Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the final awards ceremony of the "Tour of Armenia" international multi-stage cycling race.

Italian professional cyclist Simone Raccani, representing Team Ukyo, took first place in the general classification. He was awarded by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The Italian cyclist also earned the title of "Tour of Armenia" winner; this award was also presented by Nikol Pashinyan. Kevin Biehl, representing Denmark, took second place in the general classification. He was awarded by Zhanna Andreasyan, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport. Luca Covili, representing Italy and the Bardiani CSF 7 Saber team, took third place in the general classification. He was awarded by Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan. The Czech team ATT Investments was named the tournament's best team; the award was presented by Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan.

The final fourth stage of the "Tour of Armenia" took place in Yerevan. Cyclists competed on a 9.4 km urban circuit, completing 10 laps for a total distance of 94 km. Michele Gazzoli from Italy was declared the winner of the fourth day of competition; he was awarded by Ara Sadoyan, President of the Cycling Federation of Armenia. Leonardo Vesco (Italy) won the "King of the Mountains" (mountain classification) category and was awarded the blue jersey; the award was presented by Luca Guercilena, Operations Director and Cycling Director at RC Sports & Events. Kevin Biehl (Denmark) won the Best Young Rider category and claimed the white jersey. He was awarded the prize by Olympic champion and former Spanish professional cyclist Samuel Sánchez.

Following the award ceremony, the Prime Minister delivered a speech, greeting the attendees and congratulating them on the successful conclusion of the inaugural "Tour of Armenia" race. "The very phrase 'inaugural race' implies that a second, third, fourth, and—we hope—a continuing series of races await us. I must say that this is truly a new experience for the Republic of Armenia—a new experience in every sense. To be honest, I do not recall an international cycling race of this caliber ever having been held in the Republic of Armenia, at least not since independence," noted Nikol Pashinyan.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the international partners who responded to Armenia's interest and spared no effort to ensure the race was organized at a high standard. Nikol Pashinyan also expressed his gratitude to the state and local self-government bodies of the Republic of Armenia for providing significant support to ensure the tournament was held at a high standard. "Of course, this tournament—broadcast by around a dozen international television networks—unquestionably boosts Armenia's visibility and recognition, and will undoubtedly generate great interest towards the Republic of Armenia, which already sees significant tourist inflows. I am convinced that this tournament will further increase interest towards the Republic of Armenia," the Prime Minister noted.

Nikol Pashinyan also highlighted the goal of fostering greater interest in healthy lifestyles, eco-friendly transport, and cycling: "I am certain that many of our children watched our cyclists with great admiration yesterday and over the preceding days."

Touching upon Armenia's international ties and partnerships, the Prime Minister noted: "It is very important that we are establishing international partnerships through initiatives like this as well. I believe it is no coincidence that this tournament is taking place in 2026. This serves as yet another vivid and eloquent testament to the peace established in Armenia and the region.

This tournament, and our decision to ensure its continuity, will also provide a new impetus for the development of both professional and amateur cycling in Armenia," the Prime Minister said.

Nikol Pashinyan once again congratulated all the participants and winners of the tournament, as well as the athlete who claimed the top prize, adding: "I hope that next year we will conclude the 'Tour of Armenia' professional cycling tournament at an even higher level, with even greater enthusiasm and even more significant achievements."

The cycling race kicked off on September 10 from Gavar, the administrative center of the Gegharkunik region. The first day's route concluded in Mets Masrik, covering a total distance of 135 km along the shores of Lake Sevan. On this opening day, Michal Pomorski of the ATT Investments team crossed the finish line first (with an average speed of 52.331 km/h), claiming victory for the stage.

On the second day of the race, cyclists from 16 teams representing various countries tackled the route from Kirants to Stepanavan, spanning approximately 177 km. Italian cyclist Federico Iacomoni (Team Ukyo) crossed the finish line first, edging out Leonardo Vesco (Biesse-Carrera-Premac) by a mere few millimeters. He completed the course at an average speed of 40.882 km/h, with a time of 4 hours, 19 minutes, and 46 seconds.

On the third day, Max Hinds, representing the "Netcompany Ineos Racing Academy" team, won the Martuni–Dilijan/Parz Lich stage; he covered the 162 km course in 3 hours, 40 minutes, and 24 seconds—at an average speed of 44.101 km/h—and earned 12 seconds of bonus time. The total elevation gain for the third stage was 1,700 meters. The stage began in Martuni, with cyclists passing through the Gegharkunik, Kotayk, and Tavush regions.

Awards were presented to the stage winner and the leaders of the various classifications by Samuel Sánchez—the 2008 Beijing Olympic champion and official ambassador of the tournament, which is being held in Armenia for the first time.

Winners in the tournament's various classifications received four specially designed jerseys from "Alé Cycling," featuring designs based on Armenian symbols and cultural motifs. The team representing Armenia is also among the 16 participating teams. Over the course of four days, the cyclists covered a total distance of more than 500 km.