The Pune Grand Tour 2026 wrapped up on Sunday with an impressive finale, showcasing the Pune Pride Loop filled with color, crowds, and an emotional conclusion to a remarkable week for Indian cycling.
Stage Four featured a 95-kilometre loop through the city’s core, ascending 578 metres while passing through Pune’s modern thoroughfares and historical landmarks, such as Shaniwar Wada, before the race concluded.
After covering 437 challenging kilometres, Li Ning Star from China topped the team General Classification with a cumulative time of 28:41:19. Thanks to the exceptional performance of Luke Mudgway, the Chinese team showcased a brilliant display of consistency and control throughout all four stages.
The Spanish team Burgos Burpellet BH, the only Pro-team in the first-ever Bajaj Pune Grand Tour, secured second place with a time of 28:42:09, while Terengganu Cycling Team from Thailand completed the podium with 28:48:19.
At the heart of the competition was 29-year-old Mudgway from New Zealand, who emerged as the clear champion of this inaugural event. Competing against 164 top-tier riders from 28 teams across 35 countries and five continents, he finished the Stage 4 race with an overall time of 09:33:04. His nearest rival, Alan Carter Bettles from Roojai Insurance Winspeed, Thailand, was just 14 seconds behind, while Yorben Lauryssen of Tarteletto–Isorex, Belgium, took third place, trailing by 33 seconds.
Mudgway’s wins in Stage 1 and Stage 2 played a crucial role. By creating a gap early on, he put his competitors in a challenging position that became harder to maintain as the race progressed.
Having claimed the ‘Yellow Jersey’ on the first day during the Mulshi–Maval Miles, Mudgway held on to it throughout the event. His strong performance in the sprints also earned him the ‘Green Jersey’ as the race’s top points scorer, wrapping up a week characterized by resilience and tactical expertise.
In reflecting on his success, Mudgway emphasized teamwork over individual accomplishment, stating, “I have a really good team. They looked after me from start to finish. As you saw in the last two days, we had two other riders win. So, we’ve triumphed with three different riders, and it took a lot of hard work, teamwork, training, and hours to achieve this victory today. So, yeah, this one’s for my team,” Mudgway shared.
Mudgway was particularly struck by the support of the Pune crowd, adding, “Today was amazing! I’ve never encountered crowds like this before. There were so many spectators all around the course. It was incredible, and competing in front of everyone was fantastic. I hope everyone enjoyed the racing, and I’d love to return next year.”
On the road, the stage victory for Stage 4 went to Aliaksei Shnyrko of Li Ning Star, who surged to victory on the city circuit. His teammate Cameron Nicholas Scott followed closely in second place, while Dylan Hopkins from Roojai Insurance Winspeed rounded out the top three.
With the General Classification largely decided after Stage Three, the final results had little bearing on the standings, yet they emphasized Li Ning Star’s dominance and marked a celebratory conclusion to the week.
In other developments, the remaining jerseys were awarded. Clement Alleno of Burgos Burpellet BH claimed the ‘Polka Dot’ jersey as King of the Mountains, having earned 15 points, ahead of Stefan Benetton of EuroCyclingTrips – CCN, Guam, and Cristian Railaenu of Li Ning Star.
