The round baler has a plurality of transverse rolls and a plurality of laterally spaced belts entraining the rolls, wherein the rolls and belts cooperatively define a baling chamber expandable from an initial, generally upright, bale-starting configuration. The baling chamber has a crop intake opening adjacent the bottom of the chamber through which crop material is delivered to the chamber during formation of a bale. The rolls include a lower front roll and a lower rear roll which are located behind the intake opening. The lower rear roll has a bale supporting surface that is positioned generally upwardly and rearwardly from the front roll for supporting the bale during formation thereof at a point spaced upwardly and rearwardly from the intake opening. The belts include a stretch that extends generally upwardly from the front roll when the chamber is in the bale-starting configuration and shifts into engagement with the rear roll as the chamber expands, whereby the belt stretch presents a moving surface extending generally rearwardly and upwardly from the front roll to the rear roll for delivering crop material from the intake opening to the bale.