Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026: Luke Mudgway Maintains Dominance; Second Consecutive Victory in the ‘Maratha Heritage Circuit’

Winners Felicitated by MLA Bhimrao Tapkir and Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram

Pune, Jan 2026 : The historic international cycling competition ‘Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026’, being held in Pune, took an even more thrilling turn on its second day. In the second stage, the ‘Maratha Heritage Circuit,’ cyclist Luke Mudgway of China’s Li Ning Star team secured his second consecutive victory, thereby retaining his dominance in the Yellow Jersey. On this occasion, the successful cyclists were felicitated at the hands of MLA Bhimrao Tapkir and Pune Municipal Corporation Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, along with other dignitaries.

The second stage held today under the Maratha Heritage Circuit covered a distance of 105.3 kilometers. The race commenced at 12:30 pm from the Ladies Club in the Camp area of Pune and concluded at Nanded City on Sinhagad Road. With hilly terrain, steep ascents and descents, and winding roads, this stage proved to be a true test of the cyclists’ strength, technique, and endurance.

Luke Mudgway finished first with a timing of 02:31:49. Allan Carter Bettles of Thailand’s Roojai Insurance team secured second place, while Jorben Lauritsen of Belgium finished third.

After the second stage, the jersey winners in various categories are as follows:

• Yellow Jersey (Overall Leader): Luke Mudgway (China)
• Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains): Stephen Beneton (Guam)
• Orange Jersey (Best Asian Cyclist): Jambaljamts Sainbayar (Mongolia/Spain)
• White Jersey (Best Young Cyclist): Tijsen Vigo (Netherlands)
• Blue Jersey (Best Indian Cyclist): Manav Sarda (Indian Development Team)

This competition is proving to be a milestone for the cycling sector in India. Classified under UCI 2.2, it is the country’s first five-day multi-stage Continental Cycle Race. A total of 171 international-level cyclists from 35 countries across five continents are participating in the event. The overall 437-kilometer route passes through 9 talukas and 150 villages in Pune district, and within just 75 days, roads and infrastructure were upgraded to global standards for this world-class competition.

Speaking after his victory, Luke Mudgway said, “Today was extremely hot and the climbs were very challenging; however, with excellent support from my teammates, I was able to secure this win.”

The third stage of the competition will be held tomorrow, January 22, 2026, under the ‘Western Ghats Gateway’ segment, covering Purandar to Baramati (134 km). In this stage, Punekars will get to witness the speed and thrilling performance of world-class cyclists.