Just like in the time trial, the Aussies are the team to beat. On this tough hilly course the trio McCarthy, Bobridge, Meyer seems to be superior. Riders that will try to beat them are Japanese Kinoshita, Malaysian Anuar Aziz, Kazahks Lutsenko and Kiwi Bennett mainly. Others though will have a chance as well.
It took quite a while and many attacks until the breakaway has formed and all teams were happy. Hamdan Park Piempanya Lim
Early on it`s the riders from Malaysia to ride for their leader Anuar Aziz. With Quickstep he surely wants to ride a successful season. He surely is one of the most talented Asians at the moment.
With 150km to go and a gap of almost 10min, it`s time to slowly reduce the gap.
With 4 laps left it`s Australia and Japan with several riders each. The gap is below 3min now and it`s quite sure that the breakaway won`t stand a chance.
All the favourites are in the first rows; McCarthy, Bobrdige, Meyer, ANuar Aziz, Kinoshita, Lutsenko, Bennett or Ji.
As last rider Piempanya from Laos is caught with 38km to go. This is actually quite a lot with 2 full laps left.
The top riders accelerate over the top of the climb on that lap. In especially Bobridge speeds up and not many can follow immediately. Interesting though taht both his team mates Meyer and McCarthy are following. Australia with a serious move here. Other riders who immediately follow are Kinoshita and a bit behind Lutsenko and Jiao but also Bewley and Mat Senan.
Yes indeed. It`s Sam Bewley who is still up there feeling strong!
But as it was only a short acceleration on top of the climb, the pack comes together on the descent.
On the flat before the final climb some of those riders though with another attack. Kinoshita in first position followed by McCarthy.
With a small gap: Meyer, Bennett, Lutsenko, Bobridge, Anuar Aziz and again Bewley.
With another gap Ji and Hatanaka try to join this group as well while a late attempt by MG legend Boonratanathanakorn and Zeits might come a bit too late. The gap already is at a bit over 1min.
1 lap left and we have this group of 10. Last two mentioned attackers never made it and so the top10 seems secured. But the big question remains: Who wins the Asian Championships?
Australia with 3 riders look the strongest. Japan with 2 just like New Zealand, which have the advantage of a top sprinter here. Great race by Bewley but he is the weakest puncheur and one tough climb still ahead.
First two riders to be dropped already before the climbing are Hatanaka and Ji. Disaster for China to lose their only rider in front as also for Kinoshita, who is losing his helper.
Surprise! Not Bewley. It`s Meyer and Bobridge struggling here. They might have worked for McCarty on the flat but actually it was a nice sharing of all riders. Possible just a weak moment? Bewley still in the front group even though he is in last position now as Kinoshita is doing a high pace.
But there it happens. Bewley losing contact. Also Lutsenko struggling now.
More important though that Kinoshita has opened a gap to the next. Anuar Aziz, Bennett and McCarthy couldn`t follow.
10km to go and the Japanese has a 26s gap. Lutsenko is dropped and follows the trio with the same gap.
The Australian duo Bobridge and Meyer are already more than a minute behind together with Ji and Bewley. So those won`t make it back.
3km and still Kinoshita going strong. The gap extends to 32s and actually it`s only McCarthy behind now, who got rid of his companions.
Anuar Aziz also solo behind him ahead of Bennett, who is riding a strong race here.
What a win! Kinoshita keeps the gap and is taking the Asian Championship solo. Brilliant attack and huge result for him. Not many bookmakers had him as winner today.
McCarthy with a solid 2nd. But he surely had higher expectations. In general the Australian tactic was not the best with Bobridge and Meyer spending too much energy into their attack on the second last lap it seems.
In the end Anuar Aziz almost was able to attack him again as he comes in 3rd just a bit later.
Bennett keeps his strong 4th ahead of Lutsenko, while Bewwley wins the sprint for 6th. Strong race by him as well. Seems to be in great form already ahead of the season.
Hamdan
Park
Piempanya
Lim
Tomohiro Kinoshita
Jay McCarthy
Mohamed Shawal Anuar Aziz
George Bennett
Alexey Lutsenko
Jianhua Ji
