Tour of Slovakia 2021 – Stage 1 [FULL STAGE]

September 16, 2021

Tour of Slovakia 2021 – Stage 1 – Košice – Košice : 158,4 km

The Tour of Slovakia is a stage race that takes place before the World Championships each year, featuring a plethora of cycling stars both domestic and international. This year will be the 65th edition of the race that usually features five stages and has been a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour since 2017. Beginning in Košice, the race will track from the east to west of Slovakia, along a route that will prepare the riders for the upcoming World Championships. Starting off with a picturesque prologue around Košice, the race will gradually travel from east to west, taking in Spiš Castle (one of the largest ruins in Central Europe), the High Tatras and the spa town of Trenčianske Teplice. Whilst a couple of the stages will suit the sprinters, a hilly stage across the High Tatras looks set to define the general classification and its short, but steep climbs will be the ideal preparation looking ahead to Flanders 2021.

Alvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck-QuickStep), won Stage 1 of the Tour of Slovakia on his 25th birthday, launched to victory by yet another perfect Deceuninck-QuickStep lead out. He also takes the lead in the overall classification, thanks to the bonus seconds on the line.

Positioning was of the utmost importance given the presence of a final right-hand turn 400 metres from the finish, and as the peloton kicked out of this corner, a three-man QuickStep train emerged at the front. As has become customary this season, Michael Mørkøv (Deceuninck-QuickStep) provided the final lead out, leaving Hodeg a clear run to the line.

Behind Hodeg, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohë) finished second, and moves up to second overall, while Reinhart Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka NextHash) completed the podium.

“I want to say the team was perfect because they were always taking care of me all day,” Hodeg said at the finish. “We knew that Bora would want to do the climb full [gas] and in the end, we were only 60 or 70 riders. I just believed in my team, and they put me in the perfect position for the last kilometre. I just finished the work that they did all day. For sure, I’m leaving the team but, like I said to the boss Patrick [Lefevre], I want to do my best in the last days. I’m very happy for this birthday present for me and thanks to the team.”

How it unfolded

Beginning in Košice like the prologue, Stage 1 offered a different sort of test in the form of a 158.4km loop around the surrounding countryside, encompassing four categorised climbs. Despite the hilly terrain, a bunch sprint was expected, and the race unfurled with the typical cadence of a sprint stage.

A category 3 climb loomed immediately after the neutral zone, and, like a magnet to iron filings, the promise of early mountain points attracted a fierce fight to be in the breakaway. The first attempts were unsuccessful but eventually an eight-man group formed, composed of Martin Haring (Dukla Banská Bystrica), Andrea Garosio (Bardiani CSF Faizane), Roger Adria (Equipo Kern Pharma, Jaime Castrillo (Equipo Kern Pharma), Eirik Lunder (Gazprom-Rusvelo), Tomasz Budzinski (HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski), Dylan Sunderland (Qhubeka NextHash) and Gabriele Petrelli (Cycling Team Friuli ASD). They amassed a maximum advantage of three minutes.

Once the breakaway had formed, there was an equally fierce fight for the mountain points available on the road. Petrelli took the maximum points at the summit of the first category 3 climb, Budzinski did the same at the next climb. They were both beaten, however, by Garosio on the final two climbs. Garosio’s victory on the only category 2 climb of the day ensured that he leapfrogged his rivals in the mountains competition, and he collected the polka-dot jersey on the podium at the end of the day.

In the intermediate sprints, meanwhile, Lunder proved the most consistent rider, gaining 17 points and eight bonus seconds to catapult himself into third place in the overall standings.

Besides the action in the breakaway, a familiar lull settled over the race, punctuated only by the news that Jai Hindley (Team DSM) was forced to abandon after crashing earlier in the stage. As the kilometres ticked by, the Bora Hansgrohe-led peloton began to accelerate, in preparation for the near inevitable catch.

Sensing this, Castrillo launched a solo attack on the final climb, splintering the breakaway. He was first caught by a chase group composed of Sunderland and Carl Fredrik Hagen (Israel Start-Up Nation). They, in turn, were then caught by the peloton 5km from the finish.

Following the breakaway’s demise, a drag race between the sprint trains ensued as each one sought to position their sprinter as close to the front before the sharp right-hand turn with 400m to go. Deceuninck-QuickStep displayed their strength in this discipline and perfectly led out Hodeg who held off the attentions of Sagan and Janse van Rensburg to take his third victory of the season.

