Kancers wins group sprint, takes ninth place in Lunigiana stage 3a
Latvia's junior cyclist Helvijs Kancers won the peloton group sprint and finished ninth in stage 3a of the prestigious Lunigiana race in Italy.
The prestigious Italian junior cycling race Lunigiana finally got fully underway on Friday, after the first stage had been cancelled and the second left unfinished. Two stages were scheduled for the day — a sprint stage followed by the hilly stage 3b.
Latvia active throughout the race
In the morning stage 3a, covering 54.6 kilometers, the Latvian national team, led by coach Viesturs Lukševics, rode in support of designated leader Helvijs Kancers. The Latvian riders were active near the front of the pack for most of the race.
In the final ten kilometers, an eight-rider breakaway group formed ahead of the peloton, though none of the Latvian riders made it into that group. The breakaway held on until the finish, with its lead shrinking from around 20 seconds to just 7 seconds by the end.
Teamwork before the finish
In the last three kilometers, Toms Strēlis and Alvis Pivors worked to secure a good position, while Marks Jākobsons and Ričards Hansons helped move Kancers toward the front. In the sprint finish, Kancers proved unbeatable within the peloton group, taking the win among that pack. This translated into ninth place overall in the stage, seven seconds behind stage winner Andrea Tarralo of Italy.
Other Latvian results in the stage were: Ričards Hansons 29th, Marks Jākobsons 39th, Alvis Pivors 52nd, and Haralds Strādnieks 109th — all recorded with the same finishing time as the winner.
During the race, Toms Strēlis suffered a serious crash, injuring his elbow. Despite this, he managed not only to finish but also to assist his teammates.
In the evening, a mountain stage awaits, where the team's focus will shift to supporting Alvis Pivors in pursuit of a strong result.
