McCann solos to win in Taiwan opener

Irishman David McCann of the Giant Asia Racing Team took home the victory in the first stage of the Tour de Taiwan. The ride was not exceptionally tough even by his standard, but from nearly missing the race altogether, the day was indeed extraordinary for McCann.

The 37-year-old from Irishman said after the more than four hour ride from Kaoshiung to Chiayi that he almost gave the race a pass.

"I was struggling with a chest infection and I almost did not want to race today but I felt a little better and decided to give it a shot," said McCann, who not only took the stage but also will be in the Tour leader yellow jersey for being at the top of the General Classification .

"The weather was warm today but not as hot as it was in Malaysia. And it being a fast route today with the wind behind us, we were able to come in with a decent time even though there were two climbs on the day.

"I hope that I will be able to maintain my lead in the next few days with the help of my teammates."

Starting off from the World Games Stadium in Kaohsiung, the peloton did not immediately jump into action with the first breakaway occurring at just after the first climb outside Lingkuo which was won by Taiwan's Feng Chun Kai from the Action Cycling team.

The 20-man breakaway did not work in tandem to build the lead and not soon after was caught by the peloton as they head into the second climb at Nanhua.

With Malaysia's Rizuan Zainal coming in second at the first climb and then taking the second one at Nanhua, he will start tomorrow's stage two in the Red Polka Dot jersey of the King of the Mountain.

"I had a good work programme at the Tour de Langkawi (in Malaysia) and that probably gave me the push for the climb," added the 24-year-old, who finished 75th overall in the GC and also 5th overall in the KOM at the Tour de Langkawi.

"I was confident for the climb and I hope that I can pick up more points in the next several days."

The sprinter's green jersey was led by McCann based on points at the finish .

Following a second breakaway by ten riders heading into Wusanto Reservoir, the peloton just seem to lose steam as they allowed the frontrunners an easy ride to the finish.

What made the win more spectacular for McCann, who had struggled somewhat in Langkawi barely a week ago, was the fact that he had ridden into Alishan all by himself in the last 5km.

"Thank god that we are not going up Alishan and with this year's race devoid of any serious mountain climb, I have a fair chance of keeping the GC all the way to the end," added McCann.

The best ranked Asian rider is Cheung King Wei, who ended the day on fifth in the GC.

"The weather is very hot and the course was a lot harder than I expected. And because we are not allowed to use race radio, I had to make the decision whether to keep with the team or just go in the front," added King Wei, who came in with the second group of riders.

"But the race today was fantastic as it did not end in a bunch finish."

Stage Two tomorrow will be played out in the county of Chiayi with the peloton completing a course of some 137km in and around several famous landmarks.

The race will begin in Chiayi City Hall before passing the Lantan Scenic Resort, the Budai Salt Mountain and on to Yu Chia Nan Haomeiliao Nature Preeserve to finish at the Singang Fongtian Temple.

And while it might be a rest day for the climber, the peloton however will face three sprints along the way - two near the Chiayi County Hall and another at the Fongtan Temple.
 

