Five years after his last title, Ramunas Navardauskas (Cannondale) returned to the top step of the podium at the Lithuanian road race championships. The WorldTour rider came out on top after an exciting duel with Tomas Vaitkus (Nasr-Dubai) while Paulius Siskevicius (Staki) completed the podium.

In 2007, a 19-year-old Ramunas Navardauskas proved that a new Lithuanian cycling star was born when he beat the entire national elite at the road race champioships. A few years later, he turned professional with the Garmin team and since then he has become the biggest name in the country with stage wins in both the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia.

However, Navardauskas has only taken one road race title since his maiden win nine years ago but today he finally managed to reconfirm his status as the leading figure in Lithuanian cycling. On a 180km course in Ignalinoje, he claimed his third title after a thrilling battle with Tomas Vaitkus who was once the biggest name in the country.

Navardauskas and Vaitkus escaped in the finale and decided the race in a two-rider battle. The Cannondale rider emerged as the strongest as he won the race by two seconds. Paulius Siskevicius was 1.08 behind in third. FDJ rider Ignatas Konovalovas could only manage sixth.

Navardauskas did the Giro and is unlikely to be part of the Cannondale team for the Tour. Hence, it is uncertain when he will make his debut in the new jersey.