Albanian National Road Race Championship Bosnian National Road Race Championship Georgian National Road Race Championship Latvian National Road Race Championship Romanian National Road Race Championship
Five Eastern European countries host their national championships together, which means we have five races within a race. Kamberaj is the clear favorite for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina could go to either Crncevic or Siric, Georgia is the Nareklishvili brothers against Akhmaevi, Latvia sees an Evonik boycott leaving Eislers as the man to beat, and finally Romania which has Grosu as (outright) favorite.
The breakaway of two Minion cosplayers and the 100-year old Popovych himself ends with thirty kilometer to go. Will the non-sprinters take their chance?
Yes, but they maximize their chances by going at four kilometer. Dima, G. Nareklishvili, Yzeiraj, Flaksis and Smukulis, one from each nation except Latvia represented by two and Bosnia-Herzegovina by none.
In the final kilometer they barely hold their lead, the sprinters will easily pass them. Stancu has already passed Dima.
And as expected, Eduard Grosu sprints to victory and takes the Romanian and combined title. Xhuliano Kamberaj sprints to second and the Albanian title, while Sandis Eislers beats Smirnovs to third and the Latvian title.
Further down the field we find Ivan Siric as first rider from Bosnia-Herzegovina. On the right, Giorgi Nareklishvili easily holds on to the Georgian title as his rivals didn't bother in the sprint.
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Eduard Grosu
eBuddy
1h27'55
2
Xhuliano Kamberaj
Farfetch Pro Cycling
s.t.
3
Sandis Eislers
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
s.t.
4
Andris Smirnovs
Tryg - Ritter Sport
s.t.
5
Marildo Yzeiraj
Aker - MOT
s.t.
6
Gatis Smukulis
Nordstrom - CA Technologies
s.t.
7
Deins Kanepejs
Popo4ever 2
s.t.
8
Ilja Tjagunovs
Polar
s.t.
9
Ivan Siric
Swisslion Cycling Team
s.t.
10
Andzs Flaksis
Minions
s.t.
11
Giorgi Nareklishvili
DK - SVA Zalgiris
s.t.
12
George Alexandru Stancu
MOL
s.t.
13
Aleksa Crncevic
cycleYorkshire
s.t.
14
Emil Dima
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
s.t.
15
Tyron Giogieri
Swisslion 2
s.t.
16
Adrian Nitu
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
s.t.
17
Sulkhan Akhmaevi
Bakkafrost
s.t.
61
Beka Nareklishvili
DK - SVA Zalgiris
s.t.
64
Arturs Belevics
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
+ 1'52
Albanian National Time Trial Championship Bosnian National Time Trial Championship Georgian National Time Trial Championship Latvian National Time Trial Championship Romanian National Time Trial Championship
None of the individual time trial contests seem to be particularly close, so anyone who expects a jersey can pick it up. The weather is terrible, so a lot of riders just want this over with.
The only exception is Albania, where Giogieri and Kamberaj are neck and neck at the checkpoints. The former crosses the line, with help of teammate Siric, in 1h08'46.
This is awkward, as Kamberaj posts the exact same time! As they cannot take half jersey each, the milliseconds will be vital. The jury decides the win goes to Xhuliano Kamberaj, taking the Albanian double!
Emil Dima benefits from the absence of Nechita and Tvetcov to take the Romanian time trial championship, beating Nitu by over a minute.
The Bosnian-Herzegovinian jerseys are shared between its only two cyclists as Aleksa Crncevic easily rides to the time trial win.
Carlsberg completes the Latvian double but with two different riders, as it's Arturs Belevics moment of fame here.
The fastest time from Sakartvelo and the fastest time overall goes to Giorgi Nareklishvili, beating Akhmaevi and his brother by three minutes for the former and Belevics by 1'25 for the latter.
Albanian National Road Race Championship 
Bosnian National Road Race Championship 
Georgian National Road Race Championship 
Latvian National Road Race Championship 
Romanian National Road Race Championship 
