2024 Rally di Sardegna MTB Stage Two | Highlights

Davide Foccoli (Olympia Factory Team) wrapped is glory day at the Rally di Sardegna MTB. The 22-year-old Italian topped the second stage, 66.9 km with start and finish in Seulo (Italy), held on Friday, August 30th, also climbing to the GC top. Recent winner of the Dolomitica Bike, BIKEnjoy – Valle Camonica and Stragolem MTB, Foccoli took advantage from a puncture that slowed down former leader Diego Rosa (seventh), who had been leading for a long time together with Lombady’s athlete, knocking him off the throne. Also on the podium today were Riccardo Chiarini and Vincenzo Saitta. Stage 1 winner Periklis Ilias also suffered a puncture in the early race, as well as Foccoli in the final meters.

The women’s race was marked by the duel between the two big favorites, the leader Tessa Kortekaas and the Italian Claudia Peretti. The Dutchwoman won again, signing the third success in three days of competition. Third was Monica Calderon, back on GC the podium.

Three Italians attacked in the early race: the GC leader Diego Rosa, Davide Foccoli and Vincenzo Saitta. The latter then lost ground to his two compatriots: with 30 km to go, Rosa led in 1:30:33, with Foccoli on his wheel and Saitta 37 seconds behind. Further back was a small group with Riccardo Chiarini, Peter Menghetti, Hans Becking, Alexey Medvedev, Ilias Periklis, Alessandro Saravalle and Emanuele Spica. With 10 km to go, Rosa suffered a puncture that put him out of the race: he will have to attack in the final stage with start and finish in Aritzo.

“In my opinion this was the hardest stage of the Rally di Sardegna, also from a technical point of view, surrounded by wonderful landscapes. It was an epic stage. I managed to get away on the first climb, the one with a 500-meter elevation gap. I and Rosa managed to create a gap and we collaborated, because I was interested in the stage win as he aimed for strengthen the GC lead. It’s my greatest victory so far. In the final I also punctured, without consequences” Foccoli commented.

“My plan was to attack and secure the GC win today, for controlling the last stage. I had a puncture on the last climb, then I completely destroyed the wheel seven kilometers to the finish. I’ll try to take the GC lead back in the very technical last stage. Meanwhile, I have to fix the wheel…” Diego Rosa said.

In the Women’s race, Kortekaas and Peretti passed side by side at -30 km spot, with Monica Calderon third at over 6′. Kortekaas made then a breakaway, finishing in 3 hours 39 minutes and 14 seconds, with 2’08” on the European bronze medallist and 9’28” on Monica Calderon.

“It was another hard day on the bike, with hard steep climbs. I really enjoyed the last climb and the views up there. I took it easy in the downhill then, because I had a good gap” Tessa Kortekaas commented.

“For me it was the most fun stage, I enjoyed it. I felt very good, even if Tessa was even better: she was very strong and I can only congratulate her. The route was different than yesterday, I really liked the many technical trails, as well as the rocky passages in the final climbs” is Peretti’s point of view.

After today’s stage in Seulo, with passages through the ancient forests of Sadali and Seui, tomorrow the athletes will return to Aritzo for the final stage, covering 48.3 km with an 1,800-meter elevation gain, including the untouched mountains of Gadoni.

OFFICIAL CLASSIFICATIONS

Race results Men Stage 2

1) Davide Foccoli (Olympia Factory Team) in 3:02:07
2) Riccardo Chiarini (Cannondale ISB Sport) + 2:34
3) Vincenzo Saitta (Rolling Bike Racing Team) + 3:23
4) Peter Menghetti (Dmt Racing Team by Marconi) + 3:51
5) Alessandro Saravalle (Silmax Racing Team) + 4:04
7) Diego Rosa (Torpado Kenda Factory) + 5:05

Overall classification Men after Stage 2

1) Davide Foccoli (Olympia Factory Team) in 6:45:33
2) Diego Rosa (Torpado Kenda Factory) + 0:53
3) Periklis Ilias (Tabrosracingteam) +2:58
4) Peter Menghetti (Dmt Racing Team by Marconi) + 4:30
5) Hans Becking (Buff Megamo) + 4:36

Race results Women Stage 2

1) Tessa Kortekaas (Cannondale ISB Sport) in 3:39:14
2) Claudia Peretti (Olympia Factory Team) + 2:07
3) Monica Calderon (Cannondale ISB Sport) + 9:27
4) Karla Loffelmann (Ceska Sporiteln – Accolade) + 22:23
5) Maria Cristina Nisi (Boscaro Racing Team) + 34:24

Overall classification Women after Stage 2

1) Tessa Kortekaas (Cannondale ISB Sport) in 8:05:46
2) Claudia Peretti (Olympia Factory Team) + 7:28
3) Monica Calderon (Cannondale ISB Sport) + 31:21
4) Karla Loffelmann (Ceska Sporiteln – Accolade) +40:42
5) Maria Cristina Nisi (Boscaro Racing Team) +1:02:53

Text Credits: Rally di Sardegna MTB | Photo Credits: Antonio Caggiano, Nico Belillo, Daniele Pisanu, Claudia Peretti | Video Credits: ICARUS Sports