Hong Kong Cycle Classic - NE

Hong Kong, January 4, 2004

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Mifune surprises World and Olympic Champions

By Gudo Kramer

Mifune celebrates his victory
Photo ©: Francis Cerny/Cor Vos

The inaugural edition of the Hong Kong Cycle Classic was surprisingly won by Masahiko Mifune from Japan. The 34 year old rider from the CMS World Wide Cycling Team made his move in the final lap, breaking clear from the fastest sprinters in the first group: Brett Aitken, Sergey Koudentsov and Scott McGrory and beating Cameron Hughes and Milan Dovrschik on the line. With riders like Aitken, Koudentsov, McGrory, Grishkin, Risi, Stocher and Ijima taking 6th to 12th, the win of the strong Japanese rider can be called a surprise.

The course along the International Exhibition Center, one of the main landmarks on the coast of Hong Kong Island, contained quite a few corners and this made it easier for groups to break away from the 100 rider field. As the speed was high from the beginning, many riders with less experience, especially from the Chinese and local Hong Kong teams dropped off the field early.

With a lot of money in the points classification and sprints every two laps, there was fierce sprinting from the second lap and soon some riders broke clear. When the Hong Kong Stars team (David Millar, Robert Hayles, Bruno Risi, Franz Stocher, Scott McGrory) had two riders in the front and also the Bicisport Team from Australia and the World Wide Cycling Team had two riders up there, things started to look serious.

World Champions in the chase
Photo ©: Francis Cerny/Cor Vos

When Sergey Koudentsov from the Moscow Omnisport team jumped across quickly, the break of the day was formed. Mifune and Bradford, Aitken and Hughes, McGrory and Hayles were the combinations, with Bushanski, Koudentsov and Dovrschik on their own. The Hong Kong stars team had two riders in the front, Millar had his friend Hayles there and also the strong teams from Moscow, Bicisport and World Wide Cycling sat back. Kam Po Wong tried to put his team on the front, but ended up doing the work by himself and the technical circuit did not really suit him. He did get some support from the Marco Polo riders and the national team from Japan, but they also did not succeed in bringing the gap back to less then 40 seconds.

As the speed went up when the field started chasing, Hayles fell off the first group, just like his friend David Millar did in the field. The world time trial champion did not look fit at all and had to give up just a few laps before the end and even collapsed when he got off the bike. He was all right again after lying down for a few minutes.

The maximum lead of 1'15 was enough to give the leading group some space to play and especially Australians Chris Bradford and Cameron Hughes were very active in their efforts for their team leaders: Brett Aitken and Masahiko Mifune. When Bradford attacked with just over one lap to go, Hughes was the first to follow him and Mifune was not far. Dovrschik saw the danger and also brought Bushanski up to the leaders. Fast men Koudentsov, Aitken and points winner McGrory were looking at each other and waited too long. They were just able to see that Mifune easily sprinted to the victory.

There were a few thousand spectators, not as many as were hoped for, but from experience an event like this needs to be built up in a couple of years. The Hong Kong Cycling Association is looking back at a successful event, with a lot of publicity in Hong Kong and Asia and hopes to be able to organise many more editions of the Hong Kong Cycle Classic in Asia's World City.

Photography

Images by Francis Cerny/Cor Vos

World Points Race Champion Franz Stocher from Austria warming up in Hong Kong.
The Olympic and World Champions get ready to start.
David Millar on the star tline.
Olympic Champion Scott McGrory before the start.
Scott McGrory, David Millar, Bruno Risi, Franz Stocher (L to R) on the start line of the Hong Kong Cycle Classic
The start of the race
Racing with the Hong Kong skyline as background.
The course went around the Expo Centre, one of the famous landmarks of Hong Kong.
Oceania Champion Chris Bradford pulled hard in the early breakaway.
The field in front of the buildings of Hong Kong Central
World Champions in the chase Risi, Millar (and Stocher)
David Millar missed the break.
Hong Kong rider Kam Po Wong
Franz Stocher pulls the peloton.
Six times World Champion Bruno Risi in action in Hong Kong.
David Millar was exhausted and had to give up the race.
Masahiko Mifune
Mifune celebrates his victory in the Hong Kong Cycle Classic
Winner Masahiko Mifune with the cup.

