Stüssi Starts the Giro d’Abruzzo in 19th Place with Promising Prospects

Giro d’Abruzzo: Day 1 from Cupello to Casalincontrada (156 kilometers)

There’s no time to ease into things at this year’s Giro d’Abruzzo. Right from the start today, a tough and selective stage awaited the peloton. From the very first kilometer, the riders had to be wide awake if they didn’t want to lose valuable time early on in the battle for the general classification.

The first major test was the nine-kilometer climb to Montelapiano, with an average gradient of 6.2 percent. After a series of additional climbs and descents, the final stretch featured the 2.4-kilometer-long, steep climb to Casalincontrada. There, the two remaining breakaway riders were caught before Italian Alessandro Fancellu ultimately prevailed in the long uphill sprint. The 26-year-old from Team MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort finished second overall in this year’s Tour of the Czech Republic and won last year’s Tour of Japan.

Team Vorarlberg Makes Its Mark

Team Vorarlberg made its mark right from the first day in this highly competitive field. Ignazio Cireddu turned heads in his home region as part of a chase group, while Philipp Hofbauer collected important mountain points, keeping his chances alive in this special classification.

In the final stage, Hofbauer and Dominik Röber put their skills to work for team captain Colin Stüssi. Through hard work, they ensured that the Swiss rider was able to secure a strong starting position on the final climb for the days ahead. Stüssi rewarded the team’s effort with a 19th-place finish, trailing the stage winner by just 21 seconds.

Local hero Giacomo Ballabio also held his own among the front-runners. The Italian finished in 27th place, crossing the finish line 26 seconds behind the leader.

Result: www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-abruzzo/2026/stage-1

Eurosport will broadcast all four stages of the Giro d’Abruzzo through Friday. On Wednesday, the second stage—a 143-kilometer route from Popoli Terme to Caramanico Terme—is on the schedule. Right at the start, the peloton faces another tough climb.

Roster: Giacomo Ballabio, Ignazio Cireddu, Philipp Hofbauer, Kilian Feurstein, Dominik Röber, Emanuel Zangerle, Colin Stüssi