http://www.bikeaid.de/en/racing/racing_article/title-meron_teshome_with_great_2nd_place_on_stage_11_at_tour_of_qinghai_lake_uci_2_hc/article-579a122e92620
Meron Teshome with great 2nd place on stage 11 at Tour of Qinghai Lake (UCI 2.HC)
Thursday, Jul 28, 2016 in Racing
On today's 11th stage of Tour of Qinghai Lake in China, that is ranked in HC category in UCI calendar, Meron Teshome could sprint to a great 2nd place after 126 fast kilometers
After Meron has already showed the last two days with 2 times top 10 that he is in a promising shape, the whole team was motivated to step up with a great result on today's stage. Knowing about the strength of the fast man from Eritrea, the team wanted to support Meron with no comprimise.
In the final of the stage the team led Meron out in a perfect position to start his sprint and he finished with a great performance only beaten by Jakub Mareczko from Italian Procontinental team Wilier Trestina. Marko Kump from World Tour team Lampre – Merida completed the podium on place 3, who already won 2 stages of this year's Tour of Qinghai Lake.
After taking this great result, Meron Teshome said with a big smile on his face: "today was a perfect day. The whole team comitted yesterday to work very hard to bring me in a good position and the guys did a great job. In the end I had the pressure to finalize the good work and to finish 2nd in such a big race with such great sprinters is just awesome".
Result stage 11 Tour of Qinghai Lake
http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Tour_of_Qinghai_Lake_2016_Stage_12
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http://www.tdql.cn:8090/?races=mareczko_sprints_to_his_second_stage_win_at_qinghai_lake
Mareczko sprints to his second stage win at Qinghai Lake
2016-07-28
YINCHUAN, China—Jakub Mareczko’s (Wilier Triestina-Southeast) stage 2 win seems like a lifetime ago for the Polish-born 22-year-old Italian after spending the past eight stages enduring scorching heat, breathtaking altitudes and nearly 1,400 (1,397) since.
However, the two-time Presidential Tour of Turkey (UCI 2.HC) stage winner added another double to his 2016 campaign with a stage 11 sprint victory at the 15th ‘Qinghai Rural Credit Cup’ Tour of Qinghai Lake (2.HC) on Thursday, July 28.
Mareczko, who also claimed stage wins at the Tour de San Luis (2.1) and Le Tour de Langkawi (2.HC) earlier this year, overcame tired legs from the previous week to outsprint Meron Teshome (Stradalli-Bike Aid) and previous back-to-back stage winner Marko Kump (Lampre-Merida) in the final of the 122km Yinchuan city circuit.
“The past few days have been very hard for me,” Mareczko admitted after the race. “Yesterday was very long (240km) and the altitude it was 2200m with an average speed of 45km/h.
“Today there was a breakaway in the front, but my team did an amazing job to close in the final kilometres and put me in front for the sprint and the win.”
Weighing a full kilogram lighter than this time last year, when he had to abandon the race following due to the effects of a stage 2 crash, Mareczko was well prepared for the hardships of Qinghai Lake in order to finish the 13-stage, 1,916km UCI Asia Tour road race – something he was unable to do at the Giro d’Italia (2.UWT) in May after he was forced to withdraw during stage 5.
“This race is so very important for my career,” explained Mareczko. “I’ve never completed a race at this distance and altitude before and I hope this experience will benefit me in the future.”
While Mareczko won the stage, it was reigning New Zealand road race champion Jason Christie (Kenyan Riders Downunder) who nearly stole the show after recovering from an early-race puncture with an impressive 90km solo break that nearly went the distance before being absorbed inside the final 20km.
“I could’ve sat back and had an easy day with the individual time trial still ahead tomorrow,” said the 25-year-old Christchurch native. “But having not gotten a lot out of this tour in terms of results, I chucked my nose to the wind and went off alone.
“I thought I may as well keep going, collect some sprint primes along the way and just have a bit of fun.”
While Ukrainian Vitaliy Buts (Kolss-BDC) has maintained his stranglehold on the yellow leaders jersey since stage 3, the stage 4 winner relinquished his green points jersey to Italian Daniele Colli (Nippo-Vini Fantini), who has been ‘Mr. Consistent’ during the race with six top 5 finishes, including two runner ups.
“I came here hoping for general classification,” said Colli. “But I didn’t feel good on the first mountains stage (3) and lost too much time.
“After that, I looked forward to the flat stages for the sprints because Buts is a stronger climber, but Nicolas [Marini] and I are stronger sprinters, and today Marini did not feel good.
“I gave it my best,” the 2015 Tour of China I winner continued. “But I sprinted two times to get to the finish and had nothing left, but it’s OK as I have the green jersey and hope to carry it with me to the end.”
Only two stages remain, including a 23km individual time trial on Friday and a final 95km circuit race to close the race on Saturday.
BRIEF RESULTS
Stage 11 Classification
1. Jakub Mareczko, ITA, Wilier Triestina-Southeast, 2:39:02
2. Meron Teshome, ERI, Stradalli-Bike Aid, s.t.
3. Marko Kump, SLO, Lampre-Merida, s.t.
General Classification
1. Vitaliy Buts, UKR, Kolss-BDC, 38:36:09
2. Sergiy Lagkuti, UKR, Kolss-BDC, 0:05
3. Alberto Cecchin, ITA, Team Roth, 0:26
Classification Leaders
Race Leader (Yellow Jersey): Vitaliy Buts, UKR, Kolss-BDC
Points Leader (Green Jersey): Daniele Colli, ITA, Nippo-Vini Fantini
Mountains leader (Polka Dot Jersey): Mauricio Ortega, COL, RTS-Santic
Best Asian Rider (Blue Jersey): Yevgeniy Gidich, KAZ, Vino 4ever SKO
Most Aggressive: Jason Christie, NZL, Kenyan Riders Downunder
Teams classification: Kolss-BDC, 129:49:43
Received on Thu Jul 28 2016 - 10:41:01 EDT