Results :
1 Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui (Col) Deceuninck-QuickStep 3:34:38
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
3 Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Qhubeka NextHash
4 Cees Bol (Ned) Team DSM
5 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep
6 Itamar Einhorn (Isr) Israel Start-up Nation
7 Luca Coati (Ita) Qhubeka NextHash
8 Dominik Neuman (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
9 Norman Vahtra (Est) Israel Start-up Nation
10 Francisco Galvan Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
11 Giovanni Lonardi (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
12 Matú? ?to?ek (Svk) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
13 Kaden Groves (Aus) Team BikeExchange
14 Nicolas Dalla Valle (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
15 Jakub Kaczmarek (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
16 Adam ?oupalík (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
17 Davide Martinelli (Ita) Astana-Premier Tech
18 Luká? Kubi? (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
19 Andreas Stokbro Nielsen (Den) Qhubeka NextHash
20 Riccardo Carretta (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd
21 Jonas Abrahamsen (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
22 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
23 Fredrik Dversnes (Nor) Gazprom-RusVelo
24 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Gazprom-RusVelo
25 Denis Nekrasov (Rus) Gazprom-RusVelo
26 Corey Davis (USA) Maloja Pushbikers
27 Fabio Felline (Ita) Astana-Premier Tech
28 David Per (Slo) Adria Mobil
29 Casper Pedersen (Den) Team DSM
30 Roger Adria Oliveras (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
31 Idar Andersen (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
32 Karel Tyrpekl (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
33 Gleb Brussenskiy (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech
34 Umberto Marengo (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
35 Jakub Otruba (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
36 Piotr Brozyna (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
37 Carl Fredrik Hagen (Nor) Israel Start-up Nation
38 Jason Osborne (Ger) Deceuninck-QuickStep
39 Jannik Steimle (Ger) Deceuninck-QuickStep
40 Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Nor) Team BikeExchange
41 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Gazprom-RusVelo
42 Gal Glivar (Slo) Adria Mobil
43 Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Start-up Nation
44 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech
45 Antonio Puppio (Ita) Qhubeka NextHash
46 Karel Camrda (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
47 Jan Bárta (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
48 Jan Stöhr (Cze) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
49 Stijn Steels (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
50 Marek ?anecky (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
51 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Qhubeka NextHash
52 Leon Heinschke (Ger) Team DSM
53 Benjamin Perry (Can) Astana-Premier Tech
54 Andrea Debiasi (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd
55 Danny Van Der Tuuk (Ned) Equipo Kern Pharma
56 Savva Novikov (Rus) Equipo Kern Pharma
57 Niklas Märkl (Ger) Team DSM
58 Eirik Lunder (Nor) Gazprom-RusVelo
59 Mirco Maestri (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
60 Jonas Wilsly (Den) Astana-Premier Tech
61 Alja? Jarc (Slo) Adria Mobil
62 Tomasz Budzinski (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
63 Jaime Castrillo Zapater (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
64 Marcin Budzinski (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
65 Martin Haring (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
66 Mat?j Zahálka (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
67 Sergio Araiz Michel (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
68 Chris Froome (GBr) Israel Start-up Nation
69 Ivan Moreno Sanchez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
70 Shane Archbold (NZl) Deceuninck-QuickStep
71 Michal Schlegel (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
72 Patrick Gamper (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
73 Michael Kukrle (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
74 Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
75 Andrea Garosio (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
76 Dylan Sunderland (Aus) Qhubeka NextHash
77 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
78 Christopher Jensen (Den) Team BikeExchange
79 Karel Vacek (Cze) Qhubeka NextHash
80 Gabriele Petrelli (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd
81 Edoardo Sandri (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd 0:00:23
82 Daniel Oss (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:40
83 Damiano Cima (Ita) Gazprom-RusVelo 0:04:50
84 Tomá? Kalojíros (Cze) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
85 Petr Fiala (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
86 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
87 Enrico Zanoncello (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
88 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
89 Sam Brand (GBr) Team Novo Nordisk
90 Juraj Lajcha (Svk) Slovakia
91 Bo?tjan Murn (Slo) Adria Mobil
92 Filip Lohinsk? (Svk) Slovakia
93 ?iga Horvat (Slo) Adria Mobil
94 Miká Heming (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers
95 Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-RusVelo
96 Ji?í Petru? (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
97 Dávid Ka?ko (Svk) Slovakia
98 Samuel Oros (Svk) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
99 Kristoffer Halvorsen (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
100 Erik Baska (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
101 Kristian Kulset (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
102 Marceli Boguslawski (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
103 Hannes Wilksch (Ger) Team DSM
104 Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech
105 Alexander Konychev (Ita) Team BikeExchange
106 Juraj Karas (Svk) Slovakia 0:08:20
107 Adrian Banaszek (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
108 Tomá? Bárta (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
109 ?Tefan Nôta (Svk) Slovakia
110 Tobias Van?o (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
111 Laurin Von Stetten (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers
112 Pavel Stöhr (Cze) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
113 Martin Chren (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
114 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
115 Simon Nagy (Svk) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
116 Michael Hepburn (Aus) Team BikeExchange
117 Stanislav Bére? (Svk) Slovakia
118 Paul Taebling (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers
119 Julius Johansen (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
120 Daniel Bichlmann (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers
121 Alja? Colnar (Slo) Adria Mobil
122 Choon Huat Goh (Sin) Team BikeExchange
123 Patrik Tybor (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
124 Adrian Kurek (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
125 Frederik Wandahl (Den) Bora-Hansgrohe
126 Petr Klabouch (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
127 Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
128 Mattia Garzara (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd
129 Yuval Ben Moshe (Isr) Israel Start-up Nation
130 Umberto Poli (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
131 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
132 Taj Jones (Aus) Israel Start-up Nation
133 Helmut Trettwer (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers
134 Frederik Madsen (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:11:22
135 Adam Foltán (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
136 Samuel Bewley (NZl) Team BikeExchange 0:13:18
137 Martin Gavenda (Svk) Slovakia
138 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk
139 Mehdi Benhamouda (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
140 Marcin Zarebski (Pol) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
141 Ladislav Frolek (Svk) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
142 Asbjørn Andersen (Den) Team DSM

