Tour of Taihu Lake – Stage 1: Kopecký Battles Through Heat to 16th in Nanjing Opener

Team Novo Nordisk opened its Tour of Taihu Lake campaign with a battling performance on Stage 1, as Matyáš Kopecký led the team home in 16th place after a chaotic sprint finale in Nanjing.

The 96.5-kilometer opener unfolded under intense heat and humidity, with temperatures pushing riders to their limits on the rolling terrain and late climbs that split the peloton. The world’s all-diabetes professional cycling team worked cohesively throughout the stage, with David Lozano, Filippo Ridolfo, and Kopecký well-positioned going into the decisive finale.

“The guys did a really good job today,” said Kopecký. “We went all in to stay together and position me for the final. It was absolute carnage on the last two climbs and the bunch split, but we still had David and Pippo up front with me, so overall it was a solid team effort.”

Despite the team’s strong positioning, the searing heat took a heavy toll in the final kilometers. “Honestly, I haven’t felt so bad in a race when I’m not sick,” admitted Kopecký.

“The heat was killing me. I averaged 160 bpm and was literally about to pass out at the finish line. I did the maximum I could do.”

The stage was won by Matteo Malucelli (XDS–Astana Team), with Steffen De Schuyteneer (Lotto) and Stanisław Aniołkowski (Cofidis) rounding out the podium.

Team Novo Nordisk will look to recover and regroup for Stage 2 on Friday, a flat route around Suzhou Wujiang, expected to favor the sprinters once again.

Photos Credit 📸 Sharkey snaps