Kolss backs up in Qinghai Lake with Polivoda stage win

After a gruelling 224-kilometres in the saddle in blistering summer heat, it all came down to a select sprint on Stage 8 in Ping’an, China that was so close neither Italian Luca Chirico (Torku Şekerspor) nor Ukrainian Oleksandr Polivoda (Kolss) were certain of exactly who won.

But after further review, Polivoda was credited with the photo finish victory to give his Kolss Cycling Team its second straight stage win at the Tour of Qinghai Lake (2.HC) on Sunday.

A day after teammate and fellow Ukrainian Mykhaylo Kononenko claimed Stage 7, 30-year-old Polivoda added his fourth Qinghai stage win of his career his palmarés — his first at the race since 2015.

“This victory was very good,” a relieved Polivoda told Eurosport. “I don’t know why today because I want good general classification, but the past week has not been good for my team. 

“We have lost many minutes, had bad legs and bad results during the first week of racing, and yesterday we have Kononenko’s victory and today we have good work from team again for me,” he added. “Sergiy [Lagkuti] helped me in the last 40km and this victory — I don’t know, thank you.”

For Chirico, the second-place result was bitterly disappointing.

“I want to win the stage, and came very close by one centimetre – two maximum,” Chirico told Eurosport. “I am not happy. I think it’s better to finish third than second when it’s that close, but I am happy with my physical condition, happy with the team.”

The former Bardiani rider’s runner-up result gives his Torku squad its third podium of the race, including Turkish teammate Ahmet Örken’s third on the second stage before winning Stage 4 and slipping into the green points jersey. Fellow Turkish rider Nazim Bakirci also spent the first two days in the KOM jersey before surrendering it on Stage 3.

“This season we start very strong,” explained the 25-year-old Tour of Serbia stage winner. “But at this part of the season, I think we are better than the start of the year. I know for me personally, I like the hot conditions here and I am proving to myself that I am in very good physical form.”

Chirico was one of two riders, including 26-year-old Russian Ivan Balykin, to join a revitalised Torku following the hire of sports director Branko Filip. It’s a decision he did not take lightly given Torku’s shaky past, but one that he does not regret.

“I knew of the bad reputation of this team in the past regarding doping, but the atmosphere and culture has completely changed,” explained Chirico. “I am happy I came to Torku. In the past everything came too easy. I raced under-23 world championships, signed with Bardiani and raced the Giro d’Italia, but this year I learn so much more. I had too many problems last year, but this year I found a family.

“I have great motivation because the team believes in me, and I believe in the team and our goals.”

For Torku, the immediate goal is clear — keep Örken in the green jersey at all cost — but with Kazakh Yevgeniy Gidich (Vino-Astana Motors) steadily creeping up on the points classification and now trailing the 24-year-old Konya native by just three points — the task will not be easy. 

“It is very, very important for the team to defend the keep the green jersey,” admitted Chirico. “It is very important because we enjoy great visibility for this team and now people are taking positively about Torku, and I am happy for this.

“I think Ahmet is a great rider and I hope for him to have a great career, not just with green jersey, but I think he can race for yellow in the very near future.”

Örken assured Eurosport he was up for the challenge.

“Today it was a very hard climb,” said the 24-year-old Rio Olympian. “I rest the legs after the last few mountain stages to prepare for the final two criteriums at the end of the week.

“The gap is closing, but I am not nervous and I will wait for the sprint stages and feel confident in myself and my team that we can keep the green jersey until the end.”

All classification jerseys remained unchanged, with Venezuelan Yonathan Monsalve (Qinghai Tianyoude) holding on to the yellow leaders jersey for the third consecutive stage after it bounced around off the back of four different riders in as many days.

Aside from Örken holding a narrowing lead on points,  Colombian Mauricio Ortega (RTS-Monton Racing) keeps the polka-dot mountains jersey, while Gidich surrenders his blue ‘Best Asian Rider’ jersey to Vino teammate Stepan Astafyev.

With only one stage remaining before an eagerly anticipated rest day in the 13-stage UCI Asia Tour road race, riders still have to endure the 235km Stage 9 featuring a Cat. 3 climb and sole intermediate sprint.

1. Oleksandr Polivoda, UKR, Kolss Cycling Team, 4:59:36

2. Luca Chirico, ITA, Torku Şekerspor, s.t.

3. Jacopo Mosca, ITA, Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia, s.t.

1. Yonathan Monsalve, VEN, Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team, 19:21:28

2. Mauricio Ortega, COL, RTS-Monton Racing, +0:20

3. Bjorn Thurau, GER, Kuwait-Cartucho.es, +0:24

Race leader (yellow jersey): Yonathan Monsalve, VEN, Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team

Points leader (green jersey): Ahmet Örken, TUR, Torku Şekerspor

Mountains leader (polka dot jersey): Mauricio Ortega, COL, RTS-Monton Racing

Best Asian rider (blue jersey): Stepan Astafyev, KAZ, Vino-Astana Motors

Teams classification: Kuwait-Cartucho.es, 85:46:20

For full results click here.