Tour de Taiwan 2011: Stage 8 Results

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Taiji Nishitani (Japan) celebrates his stage win. (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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The peloton in action during stage 8 of the Tour de Taiwan. (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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Stage winner Taiji Nishitani (Japan) (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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The Tour de Taiwan peloton makes its way to Hualien during stage 8. (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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The peloton begins stage 8. (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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Stage 8 podium (l-r): Mehdi Sohrabi, overall leader; Adam Phelan, best young rider; Taiji Nishitani, stage winner; and Mart Ojavee, points leader. (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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Up close and personal with Mike Friedman (Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth) (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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Grime-coated Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth riders after stage 8. (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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Giant Kenda Cycling Team riders set tempo in the peloton. (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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The Tour de Taiwan peloton rolls along the coast. (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

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Overall leader Mehdi Sohrabi (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) (Image credit: Tour de Taiwan)

Taiji Nishitani (Japan) won his first-ever Tour de Taiwan stage as he prevailed in the field sprint at the end of stage eight in Hualien. The Japanese rider topped 2010 Tour de Taiwan champion David McCann (Giant Kenda Cycling Team) and Takeaki Ayabe (Japan) for the victory.

"I have been coming to the Tour de Taiwan for four times before this and this is my first win. I'm ecstatic," said Nishitani. "Before the start, I had a feeling that I can win the race and I wanted to raise both arms in jubilation. Unfortunately, at the end today, I could only raise one arm which was good enough, I suppose."

Mehdi Sohrabi (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) remains in the overall lead with one stage remaining. The 30-year-old Iranian has a six-second advantage over teammate Markus Eibegger while third-placed David McCann cut his deficit to 18 seconds with the time bonuses won during the stage.

"Today was tough as usual where several teams attacked but my team worked really hard to make sure that there was no danger," said Sohrabi. "Tomorrow, I expect more of the same where teams will be working hard to take the yellow jersey from me. But I think that we can take them on."

The Tour de Taiwan concludes on Monday with a 117km stage from Yilan to Yangmingshan, at the edge of Taipei City

Full Results
1	Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Japan	4:06:21
2	David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
3	Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Japan
4	Fan Hsin Chu (Tpe) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
5	Adam Semple (Aus) Drapac
6	Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team
7	Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth
8	Junpei Murakami (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team
9	Hsin-Hua Huang (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan
10	Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
11	Roger Beuchat (Swi) Champion System
12	Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong
13	Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong
14	Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac
15	Jai Crawford (Aus) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
16	Guillaume Bourgeois (Swi) Champion System
17	Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team
18	Peng Da Jiao (Chn) Max Success Sports
19	Burger Leon (Ned) Netherlands
20	Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Japan
21	Chi Ho Yuen (HKg) Hong Kong
22	Rhys Pollock (Aus) Drapac
23	Vries, De Harm (Ned) Netherlands
24	Hyosuk Gong (Kor) Korea
25	Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
26	Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
27	Bambang Suryadi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice
28	Shih-Chang Huang (Tpe) Action Cycling Team
29	Ben Greenwood (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp
30	Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team
31	Kyung Gu Jang (Kor) Korea
32	Wai Man Chau (HKg) Champion System
33	Henry Frusto (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
34	Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac
35	Junya Sano (Jpn) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
36	Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Japan
37	Ryan Sherlock (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
38	Markus Eibegger (Aut) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
39	Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Japan
40	Daniel Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth
41	Behnam Khalili Khosroshahi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	0:00:09
42	Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:00:13
43	Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
44	Tom Southam (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp
45	Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:00:25
46	Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	0:01:34
47	Julian Kyer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:10:44
48	James McCallum (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp
49	Chia-Chun Chen (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team
50	Eun Seong Jeong (Kor) Korea
51	Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong
52	Amir Rusli (Mas) Drapac
53	Mohd Rauf Nur Misbah (Mas) Malaysia
54	Po-Hung Wu (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan
55	Hao Liu (Chn) Max Success Sports
56	Sea Keong Loh (Mas) Malaysia
57	En Huang (Chn) Max Success Sports
58	Che-Wei Hu (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan
59	Wei-Cheng Lee (Tpe) Action Cycling Team
60	Hui Zhang (Chn) Max Success Sports
61	Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Korea
62	Rico Rogers (NZl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
63	Siu Wah Ko (HKg) Hong Kong
64	Kin San Wu (HKg) Champion System
65	Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team
66	Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System
67	Kenji Itami (Jpn) Japan
68	Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Champion System
69	Boris Shpilevskiy (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
70	Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Drapac	0:10:51
71	Bernardo Riccio (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo
72	Sung Baek Park (Kor) Korea
73	Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp
74	Shih-Hsin Hsiao (Tpe) Action Cycling Team	0:16:11
75	Kun-Hung Hung (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:16:12
76	Michael Sherer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:16:13
77	Vriend Rudy (Ned) Netherlands
78	Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia	0:16:16
79	Mohd Faris Abdul Razak (Mas) Malaysia
80	Springintveld Joost (Ned) Netherlands
81	Wel Van Ruud (Ned) Netherlands
82	Kun Jiang (Chn) Max Success Sports	0:16:18
83	Cheng-Yen Chen (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:16:19
84	Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	0:16:20
85	Yi-Hao Tseng (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:16:26
86	Davide Torosantucci (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	0:16:28
87	Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice	0:18:02
DNF	Yat Wai Chan (HKg) Hong Kong
DNF	Dean Windsor (Aus) Rapha Condor - Sharp
DNF	Sai Fei Xue (Chn) Max Success Sports
DNF	Wen-Lung Chien (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team

