Chinese Taipei’s Mei Yu Hsiao became the women’s road race champion for the third consecutive time as she won the event in two hours, 38 minutes and six seconds at the Hero Cycles Asian cycling championship on Saturday.
Hsiao faced intense competition from the Chinese duo of Liu Xiaohui and Zhao Na before posting victory in a close finish.
Ali Khademi triumphs
Earlier, Iran’s Ali Khademi won a similarly tight race in the men’s under-23 road competition.
India had a day to forget, though, as only two home riders, Pana Choudhary and Rutuja Satpute, managed to finish the women’s race.
The six others in competition on Saturday failed to do likewise. However, off-the-track, there was some good news for the host as South Korea offered to train Asian junior silver medallists Deborah and T. Manorama Devi for a couple of months ahead of the UCI World Junior track cycling championships at Glasgow in August.
The South Korea coach Yun Hee Tae confirmed the talks are presently on an informal level and there would be further discussions on the matter with his country’s federation.
When asked about the offer, Cycling Federation of India Secretary Onkar Singh said, “This is yet to be discussed in detail here. The duo’s performance at the championship could have been a motivating factor.”
The results: Women: Individual road race (115.2 km): 1. Mei Yu Hsiao (Tpe) 2:38:06s; 2. Liu Xiaohui (Chn) 2:38:06; 3. Zhao Na (Chn) 2:38:06.
Under-23: Men: Individual road race (142 km): 1. Ali Khademi (Iri) 3:04:18; 2. Nurbolat Kulimbetov (Kaz) 3:04:18; 3. Vladislav Gurbunov (Kaz) 3:04:18.