The 2026 Baltic Chain Tour got underway on Friday with a demanding double-stage opening day, featuring a team time trial at Biķernieku trase in the morning before a fast 191-kilometre race from Riga to Valga in the afternoon.
The morning began with Stage 1A, the team time trial at the famous Biķernieku trase. Before the start, previous Baltic Chain Tour winner Rait Ärm of Energus Cycling Team and Estonia’s Romet Pajur were among the riders expected to play a major role in the opening day.
Stage 1A delivered exactly the kind of fast and aggressive racing expected from the start. The 5.4-kilometre opening section was won by the National Team of Estonia with a time of 5:48.61, with Norman Vahtra crossing the line first to take the stage victory. Rait Ärm finished 11th, just one second behind.
The road stage from Riga to Valga immediately settled into a high-speed rhythm. Several early attacks were attempted, but none was able to establish a significant gap. Approaching Sigulda, Sander Gysland of Sandnes SK – Region Sør-Vest became the first rider to successfully break clear.
Gysland was also first over the top of the Sigulda climb, taking maximum points in the first intermediate sprint. Fabian Steininger of Schwingshandl Intralogistics and Māris Bogdanovičs of the National Team of Latvia followed in second and third.
Intermediate Sprint 1 – Sigulda
- Sander Gysland (Sandnes SK – Region Sør-Vest)
- Fabian Steininger (Schwingshandl Intralogistics)
- Māris Bogdanovičs (National Team of Latvia)
Drawing on the experience of last year’s race, two riders soon managed to establish a gap, with another four riders later joining them to form a seven-man breakaway. The situation remained stable for a long period, with the breakaway working well together and several teams seemingly comfortable with the race situation.
The second intermediate sprint in Smiltene was won by the breakaway riders, with Magnus Machholdt taking maximum points ahead of teammate Oskar Hertz and Mathias Post.
Intermediate Sprint 2 – Smiltene
- Magnus Machholdt (REFFEN CO:PLAY Giant Store)
- Mathias Post (TEAM AALBORG SPAREKASSEN)
- Oskar Hertz (REFFEN CO:PLAY Giant Store)
Following the sprint, Energus Cycling Team and ATT Investments moved to the front of the peloton and began driving the chase. The gap quickly came down to around 30 seconds, and with 15 kilometres remaining, all seven breakaway riders had been caught.
The peloton was once again together heading towards Valga, with teams beginning to organise their riders for the technical final 500 metres. At 10 kilometres to go, the race remained stable, but the fight for position intensified as the riders entered Valga.
With just two kilometres remaining, a crash split the race and involved approximately 20 riders. In the resulting sprint, Romet Pajur of the National Team of Estonia emerged victorious, taking the Stage 1B win and, with the time bonuses included, moving into the overall lead of the Baltic Chain Tour.
Pajur’s victory also saw him take control of several classification jerseys after the opening day.
After Stage 1B:
- Tour Overall Leader: Romet Pajur (National Team of Estonia)
- Most Competitive Rider: Romet Pajur (National Team of Estonia)
- Most Active Rider: Magnus Machholdt (REFFEN CO:PLAY Giant Store)
- Best Young Rider: Romet Pajur (National Team of Estonia)
With the opening day complete, the 2026 Baltic Chain Tour now moves fully into Estonia. Stage 2 starts tomorrow in Kuremaa, where the riders will race around Kuremaa and Laiuse before heading towards the finish in Ülenurme.
