L’Étape Brasil by Tour de France presented by Nubank opened its 2026 season on Sunday, March 29, in Cunha, São Paulo. One of the world’s leading cycling brands welcomed more than 1,500 athletes for the two race options: the 111-kilometer long course and the 53-kilometer short course.

The event was marked by fog during the early part of the day and by tightly contested finishes decided in all-out sprints, several of them requiring photo-finish confirmation. The opening race is part of the 2026 calendar, which will also include Serra Negra, São Paulo, before the season finale in Campos do Jordão, São Paulo.

The start of L’Étape Cunha was given at exactly 6 a.m., with riders divided into seven waves. Cyclists faced a technical route with demanding climbs, fast descents and sections that required constant attention.

A change in the finish-line location, previously on the climb to Igreja Matriz and now near the Village area in Parque Lavapés, made the outcome even more open and favored high-speed finishes. As a result, photo finishes were needed in virtually all of the day’s main races.

In the women’s long course, covering 111 kilometers and approximately 2,400 meters of elevation gain, Carla Guttilla Lacerda claimed victory in 3:17:29.129 to become a two-time winner in Cunha. Marina Boite finished second in 3:19:19.161, while Bruna Tasca Twiaschor took third in 3:21:29.045. “The race was really painful, especially at the beginning, when you need to stay focused,” Carla Guttilla said. “Besides strength, you also have to be very alert not to crash, touch wheels and those kinds of things. But the race is great like this, democratic, with something for everyone.”

In the men’s long course, Cainã Guimaraes de Oliveira prevailed in a razor-close finish, clocking 2:56:11.186, just ahead of Thales Fernando Areias Ribeiro, who posted 2:56:11.701. Euller Magno Rabelo completed the podium in 2:58:09.319. Cainã highlighted the teamwork behind his win in the mountains and said the race was only decided in the final meters. “It was a very hard race,” he said. “Vinicius, my teammate, and I did a very good team job today. On the hardest part of the climb, we made the selection and ended up with two other rivals. I came into the finish with one more rider and we settled it in the sprint. Without that help, I wouldn’t have been able to win.”

The 53-kilometer short course produced even tighter battles. In the women’s race, Ana Lidia Borba won in 1:24:20.146, followed by Vitoria Rodrigues Ribeirinha in 1:24:20.496 and Juliana Maciel in 1:24:20.608. The three crossed the line almost together, with the podium decided by photo finish.

After the race, Ana Lidia said she knew she had finished among the top three, but could not tell exactly where because of how close the finish had been. “It was really good, super nice,” she said. “The finish at the church used to be harder; now it’s an uphill sprint. We end up arriving a bit mixed with the men. I got on Ju’s wheel, Juliana Maciel, who is much faster than I am, and went all in.

It’s really cool when we have such a closely contested race. The girls and I rode together the whole time.” In the men’s short course, Lucas Silva Ramos took the win in 1:18:19.106, beating Marcio Ferreira Bigai, who finished in 1:18:19.345, while Danylo Angelo Nogueira Rodrigues was third in 1:18:22.210. Bigai had arrived as the winner of consecutive editions, but this time lost by mere hundredths of a second. “It’s immensely satisfying to compete against these great riders,” Lucas Ramos said. “It was an honor to beat Marcio Bigai, who is a three-time winner of this race. It was a technical race, Bigai launched an attack, and I stayed with him all the way to the finish. I passed him in the last 50 meters.” In the King and Queen of the Mountain contest on the long course, Euller Magno Rabelo and Carla Guttilla Lacerda were the standout performers. Euller posted the fastest men’s climb time in 9:48.745, while Carla set the best women’s mark in 12:30.535.

After the opening round in Cunha, the 2026 calendar will continue with the debut of Serra Negra on June 28, 2026, before closing in Campos do Jordão on September 27, 2026, a traditional stop on the national circuit. “L’Étape gives Brazilian cyclists an experience very close to what they follow at the Tour de France, with a technical course, strategy, safety and a major operation to close roads and offer the best possible environment for the athletes,” said Bruno Prada, the event’s CEO. “Cunha once again showed the strength of our event and our team in building a race that is challenging, democratic and unforgettable.” Event organizers emphasized that the race structure includes closed and monitored roads, as well as hydration stations, nutrition support, mechanical assistance and medical care throughout the course. “For us, it is an honor to host L’Étape in Cunha once again,” said Rodrigo Sérgio do Nascimento, mayor of Cunha. “This is already the seventh edition here in the city, which was the first to host the race in Brazil.

That is a source of pride, but also a major responsibility. We need to maintain this structure because the event boosts the local economy not only during race weekend, but throughout the year. Many people come to Cunha, discover the city, and return later to train, ride and spend money in local businesses.” The opening event of the 2027 season is also set to take place in Cunha, from April 2 to 4.