Sprint 1 - East Coast National Scenic Area, 35.9km
1	Peng Da Jiao (Chn) Max Success Sports	5	pts
2	Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	3
3	Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	2
4	Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong	1

Sprint 2 - Guanfu Train Station, 128.7km
1	Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Japan	5	pts
2	Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	3
3	Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	2
4	Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	1

Mountain 1 - Route 30-29k (Cat. 1) 71.8km
1	Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong	8	pts
2	Peng Da Jiao (Chn) Max Success Sports	6
3	Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	5
4	Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	3
5	Hyosuk Gong (Kor) Korea	2
6	Jai Crawford (Aus) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	1

Mountain 2 - Xianghe Tea Garden (Cat. 3) 102.3km
1	Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Japan	3	pts
2	Hyosuk Gong (Kor) Korea	2
3	Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong	1

Mountain 3 - Carp Lake Visitor Center (Cat. 3) 185.8km
1	Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Japan	3	pts
2	David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	2
3	Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Japan	1

Teams
1	Giant Kenda Cycling Team	12:19:03
2	Japan
3	Drapac
4	Hong Kong
5	Shimano Racing Team
6	Champion System
7	Tabriz Petrochemical Team
8	Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:00:13
9	Action Cycling Team	0:10:44
10	d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	0:10:51
11	Rapha Condor - Sharp	0:10:57
12	Korea	0:11:04
13	Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:21:28
14	Max Success Sports
15	Netherlands	0:26:13
16	Malaysia	0:37:44

General classification after stage 8
1	Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	24:24:46
2	Markus Eibegger (Aut) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	0:00:06
3	David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	0:00:18
4	Rhys Pollock (Aus) Drapac	0:01:13
5	Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac	0:01:30
6	Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac	0:01:34
7	Junya Sano (Jpn) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	0:01:35
8	Junpei Murakami (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	0:01:37
9	Daniel Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:01:40
10	Henry Frusto (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	0:01:41
11	Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	0:01:43
12	Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team
13	Jai Crawford (Aus) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
14	Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Japan	0:01:44
15	Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong	0:01:45
16	Peng Da Jiao (Chn) Max Success Sports	0:01:46
17	Hyosuk Gong (Kor) Korea
18	Adam Semple (Aus) Drapac	0:02:13
19	Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:02:17
20	Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Japan	0:02:18
21	Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	0:02:23
22	Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong	0:02:26
23	Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team
24	Hsin-Hua Huang (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:02:27
25	Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Japan	0:02:28
26	Kyung Gu Jang (Kor) Korea	0:02:29
27	Chi Ho Yuen (HKg) Hong Kong	0:02:32
28	Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team	0:02:35
29	Wai Man Chau (HKg) Champion System	0:03:57
30	Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Japan	0:04:40
31	Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	0:05:05
32	Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	0:05:27
33	Shih-Chang Huang (Tpe) Action Cycling Team	0:07:11
34	Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:07:29
35	Ryan Sherlock (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	0:08:38
36	Burger Leon (Ned) Netherlands	0:09:00
37	Tom Southam (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp	0:10:46
38	Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Drapac	0:11:42
39	Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Korea	0:12:51
40	Po-Hung Wu (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:13:04
41	Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong	0:13:05
42	Kenji Itami (Jpn) Japan	0:13:13
43	Wei-Cheng Lee (Tpe) Action Cycling Team	0:13:43
44	Kin San Wu (HKg) Champion System	0:13:54
45	Mohd Rauf Nur Misbah (Mas) Malaysia	0:13:56
46	Ben Greenwood (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp	0:14:30
47	Amir Rusli (Mas) Drapac	0:14:49
48	En Huang (Chn) Max Success Sports	0:14:55
49	Vries, De Harm (Ned) Netherlands	0:15:13
50	Sea Keong Loh (Mas) Malaysia	0:15:27
51	Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	0:15:42
52	Fan Hsin Chu (Tpe) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	0:16:14
53	Sung Baek Park (Kor) Korea	0:16:25
54	Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	0:17:53
55	Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:17:57
56	Davide Torosantucci (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	0:18:11
57	Julian Kyer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:20:15
58	Roger Beuchat (Swi) Champion System	0:20:59
59	Hui Zhang (Chn) Max Success Sports	0:21:47
60	Eun Seong Jeong (Kor) Korea	0:23:15
61	Chia-Chun Chen (Tpe) Exustar Cycling Team	0:23:19
62	Mohd Faris Abdul Razak (Mas) Malaysia	0:26:01
63	Behnam Khalili Khosroshahi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	0:27:41
64	Shih-Hsin Hsiao (Tpe) Action Cycling Team	0:27:52
65	Guillaume Bourgeois (Swi) Champion System	0:28:07
66	Kun-Hung Hung (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:28:11
67	Che-Wei Hu (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:28:34
68	Hao Liu (Chn) Max Success Sports	0:29:21
69	Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp	0:29:58
70	Kun Jiang (Chn) Max Success Sports	0:31:26
71	Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System	0:31:42
72	Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Japan	0:35:16
73	Bambang Suryadi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice	0:35:33
74	Springintveld Joost (Ned) Netherlands	0:36:03
75	Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice	0:36:09
76	Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Champion System	0:37:31
77	Yi-Hao Tseng (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:40:17
78	James McCallum (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp	0:40:43
79	Vriend Rudy (Ned) Netherlands	0:41:12
80	Wel Van Ruud (Ned) Netherlands	0:41:57
81	Bernardo Riccio (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	0:45:33
82	Cheng-Yen Chen (Tpe) Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:46:29
83	Siu Wah Ko (HKg) Hong Kong	0:46:31
84	Rico Rogers (NZl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	0:49:42
85	Boris Shpilevskiy (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	0:52:40
86	Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia	0:56:00
87	Michael Sherer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	1:04:17

