Champion System rings a Bell at Tour de Taiwan

If one name remains from stage 4 of the 25th Tour de Taiwan, it’s that of Louis Meintjes. The 21-year-old from MTN-Qhubeka launched an offensive from a long way out but a counter-attack by runner up Bernard Sulzberger (Drapac) eventually dethroned Kirill Pozdnyakov (Baku) while Canada’s Zachary Bell delivered Champion System’s first win in the big league of cycling, which includes the races of category 1 and above, one year after the promotion of the China-registered squad in the Pro Continental ranks.

“It feels great to be back as a winner on the road after a while,” said Bell after the finish. The 30-year-old decided to focus exclusively on road racing after carrying the flag for Canada on the track and becoming a father for the first time in October last year. His last road race was effectively the national championship in June, as he didn’t finish stage 1 of the Tour of Colorado after that. His latest international victory also goes as far back as at the 2007 Vuelta a El Salvador.

The first man in action was also from Champion System: Taiwan’s Feng Chun Kai who targets the king of the mountains competition went away from the gun and created a front group of 17 riders who stayed away until km 36. They were soon relayed ahead of the bunch by Takero Terasaki (Japan) and Bell. The duo was rejoined twenty kilometers later (at km 59) by Gordon McCauley (Drapac), Louis Meintjes and Johan van Zyl (MTN-Qhubeka), Qin Chen Lu (Max Success) and Kohei Uchima (Japan).

With a maximum lead of 2:25, Meintjes who was lying in tenth position on GC only 25 seconds down on Pozdnyakov became the virtual leader of the Tour de Taiwan until a group of five counter attackers came across, including Sulzberger with the help of Floris Goesinen, also from Drapac, Ryoma Nonaka (Shimano Racing), Thomas Vaubourzeix (La Pomme Marseille) and Liam Holohan (Madison Genesis). The junction was made within 10km to go.

A former track rider, Bell proved to be the fastest on the finishing line in front the Metropolitan Park of Taichung, ahead of Vaubourzeix and Sulzberger who got a significant advantage from his surprising offensive in the downhill of the Taichung Route 95 after the KOM at km 74. The Tasmanian leads the Tour de Taiwan by 28 seconds over the sensation of the day, Meintjes, and former leader Pozdnyakov.

“It was improvised”, Sulzberger admitted. “I went away downhill, then with my Dutch teammate Floris Goesinnen, we rode hard till we reached the front of the race. With a 28-second lead, the race is still there to be won overall. It’s not a huge gap but I’m in a better situation than where I was yesterday. There are still a lot of guys in contention. The Tour de Taiwan is really competitive. It’s hard racing every day, very fast, I like it!”

Another change of leadership occurred in the king of the mountains competition but instead of the highly awaited Feng Chun Kai, the new wearer of the polka dot jersey is Qin Chen Lu. The 20-year-old from Max Success, who was also one of the most active riders in the previous day’s breakaway, rode away from the front group on the first category climb of the Taichung Route 95 but showed that his ability for riding downhill are about the opposite of his skills as a climber. He got caught and dropped consecutively but showed the increasing depth of Chinese cycling. “It was slippery after the rain, so I put safety first,” said Qin.

Bell warned there’s also more to be seen from his Chinese team. “We have a lot of cards to play,” the Canadian explained. “We’re not going to sit down and enjoy the rest of the race. Drapac is now probably motivated to keep their lead. [Feng Chun] Kai is a quiet guy but you’ll see a lot more from him in the future. Adiq [Hussainie from Malaysia] is still up there on GC. We’re gonna look to make more of an impact to the race.”

Stage 5 to Taoyuan features another uphill finish while stage 6 is a more difficult one with more possibilities to reshuffle the overall classification prior to the closing criterium in Taipei on Sunday morning.

Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Zachary Bell (Can) Champion System Pro Cycling Team2:39:10
2Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) Team La Pomme MarseilleRow 1 - Cell 2
3Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) DRAPAC CyclingRow 2 - Cell 2
4Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Japan National TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Liam Holohan (GBr) Madison Genesis TeamRow 4 - Cell 2
6Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN QhubekaRow 5 - Cell 2
7Ryoma Nonaka (Jpn) Shimano Racing TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Floris Goesinnen (Ned) DRAPAC Cycling0:00:06
9Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:00:25
10Luke Keough (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro CyclingRow 9 - Cell 2
11Grischa Janorschke (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUSRow 10 - Cell 2
12Robbie Hucker (Aus) DRAPAC CyclingRow 11 - Cell 2
13Mohammad Saufi Mat Senan (Mas) Terengganu Cycling TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Benjamin Edmüller (Ger) ARBÖ-Gebrüder Weiss-OberndorferRow 13 - Cell 2
15Boonratanathanakorn Thurakit (Tha) Thailand National TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
16Anuar Manan (Mas) Synergy Baku Cycling Project TeamRow 15 - Cell 2
17Mohd Nur Rizuan Zainal (Mas) Malaysia National TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Sirironnachai Sarawut (Tha) Thailand National TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Hao Liu (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Adiq Othman (Mas) Champion System Pro Cycling TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Sai-Udomsin Phuchong (Tha) Thailand National TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Mohd Shahrul Mat Amin (Mas) Terengganu Cycling TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth AdviserRow 24 - Cell 2
26Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Champion System Pro Cycling TeamRow 25 - Cell 2
27Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Oddbjørn Klomtsen Andersen (Nor) Team Frøy-BianchiRow 27 - Cell 2
29Muhammad Fauzan Ahmad Lufti (Mas) Malaysia National TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Hui Zhang (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro CyclingRow 30 - Cell 2
32Nathan Earle (Aus) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth AdviserRow 31 - Cell 2
33Max Walsleben (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUSRow 32 - Cell 2
34Dirk Müller (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUSRow 33 - Cell 2
35Christoph Scweizer (Ger) Synergy Baku Cycling Project TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Yat Wai Chan (HKg) Team Hong Kong ChinaRow 35 - Cell 2
37Po Hung Wu (Tpe) Team Senter - MeridaRow 36 - Cell 2
38En Huang (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Team La Pomme MarseilleRow 38 - Cell 2
40Chun Wing Leung (HKg) Team Hong Kong ChinaRow 39 - Cell 2
41Jakub Kratochvila (Cze) ARBÖ-Gebrüder Weiss-OberndorferRow 40 - Cell 2
42Bradley White (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro CyclingRow 41 - Cell 2
43Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) MTN QhubekaRow 42 - Cell 2
44Yin Chih Wang (Tpe) CCN Cycling TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Christopher Jenninngs (RSA) Team La Pomme MarseilleRow 44 - Cell 2
46Che Wei Hu (Tpe) Team Senter - MeridaRow 45 - Cell 2
47Morten Sandvik (Nor) Team Frøy-BianchiRow 46 - Cell 2
48Mohd Saiful Anwar Azis (Mas) Terengganu Cycling TeamRow 47 - Cell 2
49Lee Rodgers (GBr) CCN Cycling TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
50Ryan Sherlock (Irl) Polygon Sweet Nice TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
51Masakazu Ito (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
52Dennis Van Niekerk (RSA) MTN QhubekaRow 51 - Cell 2
53Gordon Mccauley (NZl) DRAPAC CyclingRow 52 - Cell 2
54Kun Hung Hung (Tpe) Team Senter - MeridaRow 53 - Cell 2
55Ki Ho Choi (HKg) Team Hong Kong ChinaRow 54 - Cell 2
56Ian Bibby (GBr) Madison Genesis TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
57Yi Hao Tseng (Tpe) Team Senter - MeridaRow 56 - Cell 2
58David Clarke (GBr) Synergy Baku Cycling Project TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
59King Lok Cheung (HKg) Team Hong Kong ChinaRow 58 - Cell 2
60Mark Dowling (Irl) Polygon Sweet Nice TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
61Burr Ho (HKg) Team Hong Kong ChinaRow 60 - Cell 2
