Sohrabi takes stage and overall lead
By Cycling News published
Iranian bests defending Tour de Taiwan champion McCann on uphill finish
Mehdi Sohrabi (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) continued his recent run of good form as he won stage two ahead of breakaway companion David McCann (Giant Kenda), the defending race champion. The 29-year-old Iranian, fresh off his recent win in the Jelajeh Malaysia stage race, was too much for McCann on the uphill finish as he crossed the line three seconds clear of the Irishman.
Shinri Suzuki (Shimano Racing Team) took the sprint for third from a 21-rider chase group, 1:08 behind Sohrabi.
"I believe that I have more experience in a sprint like this," said Sohrabi. "He might challenge me for the jersey in the next few days but I think that I have enough in me to be competitive.
"I'm happy to win the stage and also take over the yellow jersey. But every day is a new race and we have to be prepared for anything."
With the stage win, Sohrabi also grabbed race leader's yellow jersey with a seven-second advantage over McCann. Overnight leader Adam Phelan (Drapac) drops to third overall, 1:12 back, but the Australian still leads the best young rider classification.
"Today was the first real stage and it was tough," said Phelan. "The last climb was a real test on the legs but I knew that things can easily change.
"There were a lot of attacking today and that made it really hard. But the days are still long and there are several more stages to go, I believe that we still have the chance to make a challenge."
Just two kilometres after the start at the New Taipei City Hall, local rider Feng Chun Kai (Action Cycling Team) went on the attack and scooped up the first KOM points at Huai En Plaza 21 kilometres later.
Feng Chun Kai was then joined by Lachlan Norris (Drapac) and Herwin Jaya (Polygon Sweet Nice) but the trio were brought back prior to the first intermediate sprint, taken by Herwin's teammate Bambang Suryadi.
Immediately after the sprint, a group of five riders separated themselves from the peloton: Mehdi Sohrabi (Tabriz Petrochemical Team), Kyung Gu Jang (Korea), Chi Ho Yuen (Hong Kong), Amir Rusli (Drapac) and Michael Creed (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth).
Sohrabi picked up the second KOM, a Cat. 3 at Ren Ai Home, and also the third KOM, a Cat. 2 before Wanli Clock Tower.
The biggest gap between the five riders and the peloton was slightly over two minutes, but their attack was neutralised on the descent into Linshanbi.
The peloton soon split, however, with 24 riders forming the lead group in the race finale. Approaching the 2km to go marker, Sohrabi and McCann launched the decisive attack as the road sloped upwards through to the finish line.
Despite the gallant effort of McCann, there was just no stopping Sohrabi who not only won the stage and leader's jersey, but also earned the mountain classification leader's red jersey and also the blue jersey for the best-ranked Asian rider.
On Tuesday, the peloton faces the 114km stage three which contains three intermediate sprints as well as two KOMs, including the Cat. 3 climb to the finish.
