Tour of Slovakia: Kristoff wins stage 1a

By published

Norwegian beats Mørkøv and Viviani in opening sprint

(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) took victory on the opening stage of the Tour of Slovakia, taking the race lead as he beat the Deceuninck-QuickStep duo of Michael Mørkøv and Elia Viviani in a bunch sprint.

Groupama-FDJ and Deceuninck-QuickStep controlled the stage, the first of two on Wednesday, for much of the day, ensuring that the early break wouldn't stay away to contest the finish.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 3:21:48
2Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep
3Elia Viviani (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep
4Erik Baška (Slo) Bora-Hansgrohe
5Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
6Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel Cycling Academy
7Emils Liepinš (Lat) Wallonie-Bruxelles
8Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 0:00:04
9Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Roompot-Charles
10Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:08
Swipe to scroll horizontally
General classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Alexander Kristoff (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 3:21:42
2Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:02
3Elia Viviani (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:04
4Erik Baška (Slo) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
5Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
6Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel Cycling Academy
7Emils Liepinš (Lat) Wallonie-Bruxelles
8Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 0:00:10
9Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Roompot-Charles
10Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:14
Dani Ostanek
Senior News Writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, she had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur. She writes and edits at Cyclingnews as well as running newsletter, social media, and how to watch campaigns.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. She has interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel, and her favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.

Season highlights from 2024 include reporting from Paris-Roubaix –  'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix – and the Tour de France – 'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win.

Latest in
Women's classification leaders are called to the start line for the final stage of Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2023
'Knowledge is here, we just need the money' - Organisers to reform Joe Martin Stage Race as Tour of Arkansas
Stage winner Team Visma's British rider James Matthew Brennan celebrates with the yellow jersey on the podium of the first stage of the 2025 Volta a Catalonya cycling tour of Catalonya, a 178,3 km loop starting and finishing in Sant Feliu de Guixols, on March 24, 2025. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
Matthew Brennan adds Limburg Classic, Tour of Romandie to program after Volta a Catalunya breakthrough
Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso sprint at finish line to win the stage 4 at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2025
'We are equal' - new Volta a Catalunya leader Primož Roglič realistic after narrow defeat of closest rival Juan Ayuso
Map of women's Dwars door Vlaanderen 2025
Dwars door Vlaanderen Women 2025 Route
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 27 Lorena Wiebes of Netherlands and Team SD Worx Protime celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 8th Womens Classic BruggeDe Panne 2025 a 1527km one day race from Brugge to De Panne UCIWT on March 27 2025 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Classic Brugge-De Panne Women: Lorena Wiebes takes win number six of 2025
WALLERS FRANCE JULY 06 Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates white best young jersey competes passing through a cobblestones sector during to the 109th Tour de France 2022 Stage 5 a 157km stage from Lille to WallersArenberg TDF2022 WorldTour on July 06 2022 in Wallers France Photo by Bernard Papon PoolGetty Images
'He has the engine' - Geraint Thomas has no doubts Tadej Pogačar can conquer 2025 Paris-Roubaix despite lack of experience
Latest in Race-results
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 27 Lorena Wiebes of Netherlands and Team SD Worx Protime celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 8th Womens Classic BruggeDe Panne 2025 a 1527km one day race from Brugge to De Panne UCIWT on March 27 2025 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Classic Brugge-De Panne Women: Lorena Wiebes takes win number six of 2025
Jay Vine wins stage 3 at Coppi e Bartali 2025
Coppi e Bartali: Jay Vine holds off chase to take solo stage 3 victory
Volta a Catalunya: Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) outduels Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) to win stage 4 and take over GC lead
Volta a Catalunya: Primož Roglič takes leader's jersey with stage 4 two-up sprint win over Juan Ayuso atop Monteserrat
Team UAE's Juan Ayuso (C) and Team Bora's Primoz Roglic (R) cross the finish line in first and second place respectively during the 3rd stage of the 2025 Volta a Catalunya cycling tour of Catalonia, a 178,3 km race between Viladecans and La Molina, on March 26, 2025. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
Volta a Catalunya: Glory for Juan Ayuso on stage 3 as Spaniard tops Primož Roglič at La Molina
SOGLIANO AL RUBICONE ITALY MARCH 26 Paul Double of Great Britain and Team Jayco AlUla celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the 39th Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali 2025 Stage 2 a 1639km stage from Riccione to Sogliano al Rubicone 375m on March 26 2025 in Sogliano al Rubicone Italy Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images
Coppi e Bartali: Paul Double launches solo attack on final climb to win stage 2 and grab GC lead
Jonathan Milan and race winner Juan Sebastian Molano sprinting to the line at Classic Brugge-De Panne 2025
Classic Brugge-De Panne: Molano awarded photo-finish victory against Milan in crash-marred final
More race results
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 27 Lorena Wiebes of Netherlands and Team SD Worx Protime celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 8th Womens Classic BruggeDe Panne 2025 a 1527km one day race from Brugge to De Panne UCIWT on March 27 2025 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images