62Kirill Pozdnyakov (Rus) Synergy Baku Cycling Project TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
63Takero Terasaki (Jpn) Japan National TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN QhubekaRow 63 - Cell 2
65John Kronborg Ebsen (Den) Synergy Baku Cycling Project TeamRow 64 - Cell 2
66Benjamin Sydlik (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUSRow 65 - Cell 2
67Hiroki Nishimura (Jpn) Japan National TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
68Dominic Jelfs (Irl) Madison Genesis TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Ohko Shimizu (Jpn) Japan National TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
70Chen Lu Qin (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
71Sigurd Nesset (Nor) Team Frøy-BianchiRow 70 - Cell 2
72Jai Crawford (Aus) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth AdviserRow 71 - Cell 2
73Andreas Müller (Aut) ARBÖ-Gebrüder Weiss-OberndorferRow 72 - Cell 2
74Hsin Hua Huang (Tpe) Team Senter - Merida0:00:36
75Mohd Nor Umardi Rosdi (Mas) Terengganu Cycling TeamRow 74 - Cell 2
76Rick Ampler (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUS0:00:45
77Ahmad Fahmi Farhan Ahmad Fuat (Mas) Malaysia National Team0:01:11
78Nur Arif Prayoga (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team0:01:16
79Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN Qhubeka0:01:20
80Andrew Tennant (GBr) Madison Genesis Team0:02:02
81Brennan Townshend (GBr) Madison Genesis TeamRow 80 - Cell 2
82Petr Lechner (Cze) ARBÖ-Gebrüder Weiss-Oberndorfer0:02:18
83Masahiko Yasui (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:02:56
84Patrick Shaw (Aus) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Adviser0:00:25
85Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System Pro Cycling Team0:03:30
86Fabian Schnaidt (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling TeamRow 85 - Cell 2
87Halvor Tandrevold (Nor) Team Frøy-BianchiRow 86 - Cell 2
88Thomas Palmer (Aus) DRAPAC CyclingRow 87 - Cell 2
89Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthCare Pro CyclingRow 88 - Cell 2
90Yasuharo Nakajima (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team0:03:59
91Shotaro Iribe (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:04:00
92Shimpei Fukuda (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team0:05:19
93Joseph Cooper (NZl) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth AdviserRow 92 - Cell 2
94Liphongyu Navuti (Tha) Thailand National Team0:07:43
DNFMartyn Irvine (Irl) UnitedHealthCare Pro CyclingRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFYue Peng Liu (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling TeamRow 95 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
General classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) DRAPAC Cycling12:03:14
2Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN Qhubeka0:00:28
3Kirill Pozdnyakov (Rus) Synergy Baku Cycling Project TeamRow 2 - Cell 2
4Nathan Earle (Aus) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Adviser0:00:31
5Oddbjørn Klomtsen Andersen (Nor) Team Frøy-Bianchi0:00:37
6Ki Ho Choi (HKg) Team Hong Kong China0:00:41
7Liam Holohan (GBr) Madison Genesis Team0:00:43
8Mohammad Saufi Mat Senan (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team0:00:47
9Masakazu Ito (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) MTN QhubekaRow 9 - Cell 2
11Adiq Othman (Mas) Champion System Pro Cycling Team0:00:53
12Sigurd Nesset (Nor) Team Frøy-BianchiRow 11 - Cell 2
13King Lok Cheung (HKg) Team Hong Kong China0:00:54
14Robbie Hucker (Aus) DRAPAC Cycling0:00:55
15Sai-Udomsin Phuchong (Tha) Thailand National Team0:00:59
16Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:01:04
17David Clarke (GBr) Synergy Baku Cycling Project TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Jai Crawford (Aus) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth AdviserRow 17 - Cell 2
19Ian Bibby (GBr) Madison Genesis Team0:01:06
20Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Adviser0:01:08
21Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Morten Sandvik (Nor) Team Frøy-BianchiRow 21 - Cell 2
23Po Hung Wu (Tpe) Team Senter - Merida0:01:19
24Hui Zhang (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling Team0:01:27
25Chen Lu Qin (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling Team0:01:29
26Muhammad Fauzan Ahmad Lufti (Mas) Malaysia National Team0:01:35
