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Iranian, Czech take top spots in Tour of Fuzhou road cycling race

By Chang Meng ( Global Times )

Updated: 2013-11-20

Iranian cyclist Rahim Emami topped 103 cyclists in the general individual class during the three-day Tour of Fuzhou 2013, which concluded Monday in Yongtai county, Fuzhou, East China's Fujian province.

Czech rider Milan Kadlec with ASC Dukla Praha was the biggest winner, taking second place in the general race according to time and points. Milan also won the polka-dot jersey for the general KOM (King of the Mountains) class.

The three-stage race kicked off Saturday in Fuzhou. Riders battled through a variety of road conditions, including a 105-kilometer flat stage from Fuzhou to Yongtai on Saturday, a 151-kilometer "devil" mountain-climbing section from Yongtai to the Yunding scenic spot of Qingyun Mountain on Sunday, and a relaxing 109-kilometer Yongtai circuit race on Monday.

The Tour of Fuzhou 2013 is a multi-stage race for men registered with the International Cycling Union. It attracted 20 professional teams from 13 countries and regions including China, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The RTS Racing Team from Taiwan, which includes Emami and Russian veteran Boris Shpilevsky, won the yellow jersey in the first stage on Saturday. It beat out all the other teams after three days.

Chinese rider Wu Peilun, 23, topped the Greater China Riders individual class and ranked sixth on the general classification list.

The tour came to Fuzhou for a second consecutive year. The city was hailed by riders for its clean air.

The second stage, which meanders along bold cliffs, reservoirs, forests and the Dazhang River, received the most compliments from riders, despite conditions that forced them to ascend over a length of 100 kilometers, causing several athletes to fall off their bikes or receive flat tires.

"The last five kilometers were particularly steep and tough, but the fresh air really helped me restore my energy so it was not as hard as I had imagined," said Wu.

Shpilevsky also said that he was very satisfied with the road conditions and air quality.

An amateur race with 200 riders was also held Sunday after the professional race in a bid to promote cycling as a sport among local residents.

The tour attracted many local spectators who came early to watch.

"I didn't expect a cycling race could be this exciting, and I'd like to take my daughter for a try on the road after this," said a local resident surnamed Xu.

Edited by Zhao Qian and Michael Thai

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