Team MTN-Qhubeka’s riders have high hopes as they scale the slopes of China’s mountains in the Tour of China.
PHOTOS: SONOKO TANAKA
Dennis van Niekerk finished third at the recent Tour of the Free State and fourth at both the Malaysian Tour de Langkawi and the Clover Tour, despite various obstacles that could have seen him placing further back in the pack. He is hoping that luck will favour him in China as he seeks to better his results.
Van Niekerk and his MTN-Qhubeka teammates – Dylan Girdlestone, James Tennent, Loto Petrus, Martin Wesemann and Stanley Namanyana – will compete in the ten-day UCI sanctioned 2.1 Tour.
Team Principal Doug Ryder believes that racing the Tour of China will provide valuable international experience for the team, especially the younger riders.
Van Niekerk has proven his climbing abilities at the Genting Highlands of the Tour de Langkawi, and also performed well in the Clover Tour hill climb trial. Girldestone, winner of the Jock Classic, will be Van Niekerk’s trusted lieutenant during the serious climbs, while Wesemann will be the team’s super domestique. He has proven time and time again that he is prepared to put his body on the line to ensure that one of his teammates will be in a favourable position to race for a victory.
Stage results to date:
Prologue
1 Markov,Alexey RUS 6:58.304 –
2 Rosskopf,Joseph Robert TT1 6:59.352 +1
3 MULLER,Dirk TSP 7:01.875 +3
4 Jang,Sun Jae KOR 7:04.544 +6
5 Martin,Wesemann MTN 7:05.986 +7
6 Huffman,Evan USA 7:06.318 +8
7 Serov,Alexander RUS 7:07.044 +8
8 Foder,Daniel Holm GLU 7:07.827 +9
9 Avis,Charlie USA 7:08.337 +10
10 Freiberg,Michael VAU 7:09.075 +10
11 Rolfe,Darren VAU 7:11.702 +13
Stage 1
1 Dene Rogers (NZl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team 02:27:45
2 Boris Shpilevsky (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
3 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) V Australia
4 Steffen Radochla (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
5 Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
6 Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong, China
7 Ivan Kovalev (Rus) Russian Federation
8 Sun Jae Jang (Kor) Korea
9 Sebastian Forke (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
19 Dennis Van Niekerk (RSA) MTN Qhubeka
Stage 2
1 Adrian Gjolberg (Nor) Joker Merida 04:11:35
2 Muradjan Halmuratov (Uzb) Giant Kenda Cycling Team 00:00:04
3 Boris Shpilevsky (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical 00:03:44
4 Dene Rogers (NZl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
5 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) V Australia
6 Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
7 Steffen Radochla (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
8 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
9 Justin Jules (Fra) Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille
10 Aaron Kemps (Aus) V Australia
GC after Stage 2
1 Adrian Gjolberg (Nor) Joker Merida 06:39:10
2 Muradjan Halmuratov (Uzb) Giant Kenda Cycling Team 00:00:05
3 Boris Shpilevsky (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical 00:03:38
4 Dene Rogers (NZl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team 00:03:42
5 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 - Sanofi Aventis 00:03:49
6 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) V Australia 00:03:50
7 Matej Mugerli (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj
8 Marius Bernatonis (Ltu) Atlas Perutnina Ptujsonal 00:03:51
9 Steffen Radochla (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse 00:03:52
10 Ivan Kovalev (Rus) Russian Federation 00:03:53
Stage 3
1 Sun Jae Jang (Kor) Korea 02:37:07
2 Alexander Serov (Rus) Russian Federation
3 Christer Rake (Nor) Joker Merida