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Results
1David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team3:11:40
2William Clarke (Aus) Genesys Wealth Advisers0:00:07
3Phillip Gaimon (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear GrinderRow 2 - Cell 2
4Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Act0:00:21
5King Wai Cheung (Hkg) Hong Kong, ChinaRow 4 - Cell 2
6Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Japan0:00:40
7Dean Downing (Gbr) Rapha Condor - Sharp0:00:47
8Roger Beuchat (Swi) Ckt Tmit - Champion SystemRow 7 - Cell 2
9Ki Ho Choi (Hkg) Hong Kong, ChinaRow 8 - Cell 2
10Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia0:00:57
11Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 11 - Cell 2
13Mart Ojavee (Est) Ckt Tmit - Champion SystemRow 12 - Cell 2
14René Hooghiemster (Ned) NetherlandsRow 13 - Cell 2
15Fan Hsin Chu (Tpe)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Tomas Smolen (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 15 - Cell 2
17Kenji Itami (Jpn) Bridgestone AnchorRow 16 - Cell 2
18Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 17 - Cell 2
19Shu Ming Liu (Tpe)Row 18 - Cell 2
20Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:01:00
21Patria Rastra (Ina) Psn0:01:09
22Jacob Rytlewski (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear Grinder0:02:30
23Kin San Wu (Hkg) Hong Kong, ChinaRow 22 - Cell 2
24Wei Cheng Lee (Tpe) Act0:03:17
25Shih Chang Huang (Tpe) ActRow 24 - Cell 2
26Wei Chieh Liu (Tpe) ActRow 25 - Cell 2
27Kam-Po Wong (Hkg) Hong Kong, ChinaRow 26 - Cell 2
28Chih Feng Liu (Tpe)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Deon Locke (Aus) Ckt Tmit - Champion SystemRow 28 - Cell 2
30Tsun Kuei Chen (Tpe)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Yusrizal Usoff (Mas) MalaysiaRow 30 - Cell 2
32Jaroslaw Rebiewski (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 31 - Cell 2
33Jumpei Murakami (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 32 - Cell 2
34Chad Hartley (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear GrinderRow 33 - Cell 2
35Kuan Hua Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Alex Coutts (Gbr) Giant Asia Racing TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Kohei Uchima (Jpn) JapanRow 36 - Cell 2
38Ben Greenwood (Gbr) Rapha Condor - SharpRow 37 - Cell 2
39Yin-Chih Wang (Tpe) Ckt Tmit - Champion System0:03:22
40Jong Kwang Kim (Kor) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 39 - Cell 2
41Chin Lung Huang (Tpe)0:05:09
42Ben Grenda (Aus) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 41 - Cell 2
43An Lung Hsieh (Tpe)Row 42 - Cell 2
44Eugen Wacker (Kgz) Giant Asia Racing TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Chun Liang Pan (Tpe)0:05:56
46Mohd Nor Rizuan Zainal (Mas) MalaysiaRow 45 - Cell 2
47Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
48Haan Wouter (Ned) Netherlands0:06:31
49Nathan Haas (Aus) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 48 - Cell 2
50Wen Lung Chien (Tpe)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Chia Chun Chen (Tpe) ActRow 50 - Cell 2
52Seiichi Koshinomi (Jpn) JapanRow 51 - Cell 2
53Chia Hong Yang (Tpe)Row 52 - Cell 2
54Shih Hsin Hsiao (Tpe)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Arjen Ten Dam (Ned) NetherlandsRow 54 - Cell 2
56Ssu Ju Peng (Tpe)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Herwin Jaya (Ina) PsnRow 56 - Cell 2
58Nara Motoi (Jpn) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 57 - Cell 2
59Cheng Chen Su (Tpe)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Adrian Honkisz (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 59 - Cell 2
61Jun-Oh Kwon (Kor) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 60 - Cell 2
62Bartlomiej Matysiak (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 61 - Cell 2
63Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 62 - Cell 2
64Chad Burdzilauskas (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear GrinderRow 63 - Cell 2
65Jonathan Sundt (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear GrinderRow 64 - Cell 2
66Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 65 - Cell 2
67Ivor Bruin (Ned) NetherlandsRow 66 - Cell 2
