Stage 2 of the 2024 SPAR Swiss Epic saw a resurgent Wilier Vittoria team race to victory and back into the general classification battle. Team KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes will however remain pleased with their efforts as they extended their overall lead over their closest rivals. The same is true for CANNONDALE ISB SPORT, in the UCI Women’s race, after a second successive stage victory for Monica Calderon and Tessa Kortekaas.

Swiss Epic

Monica Calderon and Tessa Kortekaas won their second successive stage at the SPAR Swiss Epic on Wednesday. Photo by Marius Holler.

Wednesday, 21 August 2024’s, 76 kilometre trek – over alpine passes, across mountain meadows, and along Graubünden’s green valleys – from La Punt to Davos was won by Wilier Vittoria and CANNONDALE ISB SPORT. In the UCI Men’s race Fabian Rabensteiner and Samuele Porro   fought back from a difficult opening day to win Stage 2. While Monica Calderon and Tessa Kortekaas reaffirmed their status as the best climbers in the UCI Women’s competition.

The Queen Stage featured 2 400 metres of climbing and took in the highest peak of the 2024 edition of the SPAR Swiss Epic, at 2 606 metres above sea level. Starting in La Punt and ending in Davos the course headed north east toward Zernez initially, before turning north west and scaling the mighty Scaletta Pass. The summit was just 20 kilometres from the stage finish and the Dürrboden and Dischma Valley Trails played a key role in Wilier Vittoria’s victory.

KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes

KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes’ Lorenzo and Nicolas Samparisi climbed to a 62 second lead atop the Scaletta Pass. Photo by Sam Clark.

First, however, the men in the yellow CIOVITA jerseys were able to use the Scaletta Pass to their advantage. The steep and technical singletrack, near the summit of the mighty mountain, suited KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes best. Lorenzo and Nicolas Samparisi were able to drop all their rivals on the ascent as the chasers struggled behind them. By the summit they held a 62 second advantage over Rabensteiner and Porro. The Engadin La Punt pair, who had contested the sprint finish against the Samarisi brothers on Stage 1, were hampered by brake issues. Fadri Barandun’s brakes were binding on the ascent, slowing his climbing and forcing Simon Vitzthum to wait. This put them out of the running for stage honours, but they battled to remain in the general classification contest.

On the long descent to Davos the Wilier Vittoria team steadily reeled in the leaders, KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes. The catch was made on the outskirts of the village, within the final 5 kilometres, which set the race up for its second sprint finish in as many days.

SPAR Swiss Epic

After finishing 10th on Stage 1 the Wilier Vittoria team surged back into overall contention with victory on Stage 2. Photo by Marius Holler.

“We really focused on the recovery yesterday, had a good massage and we went to bed early,” Rabensteiner reflected. “Today we started conservatively but pushed on when we saw the leaders about a minute ahead of us on the Scaletta Pass. On the final climb, just before Davos, they were only 50 metres ahead of us so we went full gas over the summit and caught them on the descent. Then we were able to win the sprint.”

“Five minutes is a big gap to pull back on the general classification,” the Italian Marathon Champion confessed. “But we will keep trying because you never know what can happen over the coming days. Nothing is finished until it’s finished.”

La Punt

A day packed with climbing shock up the minor podium places in the general classification. Photo by Sam Clark.

Rabensteiner and Porro managed to split the Lorenzo and Nicolas Samparisi in the run in to the finish and maintain that position crossing the line alongside each other with Nicolas ahead and Lorenzo behind. The KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes combination ceded no time to the Wilier Vittoria team though and effectively extended their general classification lead, as Mondraker Walter MTB – KA BOOM Krapf and Engadin La Punt lost time to the men in yellow. The Samparisis now lead Ursin Spescha and Simon Walter by 1 minute and 26 seconds, with Gian Schmid and Lukas Flückiger in third a further 4 seconds back. Barandun and Vitzthum dropped to fourth, at 1:38, while Rabensteiner and Porro gained three positions but remain 5 minutes and 39 off the lead in seventh.

In the UCI Women’s race Calderon and Kortekaas were able to establish an advantage early in the stage. “We spoke about the tactics for the day before the start and decided to go at our own pace, we don’t need to attack or take any risks,” Kortekaas explained. “We rode our own pace, and got a gap on the first real climb, after 7 kilometres or so, and then maintained our pace as best we could throughout the rest of the stage.”

Efficient Infiniti

The Efficient Infiniti team ceded time to Cannondale ISB Sport again on Stage 2. Photo by Sam Clark.