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui (Col) Deceuninck-QuickStep 3:36:19
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
3 Eirik Lunder (Nor) Gazprom-RusVelo 0:00:08
4 Kaden Groves (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:00:09
5 Roger Adria Oliveras (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
6 Jannik Steimle (Ger) Deceuninck-QuickStep
7 Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Qhubeka NextHash 0:00:10
8 Cees Bol (Ned) Team DSM
9 Casper Pedersen (Den) Team DSM
10 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:11
11 Jason Osborne (Ger) Deceuninck-QuickStep
12 Itamar Einhorn (Isr) Israel Start-up Nation 0:00:12
13 Shane Archbold (NZl) Deceuninck-QuickStep
14 Leon Heinschke (Ger) Team DSM
15 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech 0:00:13
16 Fredrik Dversnes (Nor) Gazprom-RusVelo
17 Stijn Steels (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep
18 Riccardo Carretta (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd
19 Fabio Felline (Ita) Astana-Premier Tech 0:00:14
20 Idar Andersen (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
21 Luká? Kubi? (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
22 Jan Bárta (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
23 Norman Vahtra (Est) Israel Start-up Nation
24 Niklas Märkl (Ger) Team DSM
25 Jakub Otruba (Cze) Elkov-Kasper 0:00:15
26 Andreas Stokbro Nielsen (Den) Qhubeka NextHash
27 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep
28 Luca Coati (Ita) Qhubeka NextHash
29 Matú? ?to?ek (Svk) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
30 Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Start-up Nation
31 Gleb Brussenskiy (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech
32 Nicolas Dalla Valle (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:00:16
33 Francisco Galvan Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
34 Patrick Gamper (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
35 Jonas Abrahamsen (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
36 Davide Martinelli (Ita) Astana-Premier Tech
37 Michael Kukrle (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
38 Giovanni Lonardi (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
39 Danny Van Der Tuuk (Ned) Equipo Kern Pharma
40 Adam ?oupalík (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
41 Savva Novikov (Rus) Equipo Kern Pharma
42 Antonio Puppio (Ita) Qhubeka NextHash
43 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Gazprom-RusVelo 0:00:17
44 Alja? Jarc (Slo) Adria Mobil
45 Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Nor) Team BikeExchange
46 David Per (Slo) Adria Mobil 0:00:18
47 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Gazprom-RusVelo
48 Dominik Neuman (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
49 Mat?j Zahálka (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
50 Benjamin Perry (Can) Astana-Premier Tech
51 Mirco Maestri (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:00:19
52 Gabriele Petrelli (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd
53 Christopher Jensen (Den) Team BikeExchange
54 Carl Fredrik Hagen (Nor) Israel Start-up Nation
55 Tomasz Budzinski (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
56 Marek ?anecky (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
57 Jonas Wilsly (Den) Astana-Premier Tech
58 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Qhubeka NextHash
59 Dylan Sunderland (Aus) Qhubeka NextHash
60 Gal Glivar (Slo) Adria Mobil 0:00:20
61 Jakub Kaczmarek (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
62 Karel Tyrpekl (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
63 Piotr Brozyna (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
64 Marcin Budzinski (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
65 Jaime Castrillo Zapater (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
66 Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:00:21
67 Denis Nekrasov (Rus) Gazprom-RusVelo
68 Chris Froome (GBr) Israel Start-up Nation
69 Jan Stöhr (Cze) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
70 Corey Davis (USA) Maloja Pushbikers 0:00:22
71 Michal Schlegel (Cze) Elkov-Kasper
72 Andrea Debiasi (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd
