Exciting Finale expected in the tour of Qinghai Lake

By Paul Verkuylen

Eight stages have passed of the Tour of Qinghai Lake in China, the largest race outside of that Tour going on in France at the moment, and with one to go a pan flat circuit race around Xining, Discovery Channel has one more chance to make it six from nine. Alan Davis started things off for the Disco boys taking the first stage and the overall. The following day André Schulze got the better of the Aussie in the sprint, but it took just 24hours for Davis to relegate the German to second spot and get his second win on the tour.

The following day Davis lost the overall lead to Schulze Wiesenhofs team-mate, Joerg Ludewig, during the stage to Guide which include a climb toping out at 3,880 meters. The next two stages were again won by Davis as the lead passed from Ludewig to DFL Cyclingnews’ Daniel Lloyd and finally to Gabriele Missaglia (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Selle Italia) of Italy, who has held a slender lead ever since.

Stage eight belonged to José Luis Rubiera showing the rest of the peloton that discovery Channel came to the tour with a full compliment of riders, not just Davis.

Heading into the final stage, Davis is surely the favourite to win the stage, although he is too far behind to challenge the overall.

DFL Cyclingnews British rider Daniel Lloyd, is sitting just two seconds behind the leader, and will surely be looking to take advantage of his team-mates strong showing in a series of Belgian Kermesse races before heading to China, and get in a break to take back those seconds in order to succeed in getting DFL Cyclingnews’ biggest victory to date.