Team Novo Nordisk Fights to the Line on final stage of the Tour of Slovenia

Team Novo Nordisk made an early statement at Stage 5 of the 2026 Tour of Slovenia, with David Lozano earning his spot in the day’s breakaway from the gun. The move was short-lived as the race hit the early climbs where a brutal pace from the front split the group apart almost immediately. Dropped from the break, he dug in and rode his way back to a strong finish, crossing the line 36th and leading the team home, with teammate Sam Brand following in 39th after a hard-fought ride from the whole squad.

The breakaway attempt itself was a sign of intent, Lozano wasted no time getting into position when the race went on the attack, putting the team on the front foot early. When the climb forced the pace up a gear and the move blew apart, Lozano found himself isolated, with only a couple of riders able to bridge across to the new leaders. Rather than fold, he turned his attention to the finish and clawed his way to a finish that showed real character.

David Lozano:
“I’m a bit disappointed, to be honest, I wanted to be in the breakaway, and I made it there but one guy was killing everyone on the climb, and he ended up going alone, with only two guys able to rejoin him. After that I was just really empty, but I managed to finish quite strong with what I had left. Now it’s time to get ready for the second part of the season, which is really important for us – racing ‘home’ in both Denmark and the US.”

Behind him, Brand and Antonio Polga held firm in the front group deep into the finale, a testament to the team’s strength across a demanding stage.

Sam Brand:
“It was a tough day from the gun. We knew the start would be hard, but David made a great move getting into the first attack, building a gap before the climb. A few other teams missed the split and had a GC contender in the bunch, so the pace stayed high all day to manage the gap. We worked really well as a team to get over the climbs and onto the final circuit, with myself, David and Antonio all in the front group. The final climb blew the race apart and we just focused on finishing as strongly as possible, proud to show the jersey out there.”

The team will now regroup for its annual summer training camp which forms part of the Talent ID pipeline. This is where Team Novo Nordisk tests invitees living with type 1 diabetes who dream of becoming professional cyclists.