Around 3,000 cyclists tackled one of Europe’s toughest amateur cycling events on Sunday 28 June 2026, as the 32nd Dreiländergiro returned to Nauders, Austria. The renowned sportive crossed Austria, Italy and Switzerland, with riders taking on legendary climbs including the Umbrail Pass and the Stelvio before finishing back in Tyrol.
The flagship Stelvio Engadin gran fondo covered 168 kilometres with 3,600 metres of climbing and produced a breakthrough victory for Germany’s Manuel Popp. Riding for Bavarian amateur club Radteam Impuls, Popp completed the course in 04:58:17, narrowly defeating Belgium’s Frederic Glorieux by 53 seconds. Austria’s Miguel Brugger rounded out the podium 1 minute 5 seconds behind. Popp’s victory was notable as he represents a small club built around the enjoyment of competitive amateur cycling rather than developing professional riders, making the Stelvio triumph the biggest result of his career.
The women’s race saw Germany’s Julia Schallau successfully defend her title, winning in 05:32:21. Eva Schien finished second 8 minutes 13 seconds back, while Henriette Beil completed an all-German podium 13 minutes 56 secondsbehind the winner. Schallau’s latest victory capped an exceptional summer. The BikesnBoards rider had already defended her Arlberg Giro title earlier this season and claimed overall victory at the Tour Transalp stage race with a teammate. She has also become well known in the Zwift community for her impressive power numbers, translating virtual success into consistent dominance on Europe’s hardest mountain marathons.
The shorter Stelvio Vinschgau medio fondo (120 km, 3,000 metres of climbing) produced one of the day’s standout stories. Twenty-one-year-old Leander Ihle claimed victory in 03:37:15, finishing 6 minutes 27 seconds ahead of Austria’s Michael Fankhauser, with Lorenz Mitterhuber another 8 seconds back in third. The Well:fair cycling team rider only recently turned to cycling after injuries ended his ambitions as a competitive runner. Before arriving in Nauders, Ihle revealed he had never raced a road bike in the Alps, making his first major Alpine marathon victory an impressive breakthrough.
Austria’s Melanie Geiger won the women’s medio fondo in 04:09:41, ahead of Janine Vierthaler by 9 minutes 10 seconds, while Kathrin Neumann finished third 18 minutes 26 seconds behind. Geiger is no stranger to the podium, having established herself as one of the most consistent performers on the Tyrolean and Bavarian marathon circuit over recent seasons.
The Dreiländergiro once again lived up to its reputation as one of Europe’s premier alpine gran fondos, combining breathtaking scenery with one of the continent’s most demanding one-day challenges. Its mix of iconic mountain passes and high-calibre amateur competition continues to make it a fixture on the European gran fondo calendar.
Photo Credit: Bikeworks Racing Team
© 2026 Copyright Gran Fondo Daily News – All Rights Reserved