Metlushenko sprints to victory
De Negri, Shpilevskiy complete podium
Ukraine sprinter Yuriy Metlushenko (Amore & Vita-Conad) has taken out the Tour of Qinghai Lake preface criterium with a convincing charge to the line in Huzhu County. Metlushenko punched both fists into the air and screamed "Yeah!" in what could be a message to all others in the peloton that he is the man to watch in the points competition this year.
Metlushenko defeated Italy's Paolo De Negri (ISD-Neri) with Russia's Boris Shpilevskiy (Russian National Team) finishing third before an estimated crowd of 50,000. The criterium has no bearing on the tour’s GC but certainly gave the locals an opportunity to witness the speed that can be expected on the race.
Rain fell early in the twelve-lap race and although the peloton got through the 72 kilometres unscathed the riders would have been keen to get into a hot shower. Mud-splattered bodies and the grimaces on the riders’ faces told the story of day.
Breakaways were few and far between on a circuit with very long straights that made it difficult for any escapees to ride out of sight. There were some who tried but the best chance came in the second half of the race when Vitaliy Buts (Ukrainian National Team) and eventual third-place Boris Shpilevskiy (Russian National Team) got a gap of twenty seconds over the peloton.
The bunch was averaging around 7:50 per lap on the 6km circuit but when the pace picked up on the concluding laps, any chance of a break was gone. Metlushenko’s power on the pedals came to the fore and he added another win in China after claiming a stage in last year’s tour.
The Tour of Qinghai Lake proper gets underway tomorrow in Xining where riders face a 171km trek to Tongren. If conditions are anything like today the peloton is in for a tough day in the saddle. There is a category two climb of 3,038 metres at the 64km mark.
The sprinters will have two intermediate sprint sections along the way where Metlushenko is sure to figure again. A breakaway is highly likely given the stage profile and distance.
1 | Yuriy Metlushenko (Ukr) Amore & Vita - Conad | 1:32:18 |
2 | Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) ISD - Neri | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Boris Shpilevskiy (Rus) Russia | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Jure Zrimsek (Slo) Slovenia | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Tobias Erler (Ger) Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Robin Chaigneau (Ned) Skil - Shimano | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Kazakhstan | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1 | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Jin Long (Chn) Skil - Shimano | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Dmytriy Krivtsov (Ukr) ISD - Neri | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | James Williamson (NZl) Subway - Avanti | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Hossein Alizadeh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Emanuel Kiserlovski (Cro) Loborika | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Vitaliy Buts (Ukr) Ukraine | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented By Kenda | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Pengda Jiao (Chn) China | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Darko Blaževic (Cro) Loborika | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Hossein Jahanbanian Kamnabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Sergiy Grechyn (Ukr) Amore & Vita - Conad | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | 0:00:06 |
23 | Andriy Vasylyuk (Ukr) Ukraine | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Jelle Posthuma (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | William Dugan (USA) Team Type 1 | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Eugen Wacker (Kgz) Giant Asia Racing Team | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Vladimir Likhachev (Rus) Russia | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Dmitry Puzanov (Rus) Russia | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented By Kenda | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Ki Ho Choi (HKg) Hong Kong | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Roman Zhiyentayev (Kaz) Kazakhstan | 0:00:10 |
34 | Alexander Filippov (Rus) Russia | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Thierry Hupond (Fra) Skil - Shimano | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Anthony Colby (USA) Jelly Belly Presented By Kenda | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Skil - Shimano | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Type 1 | 0:00:12 |
39 | Rahim Emami (IRI) Giant Asia Racing Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Volodymyr Bileka (Ukr) Amore & Vita - Conad | 0:00:17 |
41 | Esad Hasanovic (Srb) Partizan Srbija | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Haijun Ma (Chn) Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Oleksandr Prevar (Ukr) Ukraine | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Ryan Wills (NZl) Subway - Avanti | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | King Lok Cheung (HKg) Hong Kong | 0:00:21 |
46 | Thomas Hasibeder (Aut) Arbö Ktm - Gebrüder Weiss | 0:00:23 |
47 | Bo Liu (Chn) China | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Christopher Juul-Jensen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO Radgivning | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team | 0:00:25 |
51 | Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Sergey Kuzmin (Kaz) Kazakhstan | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Yoriy Leontenko (Ukr) Ukraine | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Rasoul Barati (IRI) Giant Asia Racing Team | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Kasper Linde Jorgensen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO Radgivning | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Pim De Beer (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Hrvoje Miholjevic (Cro) Loborika | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Jure Golcer (Slo) Slovenia | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Anatoliy Sosnitskyy (Ukr) Ukraine | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Ghader Mizbani Iranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Cheng Ji (Chn) Skil - Shimano | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Evgeny Reshetko (Rus) Russia | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Peng Liu (Chn) China | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Volodymyr