4 Tanner Putt (USA) United States of America
5 Pirmin Lang (Swi) Atlas Personal
6 Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
7 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) V Australia
8 Dirk Muller (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
9 Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong, China
10 Jose Luis Cano Losa (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
19 Wesemann Martin (RSA) MTN Qhubeka
GC after Stage 3
1 Muradjan Halmuratov (Uzb) Giant Kenda Cycling Team 09:16:34
2 Sun Jae Jang (Kor) Korea 00:03:27
3 Alexander Serov (Rus) Russian Federation 00:03:31
4 Matej Mugerli (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj 00:03:33
5 Christer Rake (Nor) Joker Merida
6 Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada 00:03:34
7 Ivan Kovalev (Rus) Russian Federation 00:03:36
8 Pirmin Lang (Swi) Atlas Personal 00:03:37
9 Manuel Ortega Ocana (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada
10 Tanner Putt (USA) United States of America
13 Wesemann Martin (RSA) MTN Qhubeka
Stage 4
1 Boris Shpilevski (Rus) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 04:30:39
2 Ivan Kovalev (Rus) Russian Federation
3 Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) V Australia
4 Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
5 Rico Rogers (NZl) Giant Kenda Cycling Team
6 Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong, China
7 Justin Michel Pascal Jules (Fra) Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille
8 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) V Australia
9 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
10 Daniel Holm Foder (Den) Glud & Marstrand - LRO
GC after Stage 4
1 Muradjan Halmuratov (Uzb) Giant Kenda Cycling Team 13:47:13
2 Ivan Kovalev (Rus) Russian Federation 00:03:25
3 Sun Jae Jang (Kor) Korea 00:03:26
4 Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia Caja Granada 00:03:31
5 Alexander Serov (Rus) Russian Federation
6 Matej Mugerli (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj 00:03:33
7 Christer Rake (Nor) Joker Merida
8 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) V Australia 00:03:36
9 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 - Sanofi
10 Dirk Muller (Ger) Nutrixxion Sparkasse
16 Wesemann Martin (RSA) MTN Qhubeka 00:03:37
Stage 5
1 Boris Shpilevski (RUS) TPT 3:15:55
2 Taiji Nishitani (JPN) AIS
3 Rogers Rico (NZL) GKT
4 Justin Jules (FRA) LPM
5 Steffen Radochla (GER) TSP
6 Maarten Verschoor (NED) TT1
7 Sebastien Forke (GER) TSP
8 Daniel Holm (DEN) GLU
9 Ivan Kovalev (RUS) RUS
10 Sebastian Korber (GER) TSP
GC after Stage 5
1 Muradjan Halmuratov (UZB) GKT 17:03:08
2 Ivan Kovalev (RUS) RUS +3:25
3 Sun Jae Jang (KOR) KOR +3:26
4 Alexander Serov (RUS) RUS +3:28
5 Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (ESP) ACG +3:31
6 Matej Mugerli (SLO) PER +3:33
7 Christer Rake (NOR) TJM
8 Pirmin Lang (SUI) ARH +3:35
9 Bernard Sulzberger (AUS) VAU +3:36
10 Vladimir Efimkin (RUS) TT1
17 Martin Wesemann (RSA) MTN +3:37
Stage 6
1 Boris Shpilevski (RUS) TPT 2:08:11
2 Alexander Serov (RUS) RUS
3 Grischa Janorschke (GER) TSP
4 Ivan Kovalev (RUS) RUS
5 Alexey Markov (RUS) RUS
6 Kasper Jebjerg (DEN) GLU
7 Kwok Ho Ting (HKG) HKG
8 Troels Roenning (DEN) GLU
9 Chan Jae Jang (KOR) KOR
10 Laurent Beuret (SUI) ARH
GC after Stage 6
1 Muradjan Halmuratov (UZB) GKT 19:11:19
2 Ivan Kovalev (RUS) RUS +3:20
3 Alexander Serov (RUS) RUS +3:22
4 Sun Jae Jang (KOR) KOR +3:26
5 Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (ESP) ACG +3:31
6 Matej Mugerli (SLO) PER +3:33
7 Christer Rake (NOR) TJM
8 Pirmin Lang (SUI) ARH +3:35
9 Bernard Sulzberger (AUS) VAU +3:34
10 Dirk Muller (GER) TSP
19 Martin Wesemann (RSA) MTN +3:37
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