Haley Smith and Anton Stensby take Victory at 2026 The Rift in Iceland
The men’s race delivered a brutally fast and tightly-contested battle across all checkpoints, with the front group locked together for more than 150 km before the decisive splits finally appeared in the closing hour.
Anton Stensby produced the standout ride of the day, pacing every sector with absolute precision and never showing a moment of weakness. His consistency across all splits — from the opening 13 km through to the decisive 181 km timing point — set up a commanding victory in 06:16:47. Behind him, Rasmus Bøgh Wallin matched Stensby almost split-for-split, losing only seconds in the final segment to finish 20 seconds back. Adne Koster completed the podium, fading slightly in the last kilometres but holding off the chasing group. The next cluster — L'Esperance, Gagne, Vakoc, De Marchi, Fini Juul, Ottema — all cracked after 158 km, losing minutes in the final sector but maintaining their top-10 positions thanks to strong early pacing. Veteran legend Nino Schurter delivered another remarkable performance, staying with the leaders until the mid-race checkpoints and securing a top-10 finish at age 40.
The women’s race broke apart gradually across the long sequence of timing checkpoints, with the front trio separating themselves early and holding their advantage all the way to the finish. Haley Smith delivered a masterclass in steady pacing, controlling every sector from the opening 13 km split through to the decisive 181 km marker. Her ability to maintain rhythm on the mid-race climbs and avoid any late fade secured a commanding victory in 7:25:50.
Behind her, Erica Magnaldi rode an exceptionally consistent race. She matched Smith through the early checkpoints and briefly held the fastest split at 82 km, but Smith’s strength in the final hour proved decisive. Magnaldi finished just over a minute back, taking a clear second place. Morgan Aguirre completed the podium with a strong, balanced ride. She stayed locked to Magnaldi’s wheel through the first half of the race, then lost time between 158 km and 181 km but held her position comfortably. The next group — Skovgård Hansen, Vitzthum Von Eckstaedt, Kolbeinsdóttir, Brünger — all rode well through the mid-race but cracked in the final 40 km, losing significant time yet maintaining their top-10 standings thanks to strong early pacing. Further back, Minna-Maria Kangas and Joelle Debban rode almost identical races, finishing within one second of each other after matching splits from 82 km onward. Rachel Frey rounded out the top 10, delivering a gritty performance after a slower start and pushing through the late climbs to secure her place.
The 330-kilometre men’s ultra delivered a brutal test of endurance, pacing discipline, and late-race resilience. The opening 13 km split showed a tightly packed front group, but the race truly began to fracture after the 223–245 km sector, where the strongest riders separated themselves and the time gaps began to widen. Chase Wark produced a phenomenal all-day performance, riding with absolute control through every major checkpoint. His pacing from 245 km onward was the decisive factor — he held his rhythm while others began to fade, and his surge between 294 km and 317 km sealed a commanding victory in 14:06:23. Behind him, Mathieu Bélanger-Barrette rode a near-perfect race, matching Wark through the early checkpoints and staying within striking distance until the final hour. His consistency earned him second place, finishing just under ten minutes back. The battle for third was defined by the mid-race splits. Nils Correvon lost time early at the 223 km marker but clawed back minutes through the 245–294 km sector. His strong late push secured the final podium spot in 15:07:24. Further down the top ten, Albert Fernández Sainz, Johannes Schinnagel, and Stephen Fitzgerald all delivered steady, disciplined pacing, losing time gradually but never cracking. Alexander Nikolopoulos and Chris Burkard rode smart, conservative races, staying within themselves and climbing the leaderboard as others faded. The final two positions — Chris Hillier and Riley Gibson-Graf — came from riders who started slower but maintained relentless forward momentum. Their late-race splits show grit rather than speed, and both earned their top-10 spots through sheer durability.
The women’s 330-kilometre ultra unfolded as a test of extreme pacing discipline, with the front trio separating themselves early and widening the gaps steadily across the long sequence of checkpoints. Madeleine Nutt delivered a commanding, wire-to-wire performance, riding with remarkable consistency from the opening 13 km split all the way to the finish. Her ability to hold steady power through the decisive 223–317 km sectors made her untouchable, securing victory in 17:08:03. Behind her, Anuchi Gago rode a strong, controlled race. She lost time early at the 223 km marker but stabilised her pace through the mid-race climbs, keeping the gap manageable until the final hour. Her finishing time of 17:28:03 earned her a clear second place, exactly twenty minutes behind Nutt. Kae Takeshita completed the podium with a gritty, resilient ride. After a slower start, she found rhythm in the 245–294 km sector and held her pace through the final climbs. Her splits show a steady, determined progression, finishing in 18:30:12 to secure third.