68Tomohiro Hayakawa (Jpn) JapanRow 67 - Cell 2
69Dean Windsor (Aus) Rapha Condor - SharpRow 68 - Cell 2
70Mathew Cronshaw (Gbr) Rapha Condor - SharpRow 69 - Cell 2
71Kyle Marwood (Aus) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 70 - Cell 2
72Shuai-Chun Chiang (Tpe)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Ali Ahmad Fallanie (Mas) MalaysiaRow 72 - Cell 2
74Nonaka Ryoma (Jpn) JapanRow 73 - Cell 2
75Yung Hua Cheng (Tpe)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Wan Mohammed Najmee Wan Mohammed (Mas) MalaysiaRow 75 - Cell 2
77Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
78Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ckt Tmit - Champion SystemRow 77 - Cell 2
79Young Uk Kim (Kor) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 78 - Cell 2
80Hari Fitrianto (Ina) PsnRow 79 - Cell 2
81Ying Hon Yeung (Hkg) Hong Kong, ChinaRow 80 - Cell 2
82Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 81 - Cell 2
83Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 82 - Cell 2
84Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Bridgestone AnchorRow 83 - Cell 2
85Barati Rasoul (Iri) Giant Asia Racing TeamRow 84 - Cell 2
86Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) PsnRow 85 - Cell 2
87Roman Krasilnikov (Rus) PsnRow 86 - Cell 2
88Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 87 - Cell 2
89Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 88 - Cell 2
90Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:07:48
91Yoshiyuki Shimizu (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:08:14
92Tosser Chiu (Tpe)Row 91 - Cell 2
93Chia Hung Lin (Tpe)0:08:21
94Graham Briggs (Gbr) Rapha Condor - Sharp0:08:34
95Nathan Earle (Aus) Genesys Wealth Advisers0:10:35
96Melvin Boskamp (Ned) Netherlands0:06:31
DNFChe Hung Liu (Tpe)Row 96 - Cell 2
DNFWen Chung Huang (Tpe)Row 97 - Cell 2
DNFEric Fang (Tpe)Row 98 - Cell 2
DNFCheng Chien Tsai (Tpe)Row 99 - Cell 2
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General Classification
1David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team3:11:30
2William Clarke (Aus) Genesys Wealth Advisers0:11:00
3Phillip Gaimon (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear GrinderRow 2 - Cell 2
4King Wai Cheung (Hkg) Hong Kong, China0:27:00
5Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Act0:31:00
6Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Japan0:50:00
7Ki Ho Choi (Hkg) Hong Kong, China0:55:00
8Dean Downing (Gbr) Rapha Condor - Sharp0:57:00
9Roger Beuchat (Swi) Ckt Tmit - Champion SystemRow 8 - Cell 2
10Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing0:01:04
11Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia0:01:07
12Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 12 - Cell 2
14Mart Ojavee (Est) Ckt Tmit - Champion SystemRow 13 - Cell 2
15René Hooghiemster (Ned) NetherlandsRow 14 - Cell 2
16Fan Hsin Chu (Tpe)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Tomas Smolen (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 16 - Cell 2
18Kenji Itami (Jpn) Bridgestone AnchorRow 17 - Cell 2
19Shu Ming Liu (Tpe)Row 18 - Cell 2
20Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:01:10
21Patria Rastra (Ina) Psn0:01:19
22Jacob Rytlewski (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear Grinder0:02:40
23Kin San Wu (Hkg) Hong Kong, ChinaRow 22 - Cell 2
24Wei Cheng Lee (Tpe) Act0:03:27
25Shih Chang Huang (Tpe) ActRow 24 - Cell 2
26Wei Chieh Liu (Tpe) ActRow 25 - Cell 2
27Kam-Po Wong (Hkg) Hong Kong, ChinaRow 26 - Cell 2
28Chih Feng Liu (Tpe)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Deon Locke (Aus) Ckt Tmit - Champion SystemRow 28 - Cell 2
30Tsun Kuei Chen (Tpe)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Yusrizal Usoff (Mas) MalaysiaRow 30 - Cell 2
32Jaroslaw Rebiewski (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 31 - Cell 2
33Jumpei Murakami (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 32 - Cell 2
34Chad Hartley (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear GrinderRow 33 - Cell 2
35Kuan Hua Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Alex Coutts (Gbr) Giant Asia Racing TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Kohei Uchima (Jpn) JapanRow 36 - Cell 2
