Kenya, Turkey and Libya combine their national championships, with two races looking pretty decisive – Kenya is a 1 team race with 7 men behind Samwel and Libya is a 2-man battle were Rachid looks to have a clear advantage, however the Turkish race should see Hasta and Karagobek in a close match as well as possible interjections from the other racers!
Immediately, Sayar, Orken and Manfred attack immediately, the former two are the weaker climbers of the Turks in this race and want to settle this without the other two, while apparently Kimothi is Kenya’s choice to go for the championship title this year.
With 3.5km left Sayar launches his bid for glory, Kimothi chases back to him but Orken is suffering badly and already gapped considerably!
And into the final corner Sayar decides that he wants to take the line honours as well! Kimothi looks pretty defeated but fortunately for him he doesn’t have to beat his companion.
Sayar wins the Turkish National Championships! Kimothi can celebrate winning the Kenyan races, as we await the Libyan result.
Samwel wins the bunch sprint but more importantly, Rachid is safely in the group while his opponent has been dropped, allowing Rachid to become the Libyan Champion!
On to the ITT, Hussein is the rider who can time trial and it would take a disaster for him not to wear the Kenyan jersey again this season. While Rachid is decisively the better time-trialist of the two Libyans, however, the Turkish championships is very even with Hasta as the best of those riders.
Rachid has no real trouble taking the Libyan double.
The Turkish race is once again more interesting though as Sayar first posts a time of 1h23’37”!
Orken comes in soon after and stops the clock, just 18 seconds faster!
Finally though Hasta approaches the finish and he des it by just 20 seconds! Meaning Hasta wins the Turkish Time Trial Championships!
The last man on the course, Hussein unsurprisingly dominates the Kenyan race with a time of 1h19’00”!
