Mārtiņš Pluto Starts “Dookola Mazowsza” with Fourth Place
Latvian cyclist Mārtiņš Pluto finished fourth in the first stage of the “Dookola Mazowsza” race in Poland on Wednesday, but dropped to fifth overall due to bonus seconds.
Latvian cyclist Mārtiņš Pluto began the four-day “Dookola Mazowsza” race in Poland on Wednesday with a fourth-place finish in the opening stage.
The first stage covered 151.9 kilometers over flat terrain, divided into five laps. In the sprint from the leading group, the victory went to Pluto's teammate, Estonian Raits Erms (Energus). Polish rider Michał Pomorski (ATT Investments) took second, while German Jonathan Rotmann (Lotto Kern-Haus Outlet Montaur) placed third. Pluto finished just off the podium, crossing the line with the same time as the other front-runners: 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 55 seconds.
After the stage, Pluto slipped to fifth overall because several rivals gained bonus seconds from intermediate sprints and higher finishing positions. Pluto won the Latvian national road race championship this summer, allowing him to wear the red-white-red champion's jersey for the rest of the season.
The “Dookola Mazowsza” race consists of four stages and runs until Sunday, August 18.