Gomenuk (Ukr) Ukraine | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Nazar Jumabekov (Kaz) Kazakhstan | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Stefan Poll (Aut) Arbö Ktm - Gebrüder Weiss | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) Arbö Ktm - Gebrüder Weiss | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) ISD - Neri | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Han Feng (Chn) Skil - Shimano | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Prajak Mahawong (Tha) Giant Asia Racing Team | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Jaroslaw Dabrowski (Pol) Amore & Vita - Conad | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) ISD - Neri | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Volodymyr Starchyk (Ukr) Amore & Vita - Conad | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Jakub Kratochvila (Cze) Arbö Ktm - Gebrüder Weiss | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Jacob Nielsen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO Radgivning | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Khalid Boulida (Ned) Marco Polo Cycling Team | 0:00:36 |
77 | William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented By Kenda | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Shijie Yu (Chn) China | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Maarten De Jonge (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | 0:00:37 |
80 | Xiaoyong Dong (Chn) Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Ian Smallman (NZl) Subway - Avanti | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Samuel Horgan (NZl) Subway - Avanti | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Massimo Demarin (Cro) Loborika | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Tomislav Danculovic (Cro) Loborika | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Radoslav Rogina (Cro) Loborika | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukr) ISD - Neri | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Yue Tu (Chn) China | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Wu Chen (Chn) Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Loborika | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Biao Liu (Chn) Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Mitja Mahoric (Slo) Slovenia | 0:00:43 |
93 | Matej Stare (Slo) Slovenia | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Vladimir Kerkez (Slo) Slovenia | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Lasse Bochman (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO Radgivning | 0:00:45 |
96 | Jonathan Lovelock (Aus) Marco Polo Cycling Team | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Ivan Stevic (Srb) Partizan Srbija | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Yevgeniy Sladkov (Kaz) Kazakhstan | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Stefan Van Winden (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Niki Ostergaard (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO Radgivning | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Bernardo Colex Tepoz (Mex) Amore & Vita - Conad | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Gang Xu (Chn) China | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Mads Christensen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO Radgivning | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Frederik Wilmann (Nor) Skil - Shimano | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Mykhaylo Kononenko (Ukr) Ukraine | 0:00:49 |
106 | Vladislav Borisov (Rus) Amore & Vita - Conad | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team | 0:00:55 |
108 | Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Marc Goos (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | 0:00:56 |
110 | Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 | 0:01:02 |
111 | Salvatore Mancuso (Ita) ISD - Neri | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Kun Jiang (Chn) China | 0:01:08 |
113 | King Wai Cheung (HKg) Hong Kong | 0:01:10 |
114 | Kristjan Fajt (Slo) Slovenia | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Simon Clarke (Aus) ISD - Neri | 0:01:13 |
116 | Nicholas Lovegrove (NZl) Subway - Avanti | 0:02:48 |
117 | Joseph Cooper (NZl) Subway - Avanti | 0:02:50 |
118 | Svetislav Blagojevic (Srb) Partizan Srbija | 0:03:12 |
119 | Nikola Kozomara (Srb) Partizan Srbija | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Ting Dang (Chn) Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Mathias Gade Jacobsen (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO Radgivning | 0:03:21 |
122 | Shengjun Wu (Chn) Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team | 0:03:47 |
123 | Peilun Wu (Chn) Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team | 0:03:52 |
124 | Zsolt Der (Srb) Partizan Srbija | 0:05:38 |
125 | Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1 | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Andrej Omulec (Slo) Slovenia | 0:07:56 |
DNS | Sierk Jan De Haan (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Alexander Arekeev (Rus) Russia | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bradley Hall (Aus) Marco Polo Cycling Team | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Loh Sea Keong (Mas) Marco Polo Cycling Team | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ahmad Haidar Anuawar (Mas) Marco Polo Cycling Team | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lars Pria (Rom) Arbö Ktm - Gebrüder Weiss | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Singer (Aut) Arbö Ktm - Gebrüder Weiss | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexandr Shushemoin (Kaz) Kazakhstan | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eric Drower (NZl) Subway - Avanti | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Danil Komkov (Rus) Russia | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Chodroff (USA) Jelly Belly Presented By Kenda | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sean Mazich (USA) Jelly Belly Presented By Kenda | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Scott Stewart (USA) Team Type 1 | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
1 | Dmytriy Krivtsov (Ukr) ISD - Neri |
2 | Mykhaylo Kononenko (Ukr) Ukraine |
3 | Kun Jiang (Chn) China |
1 | King Lok Cheung (HKg) Hong Kong |
2 | Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong |
3 | Kun Jiang (Chn) China |
1 | King Lok Cheung (HKg) Hong Kong |
2 | Kun Jiang (Chn) China |
3 | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Kazakhstan |
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