31 advantage over Maria Cristina Nisi, who in the final managed to recover ground on young Marika Celestino, who finished third.

Winner Stefano Goria (Gs Scott Racing Team) said: "I'm very happy to have managed to win this race. I tried to make a selection because I wanted to avoid bringing too many opponents into the final; it would have been risky to arrive still in a group under the final climb. So I put myself at the front right after the first descent and then increased the pace. I turned around a couple of times, saw that I was making a selection and so I continued for about ten minutes and in the end the strategy paid off because we went from five to just three riders at the front. We then gave each other good pace changes, we arrived at the final climb and there we played our cards and it went well for me".

Much anticipated was the Team Relay world champion Fabio Bassignana who in the end finished second in his first participation in La Dario Acquaroli and said: "There's little to say, Stefano was the strongest today and deserved the victory. It was a great race, we went hard from the start, then we were three, we worked well together and we played it out in the final. I tried to anticipate on the final climb, but perhaps I anticipated the distances a bit too much and then when he passed me the gap was impossible for me to close".

Also happy was the women's race winner Claudia Peretti who, after the Italian title and silver medal at the Marathon World Championship, enhances her season with La Dario Acquaroli as well: "This was the right year to win this race that I've done many times, but had never won before and so I wanted to honor it and get the best possible result. It's been a fantastic season, certainly the best I've ever had and I'm really happy with how I arrived at this finish and winning in Iseo is a great satisfaction".

MEN'S ABSOLUTE CLASSIFICATION:

1 Stefano Goria (Gs Scott Racing Team) 1:34:17
2 Fabio Bassignana (KTM – Protek – Elettrosystem) +0:22
3 Jacopo Billi (Gs Cicli Olympia) +0:37
4 Davide Foccoli (Gs Scott Racing Team) +2:1
5 Elia Rial (Beltrami TSA) +2:39
6 Martino Zavan (VPT Why Sport) +2:40
7 Gianantonio Mazzola (Gs Scott Racing Team) +2:50
8 Andrea Lino Bertuletti (KTM Academy – Le Marmotte) +2:55
9 Gabriele Canali (Oxygen Bike) +3:00
10 Alessio Agostinelli (Leecougan Basso Factory) +3:03

WOMEN'S ABSOLUTE CLASSIFICATION:

1 Claudia Peretti (Gs Cicli Olympia) 1:48:40
2 Maria Cristina Nisi (Cicli Andreis Gioielleria) +5:31
3 Marika Celestino (KTM – Protek – Elettrosystem) + 6:18
4 Mariachiara Signorelli (Speed Bike Rocks) +9:05
5 Angelica Gatto (Beltrami TSA) +10:38
6 Vittoria Girardi (KTM Academy – Le Marmotte) +18:39
7 Daisy Sironi (Ju Green Gorla) +18:40
8 Maya Scianda (Liguria XCO Project) +18:52
9 Cecilia Vergano (Tabros Racing Team) +20:38
10 Noemi Poletti (Ju Green Gorla) +22:25

On the official website www.laacquaroli.it all the information.