Simone Lapo Zoadelli delivered a commanding performance in the 140 km Open Men’s race, controlling every major checkpoint and never allowing the field a chance to close the gap. From the opening 13 km split, Zoadelli set a sharp tempo and maintained complete authority through the mid-race climbs at 83 km and 106 km. His decisive move came between the 106 km and 129 km timing points, where he extended his advantage with a perfectly timed surge. By the final sector, he was riding alone and unchallenged, stopping the clock in 4:54:18 for a dominant wire-to-wire victory. A flawless, disciplined ride — Zoadelli was the strongest rider on course from start to finish.
Júlía Oddsdóttir delivered a commanding performance in the 140 km Open Women’s race, controlling the pace from the opening 13 km split and never relinquishing her advantage. She matched the early tempo of the front group, then opened a decisive gap between the 83 km and 106 km checkpoints with a perfectly timed surge on the climbs. From there, Oddsdóttir rode with complete authority, extending her lead through the 129 km marker and finishing solo in 5:56:01. Her pacing was flawless across all sectors — smooth early speed, strong mid-race climbing, and a composed final push. A wire-to-wire victory with no weaknesses.
Jón Arnar Sigurjónsson delivered a superbly controlled ride to win the 60 km Open Men’s race, pacing the course with veteran precision. He set the tone early with a sharp 13 km split, then consolidated his advantage through the 47 km checkpoint, holding off all challengers with steady, disciplined power. Sigurjónsson’s final sector was flawless — no fade, no mistakes — stopping the clock in 2:05:31 for a decisive and fully earned victory. A masterclass in pacing from a rider who knows exactly how to manage effort across short-format endurance terrain.
María Karlsdóttir delivered a commanding performance in the 60 km Open Women’s race, riding with calm precision from start to finish. She set a strong early tempo at the 13 km split, then tightened her grip on the race through the 47 km checkpoint, where her pacing discipline created a decisive gap. Karlsdóttir’s final sector was controlled and confident — no fade, no hesitation — stopping the clock in 2:36:02 for a fully deserved solo victory. A sharp, well-managed ride from a rider who knew exactly how hard she could push across the short-format course.
2026 The Rift 60km Open Men
1. Jón Arnar Sigurjónsson (Tindur) – 02:05:31
2. Alex Novak (Montana State University) – 02:06:07 (+00:42)
3. Todd Novak (Peace Coffee Racing) – 02:19:30 (+14:05)
4. Árni Dagur Sigurgeirsson – 02:24:31 (+19:22)
5. Riho Pihelpuu – 02:29:35 (+24:35)
6. Matt Bannerman – 02:34:59 (+29:57)
7. Christoph Schuetzeneder – 02:35:56 (+30:25)
8. Þórir Rúnarsson – 02:42:27 (+37:15)
9. Christian Metzger – 02:46:05 (+41:03)
10. Ken Kovach – 03:00:33 (+55:18)
2026 The Rift 60km Open Women
1. María Karlsdóttir (Allskonar Næs) – 02:36:02
2. Ellie Clemensen – 02:42:25 (+06:38)
3. Steinunn Þórðardóttir – 02:48:28 (+12:29)
4. Maggie Williams (Oliver Winery Cycling) – 02:52:54 (+17:03)
5. Martyna Daszkiewicz – 03:03:26 (+27:31)
6. Anna Lilja Sævarsdóttir (Hjólreiðafélag Akureyrar) – 03:04:47 (+28:58)
7. Berglind Þóra Steinarsdóttir – 03:09:38 (+33:39)
8. Kristín Magdalena Kristjánsdóttir (Bjartur) – 03:24:40 (+48:58)
