Rajovic's Art of the Sprint: How the Two-Stage Winner of the Tour de Taiwan Turned the Tables in the Final 200 Meters

Bad Position? No Problem—Just Attack from the Side

In the world of cycling sprints, position is everything. Every coach will tell you: “You have to hold your position in the final 200 meters.” But Dusan Rajovic clearly didn’t listen—or rather, he has his own approach.

Stage 1 Taipei: The Flank Attack

Rajovic’s sprint in the Taipei stage was a classic. Entering the final 200 meters, his position was far from ideal, squeezed to the outside of the pack. For most riders, that would have meant silently accepting “maybe top five today” as the outcome.

But the Serbian chose an unorthodox route—attacking from the side.

“My position wasn’t great in the final 200 meters, but I decided to give it a try from the side.” — Rajovic, post-race interview

The result? He crossed the line first in 1 hour 35 minutes 54 seconds, at an average speed of 50.43 km/h in the high-speed criterium, taking the yellow jersey.

Stage 4 Pingtung: A Human Cannonball at 71 km/h

If the Stage 1 victory could be chalked up to “catching them off guard,” then the Stage 4 sprint was pure brute-force aesthetics.

The flat course in Pingtung’s Liudui region was destined to belong to the sprinters. Over the 131.2 km race, the pack stayed glued together all day, with no successful breakaways. All 74 riders crossed the finish line with the same time, and Rajovic unleashed a staggering 71 km/h in the final sprint.

Let’s put that in perspective:

• Taiwan’s highway speed limit is 110 km/h
• Rajovic’s sprint speed was 71 km/h
• He reached 65% of the highway speed limit on his own legs

Sprint Data Comparison

Interestingly, the third-place finisher in both sprints was Andrea D’Amato of Team Ukyo. The Italian has probably seen enough of Rajovic’s rear wheel by now.

Why Does He Win?

1. Explosive Power: The 71 km/h top speed says it all
2. On-the-Fly Adaptability: Even with a bad position, he finds a way out
3. Mental Toughness: He still makes the right call under immense pressure
4. Team Support: The escort work from Solution Tech-NIPPO-Rali was invaluable

Rajovic’s story tells us this: in a cycling sprint, sometimes the best position isn’t the one straight ahead—it’s the side your rivals aren’t watching.

Related Reading

• 2026 Tour de Taiwan Stage 1 Recap: How Dušan Rajović Won the Sprint on Ketagalan Boulevard
• The Unsung Heroes of the Tour de Taiwan: Mechanics, Team Car Drivers, and Feed Zone Stories
• Tour de Taiwan Tactics Classroom: A Complete Breakdown of the Art of Attack and Defense in a Bunch Sprint
• The Wind of the Tour de Taiwan: How Crosswinds, Headwinds, and Tailwinds Change Race Outcomes