Double shock at Asian Championships
South Koreans beat WorldTour opposition in Almaty to take both women's and men's road titles + rounding up the rest of the Asian Continental Championships .
Hey everyone! Before we get into this week’s GP, just a quick note to say that I’m excited to be able to let you know that I have started creating some paid-subscriber-only posts which will now be published on a regular basis. I shared the first one last week, looking at 6 undiscovered African talents. Thanks to everyone who has already added a paid subscription. Enjoy!
South Koreans upset favourites to do the double at Asian Championships
Over the last few days, the Asian Continental Championships have been taking place in Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan. It’s an apt place to hold the championships, as a nation the Kazakhs have dominated the men’s side of the Asian Champs in recent years and came into each race, in every category, with at least one of the favourites again this year.
The Kazakh squad, filled with WorldTour talent from the Astana Qazaqstan team, came into the men’s elite road race as the winners of the last three editions. Their dominance of recent years came to an end on Wednesday as South Korean rider Euro Kim took a shock sprint win. China’s Xianjing Lyu was second and Yevgeniy Fedorov was the best Kazakh in third.
Kim is part of LX Cycling Team, the biggest UCI team in South Korea, and is a silver medallist from last year’s Asian Games in the Madison, giving evidence to his speed in a bunch finish. Nonetheless this was a big shock with five professional riders, including Fedorov, in the front group of 16.
Kim completed an unforeseen double for South Korea, as his compatriot Minji Song shocked the sprinters to take gold in the women’s elite road race 24 hours earlier. 26-year-old Song anticipated the sprint, attacking in the finale to defeat European-based opponents like Vietnam’s Thi That Nguyen and China’s Xin Tang, who finished second and third respectively.
It’s a remarkable set of results for South Korea. A steady stream of talented South Koreans have emerged in recent seasons, such as last year’s women’s Tour of Thailand winner Eunhee Lee and former Asian champion Sang Hong Park. There are seven men’s Continental teams who race across the Asia Tour. These latest results could provide a shot in the arm to a nation which has great potential.
Central Asians on top in the time-trial
The home team made it right in the men’s elite time-trial as Yevgeniy Fedorov and Dmitriy Gruzdev secured a 1-2 for Kazakhstan in a dominant display. Third place was Japan’s Yukiya Arashiro, two minutes down on Fedorov, to make up an all WorldTour podium. In fact, the top 4 in the standings were all part of WorldTour teams with Bahrain Victorious’ Sergio Tu taking the ‘wooden spoon’ and fourth.
Another Central Asian nation, Uzbekistan, crushed the competition in the women’s TT. Olga Zabelinskaya took gold for the third time in four ahead of young team-mate Yanina Kuskova - expect to see both at the Tour de France Femmes in a few weeks. Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova, the 2022 champion, was third.
One of the reasons why the professional teams send their riders here is that it’s a nice way to bring in UCI points. I count that Astana Qazaqstan raked in 465 much needed points over the whole championships. Burgos BH scored 80 through Sainbayar and Bahrain Victorious got 100 through Tu and Arashiro. Tashkent City, whose performances here last year contributed to their qualification for WorldTour events this season, took home a nice 216 points this year through Zabelinskaya, Kuskova and the mixed TTT.
UAE Team Emirates’ top Emirati prospect is the best u23 in Asia
A wide range of nations had success in the younger categories at the Asian Championships.
UAE Team Emirates will be very pleased with the performances of two members of their ‘Gen Z’ development team. UAE riders Abdulla Jasim Al-Ali and Mohammad Al Mutaiwei broke away in a two-up attack in the men’s under-23 road race. Al-Ali took gold ahead of his team-mate and both were more than two minutes ahead of Iran’s Ali Labib Shotorban who led home a small chasing group to take third. Al-Ali became the second rider from UAE to win gold in the history of the Asian Championships, after his now DS Yousif Mirza won the men’s elite road race in 2018.
Sadly there was no equivalent women’s under-23 race, with riders in that category forced to race among the elites. The junior women’s race was won by Taiwanese rider Shang Lin Yiu ahead of two Kazakhs, Angelina Burenkova and Yevgeniya Zaam.
The men’s junior road race was won by Indonesia’s Julian Abi Manyu. Ya Lun Yee of Taiwan was second and Phetphanum Panmaung of Thailand was third.
Before all of this, the mixed relay took place with eight teams participating. Kazakhstan won gold ahead of Uzbekistan and Hong Kong.
I’m pretty sure I’m right in saying that this was the most diverse Asian Championships ever in terms of nations competing. Particularly encouraging was the participation of India, who had riders in almost every race. The growth in participation of riders from the middle east was also noticeable, surely a direct result of recent cycling investment in that region.
To get access to more articles, stories and analysis, please consider adding a paid subscription
or
Other news and stories
How did a men’s team [Guinea-Bissau] end up on a women’s startlist? (Escape Collective)
From Marrakesh to the Sahara by bike: ancient cities, untouched routes and jaw-dropping views make Morocco a bucket list destination (CyclingWeekly)
Ashleigh Moolman Pasio has suffered a back injury after crash in Volta Catalunya (AG Insurance - Soudal)
Race Round-up
The Tour du Maroc was won by Frenchman Axel Narbonne-Zuccarelli. Natnael Berhane led for much of the race, but finished third.
Panama’s Franklin Archibold did the triple at the Central American Championships, winning the road race, TT and TTT.
Guatemala’s Gabriela Soto Lopez won the women’s road race at the Central American Championships as well as the TTT with her team-mates. Panama’s Anabel Prieto won the TT.
Clovis Kamzong won his home race for the third time at the Tour du Cameroun. Algerians Abdallah Ben Youcef and Ayoub Sahiri were also on the podium.
The six-stage Tour du Togo was won by local rider Yacouba Diallo. Harouna Ilboudo and Bassirou Monean, both from Burkina Faso, were second and third.
Thanks for reading Global Peloton!
The best way to support Global Peloton is to add a paid subscription. Your subscription enables me to bring you more international cycling news and stories.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing and sharing.
Or, you can Buy Me a Coffee