9. Nina-Caroline Berger – 03:36:36 (+01:00:47)
10. Akemi Hoshi Maikranz – 03:36:36 (+01:00:47)
2026 The Rift 140km Open Men
1. Simone Lapo Zoadelli (ASD Team MpFiltri) – 04:54:18
2. Guðmundur Sveinsson (Team Cube Iceland) – 05:36:12 (+41:55)
3. Elia Paoletti (ASD Team MpFiltri) – 05:51:06 (+56:48)
4. Nikita Dementyev – 05:53:21 (+59:08)
5. Hákon Pálsson – 05:52:55 (+59:08)
6. Michael Cook – 05:55:59 (+01:01:41)
7. Nicolas Martin Boimond (Gravel Yaute) – 05:55:55 (+01:01:41)
8. Bjarni Jónasson (HFA) – 05:56:00 (+01:01:42)
9. Gudmundur Thorleifsson (Team Steinbítur) – 05:57:09 (+01:03:14)
10. Árni Már Jónsson – 06:08:27 (+01:14:09)
2026 The Rift 140km Open Women
1. Júlía Oddsdóttir (Lauf/Breiðablik) – 05:56:01
2. Änni Faye Kossinna – 06:15:54 (+19:53)
3. Grace Washburn (Velocio // Enve) – 06:18:23 (+22:29)
4. Merida Miller (Castelli SOG) – 06:27:41 (+31:40)
5. Rakel Logadóttir (Lauf Staff) – 06:39:50 (+43:52)
6. Juliette Landon (Baltic) – 06:40:59 (+45:21)
7. Anna Krckova (Yarmill) – 06:48:40 (+52:48)
8. Harpa Hermannsdóttir (HFA) – 06:55:01 (+59:04)
9. Leah Taveras – 07:01:44 (+01:06:11)
10. Natalía Erla Cassata (HFR-Alvotech) – 07:02:48 (+01:06:55)
2026 The Rift 200km Top 10 Elite Men
1. Anton Stensby (FARA) – 06:16:47
2. Rasmus Bøgh Wallin (PAS Racing) – 06:17:06 (+00:20)
3. Adne Koster (Seka Gravel Team) – 06:17:27 (+00:39)
4. Andrew L'Esperance (Forward Racing) – 06:21:26 (+04:35)
5. Julien Gagne (LUNCHBOXRACING) – 06:21:21 (+04:36)
6. Petr Vakoc (Factor Racing) – 06:25:23 (+08:32)
7. Mattia De Marchi (The Grip) – 06:25:25 (+08:39)
8. Sebastian Fini Juul (Mondraker Factory Racing) – 06:27:25 (+10:38)
9. Rick Ottema (Foodmaker Gravelking) – 06:27:29 (+10:38)
10. Nino Schurter (SCOTT-Sram MTB-Racing Team) – 06:31:48 (+15:01)
2026 The Rift 200km Top 10 Elite Women
1. Haley Smith (Factor Racing) – 07:25:50
2. Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) – 07:26:51 (+01:01)
3. Morgan Aguirre (PAS Racing) – 07:30:29 (+04:43)
4. Klara Sofie Skovgård Hansen (Canyon Factory Racing) – 07:42:23 (+16:37)
5. Sophie Vitzthum Von Eckstaedt (Privateer/Scott/Velocio/SRA) – 07:48:43 (+22:57)
6. Andrea Kolbeinsdóttir (Ægir3/Fjallahlaupaþjálfun) – 07:56:54 (+31:08)
7. Jil Brünger (ROSE Racing Circle) – 08:02:08 (+36:22)
8. Minna-Maria Kangas (IK-32) – 08:22:19 (+56:33)
9. Joelle Debban (Distance To Empty) – 08:22:20 (+56:34)
10. Rachel Frey (Distance To Empty) – 08:57:15 (+01:31:29)
2026 The Rift 330km Top 10 Elite Men
1. Chase Wark (Lunchbox Racing) – 14:06:23
2. Mathieu Bélanger-Barrette (The Unscented Company / Cannon) – 14:16:04 (+09:42)
3. Nils Correvon – 15:07:24 (+01:00:58)
4. Albert Fernández Sainz (Alberto Fernández) – 15:27:12 (+01:20:46)
5. Johannes Schinnagel (Schranz04 Racing) – 15:53:49 (+01:47:33)
6. Stephen Fitzgerald (Rodeo Adventure Labs) – 16:00:12 (+01:53:55)
7. Alexander Nikolopoulos (Team RECON Masters) – 16:19:31 (+02:13:05)
8. Chris Burkard – 16:51:19 (+02:44:55)
9. Chris Hillier – 17:27:58 (+03:21:36)
10. Riley Gibson-Graf – 18:00:43 (+03:54:20)
2026 The Rift 330km Top 10 Elite Women
1. Madeleine Nutt (Lauf) – 17:08:03
2. Anuchi Gago (Factor Racing Team) – 17:28:03 (+20:00)
3. Kae Takeshita (Lauf Cycles Crew) – 18:30:12 (+01:22:09)
LInk to 2026 The Rift Results: https://timataka.net/therift2026
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