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Iglinskiy keeps the yellow jersey after 3rd stage

By Tang Yue (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-10-13 19:16

Cyclists compete at the third stage of 2010 Tour of Hainan from Wuzhishan to Xinglong on Wednesday. Charles Huff of the Jelly Belly cycling team won the stage while Valentin Iglinskiy of the Astana team kept the yellow jersey. [Hou Jiansen / Xinhua]

Xinglong, Hainan – Charles Huff of the Jelly Belly cycling team won the third stage of 2010 Tour of Hainan from Wuzhishan to Xinglong on Wednesday by 3 hr 45 min 46 sec while Valentin Iglinskiy of the UCI world No 1 pro team, Astana, kept the yellow jersey for two consecutive stages.

"There are two sprinters in my team and I thought he was on my wheel (when I sprinted). But he was not," Huff said after the 146km stage. "But I was patient and waited for the good opportunity to sprint."

"Actually, I was dropped at first. I just kept eating and drinking to survive. And eventually I made it."

Starting in Sanya on Monday, the 1,466km event will progress counter-clockwise around Hainan Island and pass through 18 cities before finishing in Sanya on Oct 19. The race's nine stages will include flatlands, hills and mountains.

After the island suffered some of its worst storms in 50 years last week, the organizing committee changed part of the route to avoid areas damaged by flooding. Organizers will monitor the route to ensure the safety of the cyclists.

The event, which began in 2006, was upgraded this year from a continental 2.2 classification to 2.HC, an elite men's race one level below Europe's three Grand Tours. The only other Asian races at that level are the Tour of Langkawi in Malaysia and Tour of Qinghai Lake in China.

This year's total prize money is $280,000, thanks to 18 local sponsors, including Timton International hotel and Hainan beer.