Nicholas Narraway Completes Sibiu Cycling Tour
Bermudian cyclist Nicholas Narraway completed the prestigious Sibiu Cycling Tour in Romania, gaining valuable experience against a world-class field of WorldTour professionals and emerging stars while finishing 88th overall.
A spokesperson said, “Bermudian cyclist Nicholas Narraway, the reigning 2025 and 2026 Bermuda National Time Trial Champion and 2026 Bermuda National Road Race Champion, has completed one of the toughest challenges of his 2026 season, finishing the UCI 2.1 Sibiu Cycling Tour [July 3–6] in Romania against a world-class field that included WorldTour teams, Grand Tour stage winners and many of the sport’s most promising young professionals.
“Widely regarded as one of Eastern Europe’s premier professional stage races, the 2026 edition attracted 132 riders from 22 teams, including WorldTour powerhouses UAE Team Emirates XRG and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, five UCI ProTeams and many of Europe’s leading Continental squads. After four demanding days of racing, only 119 riders completed the event.
“The race was won by Lorenzo Finn [Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe], the reigning Under-23 World Champion. At just 19 years old, Finn is widely regarded as one of the brightest climbing talents in world cycling and one of the sport’s future Grand Tour contenders. He finished ahead of Byron Munton [Modern Adventure Pro Cycling] and Mark Donovan[Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team]. The start list also featured internationally renowned riders including Wout Poels, winner of stages in all three Grand Tours, Tour de France stage winner Danny van Poppel, former Team INEOS rider Iván Ramiro Sosa, and a host of national champions and WorldTour professionals.
Bermudian cyclist Nicholas Narraway of Competitive Edge Racing signs the official start sheet before the final stage of the Sibiu Cycling Tour. Proudly wearing his national champion colors, Narraway joins the peloton for Stage 4 in the historic center of Sibiu. Photo by Tibi Hila / Hila.ro
“Narraway, racing for U.S.-based UCI Continental team Competitive Edge Racing, finished 88th overall, while teammate Marcis Shelton delivered an outstanding ride to place 24th overall against one of the strongest fields assembled for the event.
“However, professional stage racing is about far more than individual finishing positions.
“Unlike many sports, cycling is built around teamwork. Riders sacrifice their own ambitions to protect teammates from the wind, chase down breakaways, collect food and bottles, position riders before key climbs and sprints, and support designated team leaders as the race unfolds. As the Sibiu Cycling Tour developed, Shelton emerged as Competitive Edge Racing’s highest-placed General Classification rider, with the team’s tactics naturally evolving to support his GC campaign through the decisive mountain stages.
“For Narraway, the week represented another significant step in his development racing at one of the highest levels outside the WorldTour.
“The opening road stage covered more than 110 kilometres at an average speed exceeding 43 km/h, with Narraway finishing with the main peloton in the same time as many of the race favourites despite a late breakaway deciding the victory.
“Later that day, the riders tackled a highly technical 3.2-kilometre individual time trial through the narrow cobbled streets of Sibiu’s medieval old town. Narraway produced arguably one of his strongest performances of the week, finishing just 18.7 seconds behind stage winner Julius Johansen of UAE Team Emirates XRG on a course where every corner and acceleration mattered. Over such a short and technical route, the time gap was measured in seconds rather than minutes, underlining the exceptionally high standard of competition.
Nicholas Narraway [center, on purple bike] of Competitive Edge Racing fights for position at the head of the peloton alongside WorldTour and Continental squads, including Lidl-Trek and Equipo Kern Pharma, during Stage 1A of the Sibiu Cycling Tour. Photo by Tibi Hila / Hila.ro
“The race then moved into the mountains, with consecutive summit finishes at Păltiniș Arena and the legendary Bâlea Lac atop Romania’s iconic Transfăgărășan Highway. The queen stage featured almost an hour of continuous climbing to more than 2,000 metres above sea level, with relentless attacks from the race favourites before Finn secured his second consecutive mountain victory and effectively sealed the overall title.
“While the mountain stages produced significant time gaps throughout the field, Narraway completed both demanding climbs, gaining invaluable experience racing alongside many of the world’s best young climbers and seasoned professionals.
“His highest placing of the race came on the final 181-kilometre stage, where he finished 40th, crossing the line in the same finishing time as Tour de France stage winner Danny van Poppel and the lead peloton after another day of racing at professional speeds.
“The statistics tell only part of the story.
“Throughout the week, Narraway lined up against riders from cycling’s biggest organisations, including UAE Team Emirates XRG and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, as well as former Grand Tour stage winners, WorldTour professionals and elite Under-23 riders expected to become the next generation of stars. Completing all four stages while contributing to his team’s overall performance represented another valuable milestone in his continued progression through the European racing ranks.
Cycling through history in Old Transylvania. The Sibiu Cycling Tour peloton snakes through the narrow streets of Rășinari, one of Romania’s oldest traditional shepherd villages nestled near the Carpathian Mountains. Photo by Tibi Hila / Hila.ro
“The Sibiu Cycling Tour has earned a reputation as one of Europe’s strongest mid-season professional stage races. Each year it attracts a blend of established WorldTour professionals and ambitious young riders seeking to prove themselves at the highest level outside cycling’s biggest tours. Many competitors have gone on to earn WorldTour contracts and race the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, making the event an important benchmark in a developing rider’s career.
“For Narraway, the experience was about far more than an overall placing. Racing shoulder-to-shoulder with WorldTour professionals, former Grand Tour stage winners and some of the world’s best young riders provided another important step in his development and another reminder that progress at this level is measured not only by results, but by the experience gained against the very best in the sport.”
By the Numbers
- Dates: July 3–6, 2026
- 132 riders started the 2026 Sibiu Cycling Tour.
- 119 riders completed all four stages.
- 22 professional teams, including 2 WorldTour teams, 5 UCI ProTeams, and leading Continental and National squads.
- More than 606 kilometres raced over four days.
- One 3.2 km technical individual time trial through the medieval streets of Sibiu.
- Two summit finishes, including the iconic Transfăgărășan Highway to Bâlea Lac [2,042m].
- Highest stage finish: 40th on Stage 4, finishing in the same official time as Tour de France stage winner Danny van Poppel.
- Stage 1A: Finished with the main peloton in the same official time as the race favourites after more than 110 km of racing.
- Stage 1B Time Trial: Finished just 18.7 seconds behind WorldTour winner Julius Johansen over a technical 3.2 km course.
- Final General Classification: 88th Overall.
- Competitive Edge Racing: Marcis Shelton finished 24th overall, leading the team’s General Classification campaign.
