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 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.
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.
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
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