2026 Tour de Taiwan Taipei Stage Recap: How Dušan Rajović Sprint to Victory on Ketagalan Boulevard

Taipei Station Race Review

The first stage of the 2026 Tour de Taiwan—the Taipei Circuit Race—unfolded as a breathtaking bunch sprint on Ketagalan Boulevard. In the end, Serbian rider Dušan Rajović crossed the line first, followed closely by Liam Walsh and Andrea D’Amato.

Stage Overview

• Route: Ketagalan Boulevard circuit race
• Total Distance: 80.6 km
• Weather: Clear, temperature around 22°C
• Finishers: 189 riders (193 starters)

Race Process Analysis

First Half: Probing and Control

In the opening laps, several riders attempted breakaways, but under the tight control of the 23 teams, no escape managed to build an advantage of more than 30 seconds. The lead-out men of the sprint teams faithfully held position at the front of the peloton, keeping the pace between 42–45 km/h.

Middle Section: Changes in Rhythm

As the race entered its middle phase, a five-rider breakaway succeeded in establishing an advantage of around 1 minute 20 seconds. However, the sprint teams quickly organised their chase trains and successfully reeled the break back in with roughly 15 km remaining.

Final 5 km: The Lead-Out Trains Engage

Entering the last 5 km, the sprint trains of each team went full throttle. The wide surface of Ketagalan Boulevard offered ample room for positioning, but the technical corners still made the fight for position intensely tense.

Final 200 Metres: Rajović’s Winning Move

Coming out of the final corner, Rajović sat around third or fourth on the left side of the bunch. With roughly 200 metres to the line, he launched from the slipstream of Walsh, and with astonishing acceleration, he swept past all his rivals in the last 50 metres.

Sprint Data Analysis

According to the power data released after the race:

Rajović’s key to victory lay in his sprint timing—he chose to launch at a later point, using the slipstream of the riders ahead to conserve energy, then completed the pass with superior closing speed. This is a textbook example of the “strike late, strike hard” sprint strategy.

Tactical Breakdown

Flawless Execution by Rajović’s Team

In the final three kilometres, Rajović’s team delivered a textbook lead-out train. Four domestiques took turns pulling at the front, each yielding position after covering roughly 500–800 metres, ultimately delivering Rajović to the ideal launching spot with about 300 metres remaining.

Walsh’s Regret

Walsh chose to launch his sprint earlier (around 250 metres out) and briefly held the lead through the first 150 metres. But the early launch meant he was already near his limit in the final 50 metres, unable to resist Rajović’s late surge.

D’Amato’s Solid Performance

Italian rider D’Amato’s sprint rhythm fell between the two, and he secured third place with a steady output. His performance suggests he will remain competitive in the upcoming flat stages.

Impact on the General Classification

After the opening stage, Rajović pulled on the leader’s yellow jersey. Since the circuit race produced no significant time gaps, the time differences among the top 20 riders are minimal, leaving the overall title fight completely open.

Top five on GC after Stage 1:

1. Dušan Rajović — Race leader
2. Liam Walsh — +0 s (sprint points gap)
3. Andrea D’Amato — +0 s
4. (Fourth-place rider) — +0 s
5. (Fifth-place rider) — +0 s

Outlook for the Remaining Stages

The result in Taipei confirmed the high calibre of the sprinters in this edition of the Tour de Taiwan. The upcoming Taoyuan and Kaohsiung stages are equally favourable to the fast men, but the climbing stage on Provincial Highway 9 in eastern Taiwan on Stage 5 will completely reshape the picture.

Conclusion

Rajović’s victory on Ketagalan Boulevard showcased the power and judgement of a world-class sprinter. His explosiveness and timing over the final 200 metres stand as a textbook example of sprinting. For everyone watching on site or through the broadcast, this sprint showdown was a perfect curtain-raiser for the 2026 Tour de Taiwan.

Related Reading

• The Art of Rajović’s Sprint: How the Two-Time Tour de Taiwan Champion Won from 200 Metres Out
• 2026 Tour de Taiwan Complete Preview: 23 International Teams and Five Stages Analysed
• Tour de Taiwan Data Dive: 635 Kilometres Told Through Numbers
• Top 10 Moments of the 2026 Tour de Taiwan: Reliving Five Days of Emotion in One Article