National Championships - RR
Guatemala, South Korea, Moldova, Hong Kong, Romania
A lot of strong climbers are present here at this mixed mountain NC and we have many open races. Pluchkin and Choi are the top favorites for Moldova and Hong Kong, but they do have challengers in Raileanu and Fung, respectively.
Korea should be an interesting battle between Min and Jang, as should Romania between Stancu, Tvetcov and Nitu, while Guatemala is also very close but at a much, much lower level with Julajuj and Sam.
Startlist
Spoiler
GUA
Sam
Henry Alberto
Aramco DP
GUA
Julajuj
Alex
Los Pollos Hermanos
HKG
Fung
Ka Hoo
King Power
HKG
Leung
Chun Wing
King Power
HKG
Choi
Ki Ho
MOL
HKG
Kwok
Ho-Ting
Polar
HKG
Cheung
King Lok
Voyagin - Bird
KOR
Min
Kyeng Ho
Duolingo
KOR
Jang
Gyung Gu
Festina - OAKA
MOL
Raileanu
Cristian
Philips - Force India
MOL
Pluchkin
Aleksandr
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
MOL
Tanovitchii
Nicolae
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
ROM
Tvetcov
Serghei
Evonik - ELKO
ROM
Dima
Emil
Huski Chocolate
ROM
Grosu
Eduard
Huski Chocolate
ROM
Nechita
Andrei
Minions
ROM
Stancu
George Alexandru
MOL
ROM
Nitu
Adrian
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
Tvetcov, Min and Choi attack over the second to last climb with 10 kilometers to go.
There are still amateur riders ahead, indicating the low pace of the peloton, and all three of the attackers get away, now over half a minute ahead of the main group heading into the final 5 kilometers.
We have some attacks in that main group now as well though, as Jang tries to catch up to Min, and Raileanu wants to surprise Pluchkin, who currently rides in fifth position in the chasing group.
But neither of them gets away and the leading trio, now together, still have over 30 seconds with 2 kilometers to go.
Should those three make it, only two championships are still contested: Moldova and Guatemala. And both look close so far: Pluchkin has come to the front now but Raileanu still hangs around on the left, and Julajuj and Sam ride quasi next to each other for a while now as well.
The sprint is on and the leaders are still looking good. Grosu uses his big acceleration on these not so steep slopes but he’ll struggle once it gets steeper in the finale. Pluchkin and Raileanu sprint side by side, while Julajuj gets a small lead over Sam.
Pluchkin pulls away from Raileanu as the line gets closer!
Congrats to the champions of Hong Kong, South Korea and Romania: Choi, Min and Tvetcov! A perfectly timed attack pays off.
Pluchkin beats Raileanu for the Moldovan title.
And Julajuj takes home the title of Guatemala.
Result
1
Ki Ho Choi
MOL
1h57'45
2
Kyeng Ho Min
Duolingo
s.t.
3
Serghei Tvetcov
Evonik - ELKO
s.t.
4
Aleksandr Pluchkin
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
+ 23
5
Adrian Nitu
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
s.t.
6
Cristian Raileanu
Philips - Force India
s.t.
7
Gyung Gu Jang
Festina - OAKA
s.t.
8
Ka Hoo Fung
King Power
+ 34
9
George Alexandru Stancu
MOL
s.t.
10
Eduard Grosu
Huski Chocolate
s.t.
11
Emil Dima
Huski Chocolate
+ 44
12
Nicolae Tanovitchii
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
s.t.
13
Chun Wing Leung
King Power
s.t.
14
Alex Julajuj
Los Pollos Hermanos
s.t.
15
Henry Alberto Sam
Aramco DP
s.t.
16
Andrei Nechita
Minions
s.t.
17
King Lok Cheung
Voyagin - Bird
+ 1'22
18
Ho-Ting Kwok
Polar
+ 1'42
---------
National Championships - ITT
Guatemala, South Korea, Moldova, Hong Kong, Romania
5 of the Top 7 riders on the list come from Hong Kong, so that’s going to be an interesting race. Moldova should be a trivial task for Pluchkin, as should Korea for Min.
Nechita is the favorite in Romania but could face a challenge from Tvetcov, while Guatemala is entirely open.
Turns out, the Guatemaltese title isn’t that close after all. Sam seems to have a terrific day and distances Julajuj by over a minute. He also overtakes Min, who still makes it a double championship and takes the Korean title.
Choi doesn’t look good, he finishes behind Fung, but neither makes it into the Top 3 of Hong Kong.
It’s incredibly close between Tvetcov and Nechita. At the second time check, the latter is ahead by just two seconds. At the finish line, Tvetcov sets a time of 1h04’36.
Nechita comes in as the next rider and he just barely manages to beat that - he takes the Romanian title by 3 seconds.
Then comes Pluchkin, another double winner as expected, with a new overall best time of 1h02’45. Now, the final 3 riders on the road are the guys fighting for the title of Hong Kong.
The first is Cheung. 11 seconds behind Pluchkin, but also more than 1’30 ahead of Fung.
Leung is next and he sets a new best time: 1h02’33. Only one man can beat him.
And that man does it! 1h02’17 for Kwok, the new time trial champion of Hong Kong!
