The town of Gabala has previously featured in the Azerbaijan Cycling Tour, both as a stage start (2016 & 2017) and a stage finish (2017). Alieksei Shnirko, winner of the first stage from Baku to Sumgayit, is celebrating his 32nd birthday today. The stage starts punctually at 9.20 am in Gabala under blue skies and bright sunshine / 25°C. All 126 riders – out of an original 139 – who successfully reached the finish yesterday are at the start. The stage begins with a 1.8 km neutralised section, after which the 162.9 km route is 81% flat. There are two sprint classifications (at 47.5 km and 125.5 km) and one mountain classification (at 85.6 km).

Race summary

The peloton stays tightly bunched for the first 35 kilometres, apart from a few bike changes due to mechanical issues.

After 40 kilometres, the first attack comes from five riders, who manage to open a gap on the main field. The five-man breakaway group: Juan Pedro Lozano – Eduardo Pérez-Landaluce – Marl-Erdene Batmunkh – Ksawier Garnek – Mustafa Tekin – Owen Musset.

The first sprint classification (km 47.5) in Oğuz fields the following results:

1. Owen Musset 5 (3´´)
2. Ksawier Garnek 3 (2”)
3. Eduardo Pérez-Landaluce 2 (1”)

After a third of the race, the leading group’s lead over the peloton is 1 minute 25 seconds, or 1 km.

After just over 70 kilometres, Team Li Ning increases the pace. This causes the peloton to stretch out.

The first mountain classification (km 85.6) in Şәki:

1. Mustafa Tekin 5
2. Ksawier Garnek 3
3. Eduardo Pérez-Landaluce 2
4. Juan Pedor Lozano 1

After 102 kilometres, four riders attack from the peloton: Muradjan Khalmuratov (Uzbekistan National Team), Nícolas Sessler (Victoria Sports Pro Cycling), Brayan Sánchez (Team Medellín – EPM) and Tegsh-Bayar Batsaikhan (Roojai Insurance Winspace). Yorben Lauryssen (Tarteletto – Isorex) and Ksawery Adaszak (Mazowsze Serce Polski) counter the breakaway attempt and allow the group of four to open up a gap of just seven seconds. Meanwhile, the peloton is 20 seconds behind and is subsequently brought back up to the breakaway by Lauryssen and Adaszak.

The second sprint classification (km 125.5) in Seki yields the following results:

1. Teghs-Bayar Batsaikhan 5 (3’’)
2. Bravan Sánchez 3 (2’’)
3. Muradian Khalmuratov 2 (1’’)

With 15 km to go, Team Tartelette-Isorex picks up the pace in the peloton, thereby reducing the gap to the leading group. The leading group tries to keep the peloton at bay – in vain. A good two kilometres from the finish, the breakaway riders are caught by the peloton in the town of Mingachevir. From here, Team Li Ning tries to push and get into a good sprinting position, but the attack comes too early.

Instead, yesterday’s stage winner Yevgeni Fedorov (XDS Astana Team) launches the sprint for his team-mate Gleb Syritsa on the approach to the home straight – with success.

The Russian, who suffered a puncture 21 kilometres from the finish and subsequently had to fight his way back into the peloton, proved to have the strongest legs in the bunch sprint and secured the stage victory. Second place went to the Belgian Timothy Dupont (Team Tartelette – Isorex), ahead of Cristian David Pita from Ecuador (Team Roojai Insurance Winspace).

The green jersey for the best sprinter also goes to the stage winner, Gleb Syritsa. The Belgian Lennert Teugels (Tartelette-Isorex) takes the red jersey for the best climber. The white jersey for the best young rider is secured by the Spaniard Iker Gomez (Team Kern Pharma).

All 126 riders who started today finished within the required time limit.

Tomorrow’s fourth stage covers 152.8 km from Ganja to Naftalan.