Points classification
1	Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System	39	pts
2	Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Korea	30
3	Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	20
4	Rhys Pollock (Aus) Drapac	11
5	Michael Sherer (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	10
6	Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac	9
7	Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Champion System	9
8	Mohd Rauf Nur Misbah (Mas) Malaysia	8
9	Roger Beuchat (Swi) Champion System	8
10	David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	7
11	Markus Eibegger (Aut) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	6
12	Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Japan	5
13	Peng Da Jiao (Chn) Max Success Sports	5
14	Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Japan	5
15	Wai Man Chau (HKg) Champion System	5
16	Sea Keong Loh (Mas) Malaysia	5
17	Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice	5
18	Vriend Rudy (Ned) Netherlands	5
19	Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	5
20	Jai Crawford (Aus) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	4
21	Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	4
22	Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	4
23	Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong	3
24	Bernardo Riccio (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	3
25	Boris Shpilevskiy (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	3
26	Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	2
27	Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team	2
28	Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	2
29	Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp	2
30	Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	1
31	Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong	1
32	Behnam Khalili Khosroshahi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	1
33	Kun Jiang (Chn) Max Success Sports	1

Mountains classification
1	Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	33	pts
2	Ying Hon Yeung (HKg) Hong Kong	18
3	Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Japan	14
4	Hyosuk Gong (Kor) Korea	13
5	Markus Eibegger (Aut) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	11
6	Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Action Cycling Team	11
7	Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong	8
8	Rhys Pollock (Aus) Drapac	8
9	Peng Da Jiao (Chn) Max Success Sports	7
10	Kyung Gu Jang (Kor) Korea	6
11	Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	6
12	Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System	6
13	Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team	5
14	David McCann (Irl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	4
15	Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice	4
16	Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac	4
17	Adam Semple (Aus) Drapac	3
18	Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Japan	3
19	Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Sharp	3
20	Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	3
21	Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Champion System	3
22	Sung Baek Park (Kor) Korea	2
23	Bambang Suryadi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice	2
24	Bernardo Riccio (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	2
25	Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Japan	1
26	Chi Ho Yuen (HKg) Hong Kong	1
27	Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Korea	1
28	Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac	1
29	Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	1
30	Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team	1
31	Henry Frusto (Ita) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	1
32	Jai Crawford (Aus) Giant Kenda Cycling Team	1

Teams classification
1	Tabriz Petrochemical Team	73:16:46
2	Drapac	0:00:38
3	Giant Kenda Cycling Team	0:02:01
4	Shimano Racing Team	0:02:25
5	Japan	0:02:32
6	Hong Kong	0:04:06
7	Champion System	0:04:14
8	Kelly Benefit Strategies - OptumHealth	0:08:03
9	d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo	0:13:13
10	Korea	0:14:42
11	Action Cycling Team	0:21:02
12	Max Success Sports	0:27:06
13	Team Senter-Merida Taiwan	0:28:05
14	Rapha Condor - Sharp	0:29:04
15	Malaysia	0:51:17
16	Netherlands	0:52:35