1 | Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 2:50:15 |
2 | David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | 0:00:03 |
3 | Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | 0:01:08 |
4 | Junpei Murakami (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | |
5 | Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac | |
6 | Kyung Gu Jang (Kor) Korea | |
7 | Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Japan | |
8 | Henry Frusto (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | |
9 | Markus Eibegger (Aut) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
10 | Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong | |
11 | Peng Da Jiao (Chn) Max Success Sports | |
12 | Daniel Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | |
13 | Kin San Wu (HKg) Champion System | |
14 | Jai Crawford (Aus) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
15 | Junya Sano (Jpn) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | |
16 | Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac | |
17 | Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
18 | Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | |
19 | Davide Torosantucci (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | |
20 | Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Drapac | |
21 | Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
22 | Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | |
23 | Hyosuk Gong (Kor) Korea | |
24 | Adam Semple (Aus) Drapac | 0:01:52 |
25 | Sung Baek Park (Kor) Korea | |
26 | Wei-Cheng Lee (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | |
27 | Po-Hung Wu (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | |
28 | Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Korea | |
29 | Vries, De Harm (Ned) Netherlands | |
30 | Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | |
31 | Mohd Rauf Nur Misbah (Mas) Malaysia | |
32 | Hao Liu (Chn) Max Success Sports | |
33 | Hsin-Hua Huang (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | |
34 | Rhys Pollock (Aus) Drapac | |
35 | Yat Wai Chan (HKg) Hong Kong | |
36 | Shu-Ming Liu (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team | |
37 | Amir Rusli (Mas) Drapac | |
38 | Chi Ho Yuen (HKg) Hong Kong | |
39 | Julian Kyer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | |
40 | Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | |
41 | Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | |
42 | Burger Leon (Ned) Netherlands | |
43 | Rico Rogers (NZl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
44 | Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Japan | |
45 | Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Japan | |
46 | Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong | |
47 | Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | |
48 | Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
49 | Behnam Khalili Khosroshahi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
50 | Cheng-Yen Chen (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | |
51 | Wai Man Chau (HKg) Champion System | |
52 | Dean Windsor (Aus) Rapha Condor - Sharp | |
53 | Sea Keong Loh (Mas) Malaysia | |
54 | Shih-Chang Huang (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | |
55 | Shih-Hsin Hsiao (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | |
56 | Ryan Sherlock (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
57 | Chin-Feng Liu (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team | |
58 | Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong | |
59 | Kenji Itami (Jpn) Japan | |
60 | En Huang (Chn) Max Success Sports | |
61 | Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | |
62 | Ben Greenwood (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp | |
63 | Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | |
64 | Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | |
65 | Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System | |
66 | Guillaume Bourgeois (Swi) Champion System | |
67 | Bernardo Riccio (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | |
68 | Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp | |
69 | Tom Southam (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp | |
70 | Fan Hsin Chu (Tpe) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
71 | Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Japan | |
72 | Chia-Chun Chen (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team | 0:02:05 |
73 | Sai Fei Xue (Chn) Max Success Sports | 0:06:36 |
74 | Che-Wei Hu (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | |
75 | Eun Seong Jeong (Kor) Korea | 0:06:38 |
76 | Mohd Faris Abdul Razak (Mas) Malaysia | |
77 | Michael Sherer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | |
78 | Chun-Liang Pan (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | |
79 | Wel Van Ruud (Ned) Netherlands | |
80 | Yi-Hao Tseng (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | |
81 | Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Champion System | |
82 | Kun-Hung Hung (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | 0:09:33 |
83 | Wen-Lung Chien (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team | 0:09:36 |
84 | Mohd Nor Rizuan Zainal (Mas) Malaysia | 0:09:38 |
85 | Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia | |
86 | Kun Jiang (Chn) Max Success Sports | |
87 | James McCallum (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp | |
