Serbian cyclist Dušan Rajović claimed victory in the opening stage of the Tour of Hainan 2026, after winning in a tight mass sprint that also allowed him to dress as the first leader of the general classification.
The day, with a mostly flat profile and close to 177 kilometers, was marked by an early breakaway that reached a lead of several minutes. However, the control exercised by the sprinters’ teams, including Solution Tech-NIPPO-Rali, was decisive in neutralizing the breakaway in the final stages.
Already in the final kilometers, the Rali team worked with precision to put Rajović in an ideal position for the sprint. The Serbian did not waste the opportunity and launched his attack in the decisive meters, narrowly beating Italian Matteo Malucelli, while Spaniard Daniel Cavia completed the podium of the stage.
Thanks to this victory and the bonuses obtained, Rajović becomes the first leader of the race, in a race that is part of the UCI ProSeries calendar and that brings together prominent names of the international peloton.
The victory is also an important boost for the Rali team, which starts the Asian round with prominence and ambition, making its intentions clear from the first day of competition.
