Ioan Iacob and Alva Björk taking the win in Passo del Tonale
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 — Passo del Tonale, Val di Sole
The high mountain air of Passo del Tonale set the scene for the opening stage of 5 Days Italy’s first-ever Val di Sole edition, as athletes gathered beneath open alpine skies with the Presanella and Adamello massifs rising in the distance. After Monday evening’s warm-up sprint in Pejo, the real action could finally begin.
Stage 1 sent competitors across high-altitude grassland threaded with rocky outcrops and patches of forest, a terrain combination that rewarded both stamina and sharp map-reading at altitude. The open ground made for fast running, but the subtle, ever-changing contours kept concentration levels high from the first control to the last.
In the Elite Men’s race, Ioan Iacob (Romania) claimed the stage win, finishing ahead of Kryštof Hájek (Czech Republic) and Daniil Fomin (Russia), who rounded out the podium in third.
On the women‘s side, Alva Björk (Sweden) dominated the race with a smooth, well-paced run across the open terrain, topping the podium. Behind her came Johanna Källvik Leufvén (Sweden) in second and Oda Scheele (Norway) in third.
With the general classification now underway, the week’s journey through Trentino continues tomorrow with the Long Distance, once again set on the slopes of Passo del Tonale.
Photos: link
Full results: link
Livelox route replay: link
