Matteo Malucelli wins the opening stage of the 2026 Tour de Kyushu

Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team) has won the first stage of the 2026 Tour de Kyushu, covering the route in 03:09:51. The XDS Astana Team rider beat Luke Mudgway (Li Ning Star) and Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Development Team) in the sprint, both credited with the same time as the winner. The race The opening stage of the race was decided in a bunch sprint, with a compact group reaching the finish and no gaps among the leading riders. Malucelli found the best position in the finale, getting the better of his direct rivals and claiming the first victory of the day. Stage results Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team) — 03:09:51 Luke Mudgway (Li Ning Star) — s.t. Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Development Team) — s.t. Davide Stella (UAE Team Emirates Gen-Z) — s.t. Lucas Carstensen (Kinan Racing Team) — s.t. Updated general classification Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team) — 3:09:41 Luke Mudgway (Li Ning Star) — +0:02 Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG) — +0:04 With his stage victory, Malucelli is the first leader of the 2026 Tour de Kyushu general classification, with a two-second advantage over Mudgway and four seconds over Oliveira. The race continues tomorrow with a new stage.