Classic Brugge-De Panne Women: Lorena Wiebes takes win number six of 2025
Volta a Catalunya: Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) outduels Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) to win stage 4 and take over GC lead

Volta a Catalunya: Primož Roglič takes leader's jersey with stage 4 two-up sprint win over Juan Ayuso atop Monteserrat
Women's classification leaders are called to the start line for the final stage of Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2023

'Knowledge is here, we just need the money' - Organisers to reform Joe Martin Stage Race as Tour of Arkansas
See more latest
Most Popular
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 27 Lorena Wiebes of Netherlands and Team SD Worx Protime celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 8th Womens Classic BruggeDe Panne 2025 a 1527km one day race from Brugge to De Panne UCIWT on March 27 2025 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Classic Brugge-De Panne Women: Lorena Wiebes takes win number six of 2025
Volta a Catalunya: Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) outduels Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) to win stage 4 and take over GC lead
Volta a Catalunya: Primož Roglič takes leader's jersey with stage 4 two-up sprint win over Juan Ayuso atop Monteserrat
Jay Vine wins stage 3 at Coppi e Bartali 2025
Coppi e Bartali: Jay Vine holds off chase to take solo stage 3 victory
Team UAE's Juan Ayuso (C) and Team Bora's Primoz Roglic (R) cross the finish line in first and second place respectively during the 3rd stage of the 2025 Volta a Catalunya cycling tour of Catalonia, a 178,3 km race between Viladecans and La Molina, on March 26, 2025. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)
Volta a Catalunya: Glory for Juan Ayuso on stage 3 as Spaniard tops Primož Roglič at La Molina
Jonathan Milan and race winner Juan Sebastian Molano sprinting to the line at Classic Brugge-De Panne 2025
Classic Brugge-De Panne: Molano awarded photo-finish victory against Milan in crash-marred final
SOGLIANO AL RUBICONE ITALY MARCH 26 Paul Double of Great Britain and Team Jayco AlUla celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the 39th Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali 2025 Stage 2 a 1639km stage from Riccione to Sogliano al Rubicone 375m on March 26 2025 in Sogliano al Rubicone Italy Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images
Coppi e Bartali: Paul Double launches solo attack on final climb to win stage 2 and grab GC lead
FIGUERES SPAIN MARCH 25 LR Ethan Vernon of United Kingdom and Team IsraelPremier Tech celebrates at finish line as stage winner ahead of Matthew Brennan of United Kingdom and Team Visma Lease A Bike Green Leader Jersey during the 104th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2025 Stage 2 a 1773km stage from Banyoles to Figueres UCIWT on March 25 2025 in Figueres Spain Photo by Szymon GruchalskiGetty Images
Volta a Catalunya: Ethan Vernon edges Matthew Brennan by half a wheel to win stage 2
BONDENO ITALY MARCH 25 Caleb Ewan of Australia and Team INEOS Grenadiers celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the 40th Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali 2025 Stage 1 a 1745km stage from Ferrara to Bondeno on March 25 2025 in Bondeno Italy Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images
Caleb Ewan wins first race with Ineos Grenadiers on opening stage of Coppi e Bartali
Anna Yamauchi rides to pro women's victory at 2025 Lake Sonoma MTB
Anna Yamauchi tops Katerina Nash in 'slide it to ride it' slippery edition of Lake Sonoma MTB
SANT FELIU DE GUIXOLS, SPAIN - MARCH 24: Matthew Brennan of Ireland and Team Visma | Lease A Bike celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the 104th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2025, Stage 1 a 178.6km stage from Sant Feliu de Guixols to Sant Feliu de Guixols / #UCIWT / on March 24, 2025 in Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
Volta a Catalunya: Matthew Brennan produces stunning sprint to snatch stage 1 victory on the line from late attacker

Latest on Cyclingnews