27Ryan Sherlock (Irl) Polygon Sweet Nice Team0:01:38
28Mark Dowling (Irl) Polygon Sweet Nice Team0:01:39
29John Kronborg Ebsen (Den) Synergy Baku Cycling Project Team0:01:40
30Sirironnachai Sarawut (Tha) Thailand National Team0:01:46
31Christoph Scweizer (Ger) Synergy Baku Cycling Project Team0:01:57
32Dirk Müller (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUS0:02:03
33Hao Liu (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling Team0:02:07
34Boonratanathanakorn Thurakit (Tha) Thailand National Team0:02:10
35Kun Hung Hung (Tpe) Team Senter - Merida0:02:17
36Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Team La Pomme Marseille0:02:36
37Andreas Müller (Aut) ARBÖ-Gebrüder Weiss-Oberndorfer0:02:37
38Yat Wai Chan (HKg) Team Hong Kong ChinaRow 37 - Cell 2
39Christopher Jenninngs (RSA) Team La Pomme Marseille0:02:44
40Mohd Saiful Anwar Azis (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team0:02:45
41Mohd Shahrul Mat Amin (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team0:02:55
42En Huang (Chn) Max Success Sports Cycling Team0:02:57
43Lee Rodgers (GBr) CCN Cycling Team0:02:58
44Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team0:03:02
45Floris Goesinnen (Ned) DRAPAC Cycling0:03:04
46Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:03:05
47Hsin Hua Huang (Tpe) Team Senter - Merida0:03:08
48Mohd Nor Umardi Rosdi (Mas) Terengganu Cycling TeamRow 47 - Cell 2
49Ryoma Nonaka (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:03:31
50Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Champion System Pro Cycling Team0:03:35
51Ohko Shimizu (Jpn) Japan National Team0:03:50
52Benjamin Edmüller (Ger) ARBÖ-Gebrüder Weiss-Oberndorfer0:03:54
53Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) Team La Pomme Marseille0:04:04
54Grischa Janorschke (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUS0:04:07
55Jakub Kratochvila (Cze) ARBÖ-Gebrüder Weiss-Oberndorfer0:04:09
56Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN Qhubeka0:04:35
57Zachary Bell (Can) Champion System Pro Cycling Team0:04:50
58Yin Chih Wang (Tpe) CCN Cycling Team0:04:57
59Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Japan National Team0:05:02
60Halvor Tandrevold (Nor) Team Frøy-Bianchi0:05:06
61Anuar Manan (Mas) Synergy Baku Cycling Project Team0:06:20
62Dennis Van Niekerk (RSA) MTN Qhubeka0:06:34
63Petr Lechner (Cze) ARBÖ-Gebrüder Weiss-Oberndorfer0:06:37
64Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling0:06:58
65Masahiko Yasui (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:07:13
66Max Walsleben (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUS0:07:32
67Patrick Shaw (Aus) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Adviser0:07:52
68Bradley White (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling0:08:25
69Nur Arif Prayoga (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team0:08:46
70Luke Keough (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling0:09:20
71Burr Ho (HKg) Team Hong Kong China0:09:41
72Benjamin Sydlik (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUS0:09:50
73Dominic Jelfs (Irl) Madison Genesis Team0:10:29
74Che Wei Hu (Tpe) Team Senter - Merida0:11:02
75Yi Hao Tseng (Tpe) Team Senter - Merida0:11:32
76Gordon Mccauley (NZl) DRAPAC Cycling0:11:33
77Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN Qhubeka0:12:13
78Rick Ampler (Ger) NUTRIXXION ABUS0:12:17
79Liphongyu Navuti (Tha) Thailand National Team0:12:57
80Thomas Palmer (Aus) DRAPAC Cycling0:13:09
81Andrew Tennant (GBr) Madison Genesis Team0:13:15
82Takero Terasaki (Jpn) Japan National Team0:13:24
83Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System Pro Cycling Team0:13:40
84Yasuharo Nakajima (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team0:14:10
85Hiroki Nishimura (Jpn) Japan National Team0:14:19
86Fabian Schnaidt (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team0:14:26
87Ahmad Fahmi Farhan Ahmad Fuat (Mas) Malaysia National Team0:14:28
88Brennan Townshend (GBr) Madison Genesis Team0:15:15
89Mohd Nur Rizuan Zainal (Mas) Malaysia National Team0:16:04
90Joseph Cooper (NZl) Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Adviser0:16:57
91Chun Wing Leung (HKg) Team Hong Kong China0:17:02
92Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling0:18:18
93Shimpei Fukuda (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team0:20:34
94Shotaro Iribe (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:24:44

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