For the first time in nine years, Serbia has a stage winner in the prestigious Beograd–Banjaluka cycling race, thanks to a brilliant performance by Dušan Rajović.
Racing for the Serbia national team, Rajović claimed victory in the 176-kilometer stage from Obrenovac to Zvornik, overcoming both tough competition and a crash he suffered the day before during the stage from Belgrade to Požarevac, where he still managed to secure second place.
With back-to-back top finishes, Rajović now holds the overall leader’s red-blue-white jersey.
“I’m happy to win on home soil. We had beautiful weather in Zvornik after a rainy start. It was a tough stage. We battled with the Woster team for the best position heading into the final laps, and I’m glad we brought home a big win for Serbia. Yesterday’s crash was hard, but I recovered and now everything is fine,” said Rajović.
Another Serb cyclist, Mihajlo Stolić, added to the celebration. Racing for Hungary’s Team United Shipping, Stolić finished third, just behind Patrik Stoš of Team Woster.
“It was a flat stage, the longest one so far. I saved energy all day for the final laps in Zvornik. I launched the sprint first and managed to grab third place. Yesterday I missed the podium, so I’m thrilled with this result—especially since I’m wearing the white jersey in the most beautiful colors. Tomorrow is a new day, and I hope we can keep the white jersey all the way to Banjaluka,” said Stolić.
Other notable results include:
- Blue jersey (Best climber): Adam Kos (Monogo Lubleksie Perla)
- Green jersey (Best sprinter): Tobiasz Pawlak (Woster), winner of stage one
The mayor of Zvornik, Bojan Ivanović, expressed pride in hosting the stage finish and confirmed that the city plans to remain part of the race in future editions.
“It’s an honor to host such a major sports event. We’re proud of the image of Zvornik that was shared with the world today, and we wish all the cyclists success in the remaining stages,” said Ivanović.
The stage again symbolically crossed the Pavlović Bridge without stoppage—breaking borders and highlighting unity between Serbia and Republika Srpska.
Race director Vladimir Kuvalja praised the atmosphere and the city of Zvornik for being an exceptional host.
“I’m proud of Serbia and especially of Zvornik. The people leading this city have once again shown they know how to organize a top-tier event with us. I hope we’ll return with a finish line here next year,” Kuvalja said.
What’s next?
The third and most demanding “queen stage” is scheduled for tomorrow at 11:00 AM, running from Bratunac, through Ljubovija and Šekovići, and finishing in Vlasenica.
Source: RTRS
