The 2026 Tour de Taiwan kicked off with a spectacular high-speed race in Taipei City, where Dusan Rajovic of Solution Tech Nippo Rali delivered a powerful sprint to win Stage 1 and claim the first yellow jersey of this year’s race. The 80.6 km city circuit, held under sunny conditions, featured fast laps through the capital and brought together 104 riders from international teams for the opening stage of the UCI 2.1 event.
Racing at an impressive average speed of 50.43 km/h, the peloton maintained a rapid pace throughout the race as teams fought for position ahead of the intermediate sprints and the final run to the finish. Intermediate sprint points and time bonuses played a key role in shaping the general classification early in the race. The competition intensified as the peloton approached the decisive final laps around Taipei’s city circuit. However, a crash within the final 3 km neutralized the time gaps for the riders involved, resulting in most of the peloton being credited with the same finishing time.In the final sprint, Rajovic launched a perfectly timed acceleration, crossing the line in 1:35:54 to claim the stage victory. It marked his first appearance in Taiwan and his first victory at the Tour de Taiwan. Liam Walsh (Ccache x Bodywrap) secured second place, while Andrea D’Amato (Team Ukyo) finished third, with all three riders credited with the same finishing time. With the victory and time bonuses, Rajovic also moved into the overall race lead, earning the yellow jersey after Stage 1. Walsh’s strong performance in the intermediate sprints earned him the green jersey for the points classification, while Yuma Koishi of Kinan Racing Team emerged as the best Asian rider, claiming the blue jersey.
Among the home riders, Chang You-Cheng of the Chinese Taipei National Team delivered the best result for Taiwan, finishing 18th in the stage and leading the Taiwanese riders in the overall classification.Stage 1 saw the entire peloton remain tightly grouped, with all 104 riders completing the race, setting the stage for an intense battle in the coming stages.
Looking ahead to Stage 2 in Taoyuan City (123.31km), the race will shift from the fast urban circuit of Taipei to a more demanding terrain. With climbs and technical sections awaiting the riders, the second stage is expected to challenge the sprinters and offer opportunities for breakaway specialists and general classification contenders. With several stages still to come, the 2026 Tour de Taiwan promises exciting racing across Taiwan’s diverse landscapes.
TOUR DE TAIWAN 2026 – STAGE 1 RESULTS
Stage Classification:
1. Dusan Rajovic (SOLUTION TECH NIPPO RALI) – 1:35:54
2. Liam Walsh (CCACHE X BODYWRAP) – s.t
3. Andrea D’Amato (TEAM UKYO) – s.t
Points Classification:
- Liam Walsh (CCACHE X BODYWRAP) – 19 pts
- Dusan Rajovic (SOLUTION TECH NIPPO RALI) – 16 pts
- Andrea D’Amato (TEAM UKYO) – 13 pts
