Strong Team Ride Through Crash-Marred Finish in Lithuania

Stage 1 of the Tour of Lithuania saw the Team Novo Nordisk Development Team come out with a clear plan and sharp focus—cover early moves, stay safe through the wind, and set up Jeffe Beets for the sprint.

Evert Schots and Frederik Sorensen were on the job from the gun, marking early breakaway attempts and keeping things tight at the front. Nothing stuck, and the peloton rolled on together through the opening laps.

As the wind picked up, Przemysław Kotulski and Richard Rundva took over, helping guide the team through the crosswind sections and making sure no one was caught out as the race threatened to split.

“The guys did a great job today sticking to the plan,” said Development Team Sports Director Sergey Lagutin. “They were sharp in the wind, committed to protecting Jeffe, and avoided the crashes in the final—which was no small task. The sprint didn’t play out how we wanted, but the teamwork and focus were exactly what we asked for. It’s a strong start.”