73 Sergio Araiz Michel (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
74 Umberto Marengo (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
75 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
76 Karel Camrda (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team 0:00:23
77 Andrea Garosio (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
78 Ivan Moreno Sanchez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:00:24
79 Karel Vacek (Cze) Qhubeka NextHash
80 Martin Haring (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
81 Edoardo Sandri (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd 0:00:42
82 Daniel Oss (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:55
83 Marceli Boguslawski (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski 0:05:00
84 Erik Baska (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:05:03
85 Kristoffer Halvorsen (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:05:04
86 Miká Heming (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers 0:05:06
87 Alexander Konychev (Ita) Team BikeExchange
88 Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-RusVelo
89 Tomá? Kalojíros (Cze) Cycling Academy Tren?ín 0:05:07
90 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
91 Bo?tjan Murn (Slo) Adria Mobil
92 Hannes Wilksch (Ger) Team DSM
93 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 0:05:08
94 Samuel Oros (Svk) Cycling Academy Tren?ín
95 ?iga Horvat (Slo) Adria Mobil
96 Damiano Cima (Ita) Gazprom-RusVelo 0:05:10
97 Filip Lohinsk? (Svk) Slovakia
98 Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech
99 Enrico Zanoncello (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
100 Dávid Ka?ko (Svk) Slovakia 0:05:11
101 Petr Fiala (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team 0:05:12
102 Juraj Lajcha (Svk) Slovakia
103 Sam Brand (GBr) Team Novo Nordisk 0:05:13
104 Ji?í Petru? (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team 0:05:14
105 Kristian Kulset (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:05:15
106 Julius Johansen (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:08:32
107 Adrian Kurek (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski
108 Michael Hepburn (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:08:33
109 Tomá? Bárta (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team 0:08:34
110 Adrian Banaszek (Pol) Mazowsze Serce Polski 0:08:35
111 Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:08:36
112 Taj Jones (Aus) Israel Start-up Nation
113 Mattia Garzara (Ita) Cycling Team Friuli Asd
114 Stanislav Bére? (Svk) Slovakia 0:08:37
115 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:08:38
116 Patrik Tybor (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
117 Paul Taebling (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers 0:08:39
118 Martin Chren (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica
119 Helmut Trettwer (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers
120 Petr Klabouch (Cze) Topforex ATT Investments Pro Cycling Team
121 Tobias Van?o (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica 0:08:40
122 ?Tefan Nôta (Svk) Slovakia
123 Juraj Karas (Svk) Slovakia
124 Frederik Wandahl (Den) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:08:41
125 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
126 Simon Nagy (Svk) Cycling Academy Tren?ín 0:08:42
127 Yuval Ben Moshe (Isr) Israel Start-up Nation 0:08:43
128 Daniel Bichlmann (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers
129 Umberto Poli (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
130 Choon Huat Goh (Sin) Team BikeExchange
131 Laurin Von Stetten (Ger) Maloja Pushbikers 0:08:44
132 Pavel Stöhr (Cze) Cycling Academy Tren?ín 0:08:45
133 Alja? Colnar (Slo) Adria Mobil
134 Frederik Madsen (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team 0:11:33
135 Adam Foltán (Svk) Dukla Banska Bystrica 0:11:38
136 Samuel Bewley (NZl) Team BikeExchange 0:13:34
137 Asbjørn Andersen (Den) Team DSM 0:13:35
138 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk
139 Mehdi Benhamouda (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk 0:13:40
140 Marcin Zarebski (Pol) Cycling Academy Tren?ín 0:13:41
141 Ladislav Frolek (Svk) Cycling Academy Tren?ín 0:13:43
142 Martin Gavenda (Svk) Slovakia 0:13:45