38Ben Greenwood (Gbr) Rapha Condor - SharpRow 37 - Cell 2
39Yin-Chih Wang (Tpe) Ckt Tmit - Champion System0:03:32
40Jong Kwang Kim (Kor) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 39 - Cell 2
41Chin Lung Huang (Tpe)0:05:19
42Ben Grenda (Aus) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 41 - Cell 2
43An Lung Hsieh (Tpe)Row 42 - Cell 2
44Eugen Wacker (Kgz) Giant Asia Racing TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Chun Liang Pan (Tpe)0:06:06
46Mohd Nor Rizuan Zainal (Mas) MalaysiaRow 45 - Cell 2
47Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
48Haan Wouter (Ned) Netherlands0:06:41
49Nathan Haas (Aus) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 48 - Cell 2
50Wen Lung Chien (Tpe)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Chia Chun Chen (Tpe) ActRow 50 - Cell 2
52Seiichi Koshinomi (Jpn) JapanRow 51 - Cell 2
53Chia Hong Yang (Tpe)Row 52 - Cell 2
54Shih Hsin Hsiao (Tpe)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Arjen Ten Dam (Ned) NetherlandsRow 54 - Cell 2
56Ssu Ju Peng (Tpe)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Herwin Jaya (Ina) PsnRow 56 - Cell 2
58Nara Motoi (Jpn) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 57 - Cell 2
59Cheng Chen Su (Tpe)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Adrian Honkisz (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 59 - Cell 2
61Jun-Oh Kwon (Kor) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 60 - Cell 2
62Bartlomiej Matysiak (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 61 - Cell 2
63Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) Ccc Polsat PolkowiceRow 62 - Cell 2
64Chad Burdzilauskas (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear GrinderRow 63 - Cell 2
65Jonathan Sundt (Usa) Kenda Presented By Gear GrinderRow 64 - Cell 2
66Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 65 - Cell 2
67Ivor Bruin (Ned) NetherlandsRow 66 - Cell 2
68Tomohiro Hayakawa (Jpn) JapanRow 67 - Cell 2
69Dean Windsor (Aus) Rapha Condor - SharpRow 68 - Cell 2
70Mathew Cronshaw (Gbr) Rapha Condor - SharpRow 69 - Cell 2
71Kyle Marwood (Aus) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 70 - Cell 2
72Shuai-Chun Chiang (Tpe)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Ali Ahmad Fallanie (Mas) MalaysiaRow 72 - Cell 2
74Nonaka Ryoma (Jpn) JapanRow 73 - Cell 2
75Yung Hua Cheng (Tpe)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Wan Mohammed Najmee Wan Mohammed (Mas) MalaysiaRow 75 - Cell 2
77Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 76 - Cell 2
78Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ckt Tmit - Champion SystemRow 77 - Cell 2
79Young Uk Kim (Kor) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 78 - Cell 2
80Hari Fitrianto (Ina) PsnRow 79 - Cell 2
81Ying Hon Yeung (Hkg) Hong Kong, ChinaRow 80 - Cell 2
82Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Geumsan Ginseng AsiaRow 81 - Cell 2
83Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano RacingRow 82 - Cell 2
84Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Bridgestone AnchorRow 83 - Cell 2
85Barati Rasoul (Iri) Giant Asia Racing TeamRow 84 - Cell 2
86Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) PsnRow 85 - Cell 2
87Roman Krasilnikov (Rus) PsnRow 86 - Cell 2
88Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 87 - Cell 2
89Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 88 - Cell 2
90Melvin Boskamp (Ned) NetherlandsRow 89 - Cell 2
91Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:07:58
92Yoshiyuki Shimizu (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:08:23
93Tosser Chiu (Tpe)0:08:24
94Chia Hung Lin (Tpe)0:08:31
95Graham Briggs (Gbr) Rapha Condor - Sharp0:08:44
96Nathan Earle (Aus) Genesys Wealth Advisers0:10:45
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Points classification
1David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team
2Philip Gaimon (USA) Kenda presented by Geargrinder
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Mountains classification
1Zainal Rizuan Zainal (Mas) Malaysia National Team
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Best Asian Rider
1Cheung King Wai (HKg) Hong Kong Team

 

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