88 | Bambang Suryadi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | |
89 | Jimmy Pranata (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | |
90 | Hui Zhang (Chn) Max Success Sports | |
91 | Springintveld Joost (Ned) Netherlands | |
92 | Vriend Rudy (Ned) Netherlands | |
93 | Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) Polygon Sweet Nice | |
94 | Boris Shpilevskiy (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
95 | Siu Wah Ko (HKg) Hong Kong | 0:14:54 |
96 | Masaaki Kukuchi (Jpn) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | |
97 | Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Japan | |
98 | Mohd Zamri Saleh (Mas) Malaysia | |
99 | Roger Beuchat (Swi) Champion System | 0:20:28 |
DNF | Antonius Christopher Tjondrokusumo (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | |
DNF | Ting-Chuan Chang (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team |
1 | Bambang Suryadi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | 5 | pts |
2 | Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac | 3 | |
3 | Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | 2 | |
4 | Kun Jiang (Chn) Max Success Sports | 1 |
1 | David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | 5 | pts |
2 | Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 3 | |
3 | Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac | 2 | |
4 | Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | 1 |
1 | Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | 6 | pts |
2 | Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | 4 | |
3 | Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac | 2 | |
4 | Mohd Nor Rizuan Zainal (Mas) Malaysia | 1 |
1 | Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Kyung Gu Jang (Kor) Korea | 2 | |
3 | Chi Ho Yuen (HKg) Hong Kong | 1 |
1 | Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 6 | pts |
2 | Kyung Gu Jang (Kor) Korea | 4 | |
3 | David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | 2 | |
4 | Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 1 |
1 | Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 4:14:33 |
2 | David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | 0:00:07 |
3 | Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac | 0:01:12 |
4 | Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | 0:01:15 |
5 | Junya Sano (Jpn) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | 0:01:17 |
6 | Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac | 0:01:18 |
7 | Junpei Murakami (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | 0:01:19 |
8 | Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | 0:01:21 |
9 | Daniel Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | 0:01:22 |
10 | Markus Eibegger (Aut) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
11 | Henry Frusto (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | 0:01:23 |
12 | Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | 0:01:25 |
13 | Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Drapac | |
14 | Davide Torosantucci (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | |
15 | Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 0:01:26 |
16 | Kyung Gu Jang (Kor) Korea | |
17 | Kin San Wu (HKg) Champion System | |
18 | Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
19 | Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Japan | |
20 | Jai Crawford (Aus) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
21 | Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong | 0:01:27 |
22 | Hyosuk Gong (Kor) Korea | 0:01:28 |
23 | Peng Da Jiao (Chn) Max Success Sports | 0:01:31 |
24 | Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System | 0:01:56 |
25 | Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp | 0:01:58 |
26 | Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | |
27 | Rico Rogers (NZl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
28 | Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | 0:01:59 |
29 | Bernardo Riccio (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | 0:02:00 |
30 | Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Japan | 0:02:02 |
31 | Po-Hung Wu (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | |
32 | Sung Baek Park (Kor) Korea | |
33 | Wei-Cheng Lee (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | |
34 | Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Korea | 0:02:03 |
35 | Dean Windsor (Aus) Rapha Condor - Sharp | |
36 | Shih-Hsin Hsiao (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | 0:02:04 |
37 | Vries, De Harm (Ned) Netherlands | |
38 | Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | |
39 | Tom Southam (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp | 0:02:05 |
40 | Guillaume Bourgeois (Swi) Champion System | |
41 | Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
42 | Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | |
43 | Julian Kyer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | 0:02:06 |
44 | Hao Liu (Chn) Max Success Sports | |
45 | Adam Semple (Aus) Drapac | 0:02:07 |
46 | Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong | 0:02:08 |
47 | Rhys Pollock (Aus) Drapac | |
48 | Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Japan | |
49 | Ben Greenwood (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp | |
50 | Behnam Khalili Khosroshahi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
51 | Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | |
