Baku–Khankendi Stage 4: Marco Manenti Sprints to Victory as Teugels Retains Mountains Lead
- Charles Lee
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
On May 13, 2026, Stage 4 of the Baku–Khankendi Azerbaijan Cycling Race took place over approximately 153 kilometres from Ganja to Naftalan. In the end, Italy’s Marco Manenti (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) proved the strongest in a bunch sprint, taking the stage victory. Eritrea’s Henok Mulubrhan (XDS Astana Team) finished second, while Ecuador’s Cristian David Pita came in third.
With the win, Manenti also moved into the lead of the points classification, claiming the green jersey sponsored by Sea Breeze. The blue jersey for the general classification remained with Kazakhstan’s Yevgeniy Fedorov (XDS Astana Team). Belgium’s Lennert Teugels retained the mountains jersey (Azerbaijan Airlines), while Spain’s Iker Gomez continued to lead the young rider classification (Azvirt). A total of 125 riders finished within the time limit.
The stage started at 9:35 a.m. in Ganja, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, known for its long history and as the home of the renowned poet Nizami Ganjavi. The race began on Heydar Aliyev Avenue, with 126 riders taking the start and completing a 1.1 km neutralised section before racing commenced. The course included two intermediate sprints and two mountain classifications, opening with a long but relatively gentle 13.5 km climb at around 2.2%, testing the riders’ endurance.
From the start, the peloton maintained a high pace, with multiple attacks launched but initially unsuccessful. At the first mountain classification in Göygöl (km 13.7), Teugels again took maximum points, further strengthening his hold on the mountains competition, ahead of Josh Burnett and Doğukan Arikan.
After around 30 kilometres, the peloton remained intact. Shortly after, a group of ten riders successfully broke away and established a gap. At the first sprint classification (km 64.3, Goranboy Olympic Complex), France’s Fabrice Lefèvre took first place, followed by Raman Tsishkou and Feri Febi Saputra.
During the breakaway, Spain’s Pablo Carrascosa attempted a solo move but was quickly caught, while Saputra dropped back from the leading group. At the second sprint classification (km 92.1, Qarada), Lefèvre again took maximum points, with Tsishkou second and Carrascosa third.
The race then entered a decisive phase featuring an extended 30-kilometre climbing section. Although the breakaway maintained an advantage of around 2 minutes and 30 seconds, the gap was steadily reduced. In the peloton, Equipo Kern Pharma increased the pace, actively organizing the chase, while current green jersey holder Gleb Syritsa was dropped during this segment.
The second mountain classification (km 123.4) was contested by the leading group, with Colombia’s David Alejandro Gonzales taking maximum points, followed by Carrascosa and Antoni Muryi. As the race progressed, the breakaway group accelerated, but coordinated chasing efforts from Bardiani CSF 7 Saber and Burgos BH in the peloton quickly eroded the gap.
With 13 kilometres to go, the breakaway was fully reeled in. In the final kilometres, Bardiani CSF 7 Saber increased the tempo, stretching the peloton and setting up the sprint.
In the bunch sprint, Manenti positioned himself perfectly before the final corner and launched his effort at the right moment to secure the victory.
Speaking after the stage, Manenti highlighted the importance of positioning: “This victory is very important for my team, and I hope it can be the starting point for more success. In cycling, points are crucial to gain invitations to major races. The decisive moment was positioning myself behind an Astana rider before the final corner.”
In the young rider classification, Iker Gomez stated that his team was focused on achieving the best possible results across all stages, noting that racing in a different environment far from home presented both challenges and enjoyable experiences.
Sahib Alakbarov, First Vice President of the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, praised the race organization, describing it as a “high-level and safe sporting event,” and emphasized the importance of such competitions in developing cycling and discovering young talent across the country.
The finish town of Naftalan is globally known for its unique “oil therapy,” where naturally occurring crude oil is used for medical treatments, making it one of the most distinctive spa destinations in the world.
A total of 125 riders completed the stage within the time limit. The race will conclude on May 14 with the final stage from Tartar to Khankendi, covering 181.5 kilometres, where the overall winner will be decided.
Stage 4 Result:
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