The Hills fully met expectations: a very high level of competition, a challenging course that prevented any clear domination, and a group of athletes capable of making every detail decisive. In this context, the protagonists of the day were Bradyn Lange's victory in the men's category, Larissa Hartog's dominance in the women's category, and, above all, the brilliant debut of Nino Schurter in gravel, who finished 5th in his first race in this discipline and his first cycling competition after retiring from cross-country professional.
The Swiss cyclist didn't win, but his result has enormous sporting value. Finishing in the top five in a race of this caliber—long, fast, and technically demanding—clearly demonstrates that his withdrawal from the cross-country (XCO) didn't mean a break from competition. On the contrary, Schurter demonstrated that he continued to train, that he still has a powerful engine, and that he's still capable of expressing himself at his best in a very different context from the one he dominated for years in mountain biking.
Bardet gave the team a boost, but the course didn't allow for a clear dominance. Bardet tried to break away from the pack early, but the technical terrain made the fight much more even.
The men's race began with Romain Bardet determined to push himself to the limit physically, looking to capitalize on one of his greatest strengths from earlier in the season. However, this time the terrain wasn't as favorable. The more technical and varied course prevented him from establishing the dominance he had shown in other races this year.
This context paved the way for a much more dynamic race, with several riders alternating in the lead. Among them, Martins Blums, another mountain biker who has converted to gravel, even took the lead solo after the halfway point. It was one of the most significant moves of the day and confirmed that the importance of mountain bike specialists was not limited to Schurter's debut.
Lange resolved a very open race in the final
Lange made the right move at the crucial moment, and Vakoc found himself just 11 seconds away from victory.
But if there's one runner who truly understood the importance of the decisive moment, it was Bradyn Lange. The American launched his attack in the final straight and managed to build a decisive lead to win solo in 4:21:10. It wasn't a victory built on absolute control, but on the ability to choose the right moment and maintain the lead until the finish.
Behind them, Petr Vakoc once again proved himself to be one of the strongest riders in the race, taking second place, just 11 seconds behind the winner. The Czech came very close to joining the final breakaway, but was unable to challenge for the victory. The surprise of the day was Célestin Guillon, who rounded out the podium with an exceptional performance in an extremely competitive race.
Diego Rosa secured an excellent fourth place, while Schurter rounded out the top five, 1:49 behind the winner. Dario Cherchi, Hugo Drechou, and Magnus Bak Klaris placed right behind them, in a ranking that clearly demonstrates the extremely high international level of this edition.
Hartog dominated the women's race
Hartog dominated convincingly, completing the Canyon ATR double overall victory at The Hills.
In the women's category, Larissa Hartog was the undisputed star of the day. The Dutchwoman controlled the race with authority, crossing the finish line in 5:01:45. Her victory was clear, leaving no room for her rivals in the decisive section of the course.
Erica Magnaldi finished second with a time of 1:42, confirming her excellent form, while Elena Hartmann rounded out the podium with a time of 1:48. Axelle Dubau-Prévot finished fourth, and Nele Laing rounded out the top five, capping off an exceptional day for the Canyon DT Swiss ATR team with two riders in the top five.
The women’s race also showed that the level of the Gravel Earth Series continues to rise, with relatively small gaps between the best and several athletes with very different profiles competing for the top positions.
The Hills 2026 Men's Standings
| 1 | Bradyn Lange | 4:21:09 |
| 2 | Peter Vakoc | + 11 |
| 3 | Celestin Guillon | + 33 |
| 4 | Diego Rose | + 55 |
| 5 | Nino Schurter | + 1: 48 |
| 6 | Dario Cherchi | + 1: 59 |
| 7 | Hugo Drchou | + 2: 49 |
| 8 | Magnus Look Claris | + 3: 05 |
| 9 | Fabian Rabensteiner | + 3: 10 |
| 10 | Floris DeTier | + 5: 19 |
The Hills 2026 Women's results
| 1 | Larissa Hartog | 5:01:44 |
| 2 | Erica Magnaldi | + 1: 41 |
| 3 | Elena Hartmann | + 1: 48 |
| 4 | Axelle Dubau-Prévôt | + 2: 28 |
| 5 | Nele Laing | + 3: 23 |
| 6 | Hanne Van Lock | + 5: 56 |
| 7 | Morgan Aguirre | + 9: 58 |
| 8 | Olivia Hottinger | + 11: 25 |
| 9 | Clara Koppenburg | + 11: 40 |
| 10 | Elena Duskova | + 12: 43 |
