Baku–Khankendi Stage 5: Josh Burnett Claims Solo Victory and Overall Title in First Professional Win
- Charles Lee
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
On May 14, 2026, the Baku–Khankendi Azerbaijan Cycling Race reached its fifth and final stage. The 181.5-kilometre route ran from Tartar to Khankendi and delivered a dramatic conclusion, as New Zealand rider Josh Burnett (Burgos Burpellet BH) launched a decisive solo attack to take both the stage victory and the overall classification.
Burnett crossed the line with nearly a 20-second advantage, overturning the general classification by just three seconds to claim the blue jersey presented by Silkway West Airlines, marking his first professional victory. Eritrean rider Henok Mulubrhan (XDS Astana Team) finished second on the stage and secured the overall points classification, earning the green jersey sponsored by Sea Breeze, while Uruguay’s Eric Antonio Fagúndez finished third.
In the final general classification, Mulubrhan placed second overall, with Switzerland’s Alexandre Balmer finishing third. Belgium’s Lennert Teugels (Tarteletto–Isorex) successfully retained the mountains classification jersey (Azerbaijan Airlines), while Spain’s Iker Gómez (Equipo Kern Pharma) won the white jersey for best young rider (Azvirt). In the team classification, Burgos Burpellet BH claimed overall victory with a total time of 57:21:03, finishing 12 seconds ahead of Bardiani CSF 7 Saber.
The stage started at 8:35 a.m. local time in Tartar, a city in western Azerbaijan located near the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Kura River basin, known for its agricultural landscape and rural scenery. A total of 125 riders from 24 teams rolled out and completed a 5.4-kilometre neutralised section before racing began.
The route featured two intermediate sprints and two mountain classifications along with time bonuses, keeping both points and general classification battles open until the final day. The first half of the stage was largely flat, including rolling terrain and two sprint points, while the second half featured two challenging climbs reaching altitudes of up to 1,450 metres, which would ultimately decide the race.
The stage began at a high pace with a slight downhill section stretching the peloton early. Iñigo Elosegui (Equipo Kern Pharma) attempted a solo attack but was quickly brought back. Mechanical incidents, including multiple punctures, disrupted the race, although affected riders were able to return to the peloton. The race remained controlled until around kilometre 28, when an early breakaway attempt was neutralized.
At the first intermediate sprint (km 44.8), Cristian David Pita took maximum points, ahead of Mulubrhan and Marco Manenti. Punctures continued to affect the race in this phase.
The key breakaway of the day formed at kilometre 64, with eight riders escaping the peloton, including Raman Tsishkou (Li Ning Star), Eduardo Pérez-Landaluce, Yorben Lauryssen and Arne Santy (Tarteletto–Isorex), Franciszek Matuszewski, Jonathan Kerkhofs, Muhammad Syelhan, and veteran rider Óscar Sevilla. At the second sprint (km 84), Tsishkou took the win ahead of Santy and Lauryssen.
As the race progressed, several riders abandoned, including Olsian Velia and Jordi Slootjes. After the feed zone (km 104), the breakaway began to fragment, with riders gradually being caught by the peloton. Eventually, only Pérez-Landaluce, Lauryssen, and Sevilla remained at the front, but their advantage was steadily reduced ahead of the decisive climbs.
The race-defining move came on the final climbs. As riders approached the 7.7-kilometre Category 1 climb (average gradient 4.7%), the breakaway was fully absorbed. Around 24 kilometres from the finish, Spain’s David Delgado (Quick Pro Team) launched an attack before the climb, with Burnett and others responding, setting up a decisive general classification battle.
At the Category 1 climb (km 158.5), Delgado took maximum points, followed by Burnett, Luca Covili, and Calum Johnston. Riders then faced the final climb to Şuşa (4.6 km at 6.7%). Li Ning Star increased the pace in the peloton, further reducing the contenders. Meanwhile, overall leader Yevgeniy Fedorov (XDS Astana Team) crashed but was able to continue, while Mulubrhan applied pressure from within the lead group.
At the Category 2 climb (km 166.8), Burnett again scored maximum points, ahead of Delgado, Covili, Alessio Martinelli, and Fagúndez. On the following descent, Burnett seized his opportunity, launching a solo attack on the final climb toward Khankendi.
Gradually extending his lead, Burnett maintained a strong advantage despite pressure from the peloton. As he entered the finishing straight, he still held a gap of nearly 20 seconds, securing both the stage victory and overall title in dominant fashion.
The finish town of Khankendi, located in the Lesser Caucasus, is a mountainous city shaped by complex historical and geopolitical developments. Its challenging terrain provided a fitting setting for the decisive conclusion of the race.
After the stage, Burnett expressed his emotion and credited his team: “I’m really, really happy. The team did a great job all week—we were always in the moves. When I went, I still had strong teammates behind, which made it harder for the group to organize a chase. I held on by just a couple of seconds and it’s really special to get my first professional win.”
He added that the plan was to attack early and create options within the team strategy: “If it came back together, we would sprint with Eric. The goal was to win the stage and the race today, and we managed to do it. In the last 100 meters I was completely empty, just holding on.”
Notably, two China-related teams delivered solid performances throughout the race. The Li Ning Star Continental Team claimed Stage 1 victory with Belarusian rider Aliaksei Shnyrko and finished fifth in the team classification with a total time of 57:24:18. Meanwhile, the Estonian Quick Pro Team, supported by a Chinese cycling brand, finished ninth overall. Spanish rider David Delgado’s attack in the final stage came close to shaping the outcome, highlighting the team’s strong performance.
With this victory, Burnett not only secured his first professional win but also completed a remarkable double of stage victory and overall title—bringing the 2026 Baku–Khankendi Azerbaijan Cycling Race to a thrilling conclusion.
Stage 5 Result:
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