Images by AFP Photo

David Millar framed during the Hong Kong classic
David Millar sits in the pack
David Millar was easy to pick
Scott McGrory in second wheel
The riders in action
Masahiko Mifune leads the bunch
Masahiko Mifune holding the wheel
Masahiko Mifune on his way to victory
Masahiko Mifune wins the race

Results

1 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) World Wide Cycling               1.48.37
2 Cameron Hughes (Aus) Bicisport Australia                      
3 Milan Dovrscik (Svk) ASK Dukla Trencin                        
4 Vladimir Bushanskiy (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team             
5 Chris Bradford (Aus) World Wide Cycling                       
6 Brett Aitken (Aus) Bicisport Australia                    0.20
7 Sergey Koudentsov (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association        
8 Scott Mcgrory (Aus) Hong Kong Stars Team                  0.24
9 Oleg Grishkin (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association        0.42
10 Bruno Risi (Swi) Hong Kong Stars Team                        
11 Franz Stocher (Aut) Hong Kong Stars Team                     
12 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Japan National Team                      
13 Denny Schewe (Ger) KED-Rad Team Berlin                       
14 Andrei Minachkin (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association        
15 Alexey Lyalko (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team                  
16 Kam Po Wong (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong                     
17 Peter Milostic (Aus) Bicisport Australia                     
18 Chris Baumann (USA) Sierra NevadaMarco Polo                  
19 Alexey Kolessov (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team                
20 Chun Ming Tsoi (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong              0.45
21 King Nin Lau (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong                    
22 Ilya Chernyshov (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team                
23 Xiaoyong Han (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection                   
24 Wawan Setyobudi (Ina) World Wide Cycling                     
25 James Bennett (Aus) City of Perth Cycling Team           0.47
26 Felix Gniot (Ger) KED-Rad Team Berlin                    0.48
27 King Yu Lau (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong                     
28 Jack Wu (HKg) Hong Kong Sports Institute                     
29 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Japan National Team                    
30 Chih Hsin Mu (Tpe) Merida                                0.50
31 Tong Yu (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection                        
32 Sergey Sevostyanov (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association      
33 Remko Kramer (Ned) Sierra NevadaMarco Polo                   
34 Sascha Richter (Ger) KED-Rad Team Berlin                 0.52
35 Siu Jun Chiu (HKg) SCAA                                      
36 Robert Nagy (Svk) ASK Dukla Trencin                          
37 Yuriy Yuda (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team                     
38 Rob Halyes (GBr) Hong Kong Stars Team                        
39 Shaun Oneill (Aus) City of Perth Cycling Team                
40 Alexandre Khatuntsev (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association    
41 Armin Krahl (Ger) KED-Rad Team Berlin                    0.56
42 Go Takashima (Jpn) Japan National Team                       
43 Maros Kovac (Svk) ASK Dukla Trencin                      0.57
44 Rob Conijn (Ned) World Wide Cycling                          
45 Jan Gazi (Svk) ASK Dukla Trencin                             
46 Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong              1.00
47 Ilya Krestyannov (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association    1.01
48 Mikhail Mikheev (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association     1.02
49 Derek Cheung (HKg) Hong Kong Sports Institute            1.19
50 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Japan National Team                      
51 Greg Rossiter (Aus) City of Perth Cycling Team           1.22
52 Shuaijun Chang (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection             1.25
53 Sama'i (Ina) World Wide Cycling                          1.26
54 Jan Sipeky (Svk) ASK Dukla Trencin                       1.27
55 Heng Wa Choi MAC Macau-Beijing Selection                 1.38
56 Dusan Klucka (Svk) ASK Dukla Trencin                     2.12
57 Chi Yin Leung (HKg) World Wide Cycling                   2.17
58 Ying Chieh Hung Hsu (Tpe) Merida                         2.20
59 Timothy Wilson (Aus) Sierra NevadaMarco Polo             2.22
60 David John Tonk (HKg) Velocity                           2.24
61 Felix Rohrbach (Ger) Sierra NevadaMarco Polo             2.35
62 Cang Xu (Chn) Shanghai                                   2.39
63 Kai Tsun Lam (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong                    
63 Keng Hsien Chen (Tpe) Merida                                 
DNF Jie Zhu (Chn) Shanghai                                      
DNF Weifeng Ni (Chn) Shanghai                                   
DNF Fengxiong Pan (Chn) Shanghai                                
DNF Feng Yan (Chn) Shanghai                                     
DNF Lihui Zhang (Chn) Shanghai                                  
DNF Xiaohai Zheng (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection                 
DNF Quanjun Meng (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection                  
DNF Tim Decker (Aus) Bicisport Australia                        
DNF Tim Collins (Aus) Bicisport Australia                       
DNF Edward Dockrill (Aus) Bicisport Australia                   
DNF Wei Li (Chn) Tianjin                                        
DNF Zhaojun Wang (Chn) Tianjin                                  
DNF Yanhao Sun (Chn) Tianjin                                    
DNF Zhihang Jian (Chn) Guangzhou                                
DNF Que Zhong (Chn) Guangzhou                                   
DNF Yongjian Wang (Chn) Guangzhou                               
DNF Jon Pettingill (Aus) City of Perth Cycling Team             
DNF Steven Jansen (Aus) City of Perth Cycling Team              
DNF Dor Ming Chau (HKg) Hong Kong Sports Institute              
DNF Lawrence Yung (HKg) Hong Kong Sports Institute              
DNF Hsin Hua Huang (Tpe) Merida                                 
DNF Kuo Hua Lo (Tpe) Merida                                     
DNF Teng Huan Liu (Tpe) Merida                                  
DNF Troy White (USA) Sierra NevadaMarco Polo                    
DNF David Millar (GBr) Hong Kong Stars Team                     
DNF Wang Wei Chan (HKg) Velocity                                
DNF Kowk Leung Hu (HKg) Velocity                                
DNF Ka Ho Wong (HKg) SCAA                                       
DNF Yuet Shan Chung (HKg) SCAA                                  
DNF Tsun Ming Tam (HKg) SCAA                                    
DNF Cheuk Chun Cheng (HKg) CMS Cycle Sports Development         
 