This allowed the CANNONDALE ISB SPORT to build a buffer of over 5 minutes at the summit of the Scaletta Pass. Although Efficient Infiniti were able to reduce that buffer on the long descent which followed the women in orange were never in danger of missing out on the stage victory. They eventually crossed the line 4 minutes and 36 seconds ahead of Vera Looser and Danielle Strydom. “Today showed why it’s called ‘Epic’,” Kortekaas laughed. “It’s relentless. I got a pop up on my bike computer, at one stage, saying nearly 1 000 metres of climbing in the next 11 kilometres. But today I felt good. Tomorrow will be a different day, more up and down, which is tough on the legs. With the advantage we have we can’t be relaxed, but we don’t have to be stressed either. We can play it as it comes, work to our strengths and see how the day unfolds.”

Heading into Stage 3, which starts and finishes in Davos, Calderon and Kortekaas lead Efficient Infiniti by 9 minutes and 32 seconds. Despite finishing fourth, on Stage 2, MenteCorpo Cicli Drigani’s Costanza Fasolis and Chiara Burato hung on to their third place overall ahead of Daniela Höfler and Antonia Daubermann, of 1Vision – Concordia Burggen. The mid-point of the race features a 64 kilometre long course, which many of the riders described as “undulating”. Though as Looser pointed out it still includes “30 minute climbs, so it’s still up and down rather than undulating.” The day’s climbs include Alp Novai and Alp Drustscha, at 1 770 metres above sea level. Descents like the Grüenbödeli Selfranga Trail and the Monbiel Downhill, as well as two passes through Klosters add to the stage’s excitement.

Cannondale ISB Sport

The Cannondale ISB Sport team lead the UCI Women’s general classification by 9 minutes and 32 seconds after Stage 2. Photo by Marius Holler.

To follow the Stage 3 action live mountain biking fans are encouraged to tune into the SPAR Swiss Epic’s live broadcast on the Epic Series YouTube Channel here. Daily highlights from the race can also be viewed on the YouTube Channel, and the excitement from the trails of Graubünden will be shared on the SPAR Swiss Epic Facebook page and @swiss_epic on Instagram. To find out more visit www.epic-series.com/swissepic.

2024 SPAR Swiss Epic Results:

UCI Men | Stage 2:

  1. Wilier Vittoria: Fabian Rabensteiner & Samuele Porro (3:42:54 )
  2. KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes: Lorenzo & Nicolas Samparisi (3:42:54| ST)
  3. Mondraker Walter MTB – KA BOOM Krapf: Ursin Spescha & Simon Walter (3:43:56 | +1:02)
  4. BIXS Performance 1: Joel Roth & Timon Rüegg (3:43:57 | +1:03)
  5. BIXS Performance 2: Gian Schmid & Lukas Flückiger (3:43:58 | +1:04)

UCI Women | Stage 2:

  1. CANNONDALE ISB SPORT: Monica Calderon & Tessa Kortekaas (4:39:16)
  2. Efficient Infiniti: Vera Looser & Danielle Strydom (4:43:52 | +4:36)
  3. 1Vision – Concordia Burggen: Daniela Höfler & Antonia Daubermann (4:52:00 | +12:00)
  4. MenteCorpo Cicli Drigani: Costanza Fasolis & Chiara Burato (4:54:30 | +15:14)
  5. Next Ride – Santa Cruz: Chrystelle Baumann & Sandra Stadelmann (5:16:40 | +37:24)
Engadin Valley

Steep climbs will punctuate Stage 3, as they did Stage 2. Photo by Marius Holler.

UCI Men’s General Classification after Stage 2:

  1. KTM Alchemist Brenta Brakes: Lorenzo & Nicolas Samparisi (6:59:33)
  2. Mondraker Walter MTB – KA BOOM Krapf: Ursin Spescha & Simon Walter (7:00:59 | +1:26)
  3. BIXS Performance 2: Gian Schmid & Lukas Flückiger (7:01:03 | +1:30)
  4. Engadin La Punt: Fadri Barandun & Simon Vitzthum (7:01:11 | +1:38)
  5. Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2: Miguel Munoz & Sebastian Gesche (7:02:44 | +3:11)

UCI Women’s General Classification after Stage 2:

  1. CANNONDALE ISB SPORT: Monica Calderon & Tessa Kortekaas (8:42:17)
  2. Efficient Infiniti: Vera Looser & Danielle Strydom (8:51:49 | +9:32)
  3. MenteCorpo Cicli Drigani: Costanza Fasolis & Chiara Burato (9:10:51 | +28:34)
  4. 1Vision – Concordia Burggen: Daniela Höfler & Antonia Daubermann (9:15:01 | +32:44)
  5. Next Ride – Santa Cruz: Chrystelle Baumann & Sandra Stadelmann (9:47:02 | +1:04:45)

For the full results from the 2024 SPAR Swiss Epic click here.

SPAR Swiss Epic

Reflections of the UCI Women. Photo by Sam Clark.