52 | Hsin-Hua Huang (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | 0:02:09 |
53 | Chin-Feng Liu (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team | |
54 | Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | |
55 | Shih-Chang Huang (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | 0:02:10 |
56 | Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong | 0:02:11 |
57 | Kenji Itami (Jpn) Japan | |
58 | Shu-Ming Liu (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team | |
59 | Burger Leon (Ned) Netherlands | 0:02:12 |
60 | Wai Man Chau (HKg) Champion System | 0:02:13 |
61 | Ryan Sherlock (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
62 | Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | |
63 | Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Japan | |
64 | En Huang (Chn) Max Success Sports | 0:02:14 |
65 | Fan Hsin Chu (Tpe) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | |
66 | Chi Ho Yuen (HKg) Hong Kong | |
67 | Mohd Rauf Nur Misbah (Mas) Malaysia | |
68 | Cheng-Yen Chen (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | 0:02:15 |
69 | Amir Rusli (Mas) Drapac | |
70 | Sea Keong Loh (Mas) Malaysia | 0:02:16 |
71 | Yat Wai Chan (HKg) Hong Kong | 0:02:20 |
72 | Chia-Chun Chen (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team | |
73 | Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Champion System | 0:06:49 |
74 | Sai Fei Xue (Chn) Max Success Sports | 0:06:50 |
75 | Michael Sherer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | 0:06:52 |
76 | Eun Seong Jeong (Kor) Korea | 0:06:56 |
77 | Che-Wei Hu (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | 0:06:57 |
78 | Chun-Liang Pan (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | 0:06:59 |
79 | Yi-Hao Tseng (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | 0:07:00 |
80 | Wel Van Ruud (Ned) Netherlands | 0:07:02 |
81 | Mohd Faris Abdul Razak (Mas) Malaysia | 0:07:55 |
82 | Kun-Hung Hung (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | 0:09:52 |
83 | James McCallum (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp | 0:09:53 |
84 | Boris Shpilevskiy (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | |
85 | Vriend Rudy (Ned) Netherlands | 0:09:54 |
86 | Springintveld Joost (Ned) Netherlands | 0:09:55 |
87 | Mohd Nor Rizuan Zainal (Mas) Malaysia | 0:09:58 |
88 | Bambang Suryadi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | |
89 | Kun Jiang (Chn) Max Success Sports | 0:10:00 |
90 | Hui Zhang (Chn) Max Success Sports | |
91 | Jimmy Pranata (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | 0:10:01 |
92 | Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia | 0:10:02 |
93 | Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) Polygon Sweet Nice | 0:10:04 |
94 | Wen-Lung Chien (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team | 0:11:09 |
95 | Siu Wah Ko (HKg) Hong Kong | 0:15:07 |
96 | Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Japan | 0:15:08 |
97 | Mohd Zamri Saleh (Mas) Malaysia | 0:15:12 |
98 | Masaaki Kukuchi (Jpn) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | 0:15:16 |
99 | Roger Beuchat (Swi) Champion System | 0:20:46 |
1 | Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Korea | 11 | pts |
2 | David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | 5 | |
3 | Wai Man Chau (HKg) Champion System | 5 | |
4 | Vriend Rudy (Ned) Netherlands | 5 | |
5 | Bambang Suryadi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | 5 | |
6 | Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac | 5 | |
7 | Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 3 | |
8 | Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 3 | |
9 | Bernardo Riccio (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | 3 | |
10 | Jai Crawford (Aus) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | 2 | |
11 | Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System | 2 | |
12 | Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | 2 | |
13 | Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team | 1 | |
14 | Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | 1 | |
15 | Behnam Khalili Khosroshahi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 1 | |
16 | Kun Jiang (Chn) Max Success Sports | 1 |
1 | Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 9 | pts |
2 | Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team | 6 | |
3 | Kyung Gu Jang (Kor) Korea | 6 | |
4 | Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice | 4 | |
5 | David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team | 2 | |
6 | Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac | 2 | |
7 | Chi Ho Yuen (HKg) Hong Kong | 1 | |
8 | Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 1 | |
9 | Mohd Nor Rizuan Zainal (Mas) Malaysia | 1 |
1 | Tabriz Petrochemical Team | 12:46:34 |
2 | Giant Kenda Cycling Team | 0:00:40 |
3 | Drapac | 0:01:01 |
4 | d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | |
5 | Shimano Racing Team | 0:01:04 |
6 | Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth | 0:01:39 |
7 | Korea | 0:01:52 |
8 | Champion System | 0:02:25 |
9 | Japan | 0:02:37 |
10 | Hong Kong | 0:02:45 |
11 | Max Success Sports | 0:02:47 |
12 | Rapha Condor - Sharp | 0:03:11 |
13 | Team Senter-Merida Taiwan | 0:03:27 |
14 | Exustar Cycling Team | 0:03:43 |
15 | Action Cycling Team | 0:04:56 |
16 | Netherlands | 0:08:12 |
17 | Malaysia | 0:08:27 |
18 | Polygon Sweet Nice | 0:19:20 |

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