Mudgway rules Maratha Heritage Circuit to extend Yellow Jersey lead

Pune, Jan 21 (PTI) Luke Mudgway of China's Li Ning Star clinched the Maratha Heritage Circuit, the stage two race of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 cycling event, and retained the Yellow Jersey here on Wednesday.

New Zealander Mudgway clocked 02:31:49 to win, taking the 105.3 km race deep into a landscape shaped by forts, steep gradients and unforgiving descents in Pune.

Having claimed stage one, Mudgway doubled down on his authority. The back-to-back victories placed him firmly at the top of the general classification battle as the race moves deeper into Maharashtra's demanding terrain.

"It was a hot day, lots of mountains, but yeah, I survived to the finish, and again I got to do a sprint from a small group. So, that's what suits me well. I'm glad I could execute it again today," Mudgway said.

Mudgway did not have it all his own way. Alan Carter Bettles of Roojai Insurance Winspeed, Thailand, produced a composed ride to finish second, while Yorben Lauryssen of Tarteletto–Isorex, Belgium, claimed the third spot.

For Lauryssen, it marked a second successive podium finish, underlining his consistency after also finishing third on the opening day.

By virtue of claiming the top spot, Mudgway was handed a 10-second bonus, Beetles earned a six-second bonus, whereas Lauryssen was rewarded a four-second bonus.

The Orange Jersey for the ‘Best Asian Rider’ stayed with Jambaljamts Sainbayar of Burgos Burpellet BH, Spain, whose consistency continued to impress.

Dutch rider Tijssen Viego of Wielerploeg Groot Amsterdam, Netherlands, was rewarded with the White Jersey as the ‘Best Young Rider’ while Sarda Manav, Indian Development Team, India, topped the domestic contingent to take the Blue Jersey as ‘India’s Leading Performer’ on the day.

With the Maratha Heritage Circuit now complete, the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour moves into its longest and most tactically complex phase.

Stage Three, the Western Ghats Gateway, stretches 134 kilometres from Purandar to Baramati and climbs to an elevation of 1,024 metres.

Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 is India’s first-ever UCI 2.2 category multi-stage, five-day Continental Cycling Race for Men.

A gruelling 437-km route passes through the diverse terrains of Deccan Plateau and Sahyadri Ranges, the event has received an unprecedented field of 171 elite riders from 29 teams representing five continents and 35 countries.

Organised by Pune District Administration, Government of Maharashtra under the aegis of Cycling Federation of India, the race combines high-performance sporting excellence, celebrating Pune’s cultural heritage, historic landmarks and rural tourism through nine talukas and 150 villages. PTI PDS PDS APS APS