Points
 
1 Scott Mcgrory (Aus) Hong Kong Stars Team                    46 pts
2 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) World Wide Cycling                    28
3 Sergey Koudentsov (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association      26
4 Brett Aitken (Aus) Bicisport Australia                      25
5 Cameron Hughes (Aus) Bicisport Australia                    21
6 Chris Bradford (Aus) World Wide Cycling                     16
7 Milan Dovrscik (Svk) ASK Dukla Trencin                      12
8 Vladimir Bushanskiy (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team            6
9 Sascha Richter (Ger) KED-Rad Team Berlin                     2
 
Greater China Individual General Classification
 
1 Kam Po Wong (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong               1.49.19
2 Chun Ming Tsoi (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong               0.03
3 King Nin Lau (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong                     
4 Xiaoyong Han (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection                    
5 King Yu Lau (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong                  0.06
6 Jack Wu (HKg) Hong Kong Sports Institute                      
7 Chih Hsin Mu (Tpe) Merida                                 0.08
8 Tong Yu (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection                         
9 Siu Jun Chiu (HKg) SCAA                                   0.10
10 Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong              0.18
11 Derek Cheung (HKg) Hong Kong Sports Institute            0.37
12 Shuaijun Chang (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection             0.43
13 Heng Wa Choi MAC Macau-Beijing Selection                 0.56
14 Chi Yin Leung (HKg) World Wide Cycling                   1.35
15 Ying Chieh Hung Hsu (Tpe) Merida                         1.38
16 Cang Xu (Chn) Shanghai                                   1.57
17 Kai Tsun Lam (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong                    
17 Keng Hsien Chen (Tpe) Merida                                 
 
Best Young Rider
 
1 Alexey Lyalko (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team            1.49.19
2 Alexey Kolessov (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team                 
3 King Nin Lau (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong                 0.03
4 Ilya Chernyshov (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team                 
5 James Bennett (Aus) City of Perth Cycling Team            0.05
6 Felix Gniot (Ger) KED-Rad Team Berlin                     0.06
7 Jack Wu (HKg) Hong Kong Sports Institute                      
8 Tong Yu (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection                     0.08
9 Sergey Sevostyanov (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association       
10 Siu Jun Chiu (HKg) SCAA                                  0.10
11 Yuriy Yuda (Kaz) Kazakstan National Team                     
12 Alexandre Khatuntsev (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association    
13 Go Takashima (Jpn) Japan National Team                   0.14
14 Ilya Krestyannov (Rus) Moscow City Sports Association    0.19
15 Derek Cheung (HKg) Hong Kong Sports Institute            0.37
16 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Japan National Team                      
17 Shuaijun Chang (Chn) Macau-Beijing Selection             0.43
18 Heng Wa Choi MAC Macau-Beijing Selection                 0.56
19 Dusan Klucka (Svk) ASK Dukla Trencin                     1.30
20 Cang Xu (Chn) Shanghai                                   1.57
21 Kai Tsun Lam (HKg) Pocari Sweat Hong Kong