Tour of China II Kicks Off with a Scorcher

Race: Tour of China II, stage 1

Start/Finish: Hongjiang Shiji Square/Ximaxiang Government, China

Distance: 118 kilometers

XIMAXIANG, CHINA – Riders in China from the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team began their second week of racing on Tuesday, with a hot day in the saddle across the mountainous western part of Hunan province.

High humidity on top of nearly 40ºC/100ºF heat split up the peloton on three categorized climbs, with Costa Rica’s Kevin Rivera finishing first ahead of Italy’s Mirko Trosino and Colombian Mauricio Ortega.

Team Novo Nordisk stayed focused on the sprint stages, and finished Tuesday’s Queen Stage with energy to spare for the hot days ahead.

Stephen Clancy:

“Hot and humid today, and we’re looking at the next four days of it getting hotter the further south we go.”

Team Novo Nordisk continues Tour of China II through the end of the week.

Gallery:

Results: 

• Kevin Rivera 1^st : (Androni – Sidermec – Bottechia) : 3:00:41
• Eduard Grosu 2^nd : (Willier Trestina – Selle Italia) : 0:19 back
• Matteo Malucelli 3^rd : : (RTS – Monton Racing ) 0:23 back

Team Novo Nordisk:

• Quentin Valognes 78^th : 16:30 back
• Chris Williams 81^st : 16:30 back
• Sam Brand 84^th : 16:30 back
• Stephen Clancy 85^th : 16:30 back
• Mehdi Benhamouda 105^th : 20:28
• Gerd De Keijzer 106^th : 20:28 back

(Photos: ©Anne Wu)