After another day in the high mountains Giant Asia's David McCann successfully defended his 2nd position in the overall classification. At the start of the day's main 3,900m climb race leader Hossein Askari and two of his team-mates launched a blistering attack that could only be matched by Rock Racing's Oscar Sevilla and Tyler Hamilton. Left without team support the big Belfast rider showed true grit and dragged the rest of the dwindling bunch up the 17km climb.
The leading group split near the top of the climb, while McCann crossed the summit over a minute behind with only Poland's Marek Rutkewicz and Marco Polo's Rhys Pollock for company. The front group quickly merged on the descent, and with all of the riders within 30seconds of McCann, set about trying to put time into McCann and climb up the GC sheet. The multiple Irish time-trial champions was undaunted and started at pursuit race to the line. With Rutkewicz in tow, McCann was assisted by Pollock and finally reeled in the leading group with less than 5km to go. After a flurry of attacks, Rutkewicz took the stage with McCann finishing in 6th place from the leading group of eight to retain his 2nd overall.
Team Pezula riders finished safely together in the fifth group at 26minutes 29seconds, and will look forward to some flatter stages before the race finish on 20th July
Stage Result
1 Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) Poland 2.51.45 (40.175 km/h)
2 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing
3 Hossein Askari (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
4 Rhys Pollock (Aus) GE - Marco Polo Team P/B Trek 0.03
5 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Rock Racing
6 Ahad Kazemi Sarai (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
7 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team
8 Ghader Mizbani Iranagh (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
9 Michael Morkov Christensen (Den) Denmark 0.25
10 Jure Kocjan (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj
Others
87 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Pezula Racing 26.29
93 Martyn Irvine (Irl) Pezula Racing
97 Ciaran Power (Irl) Pezula Racing
107 Derek Burke (Irl) Pezula Racing
112 Kieran Page (GBr) Pezula Racing
General Classification
1 Hossein Askari (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 16.32.27
2 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 0.09
3 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Rock Racing 0.14
4 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 0.15
5 Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) Poland 0.21
6 Rhys Pollock (Aus) GE - Marco Polo Team P/B Trek 0.27
7 Ghader Mizbani Iranagh (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 0.28
8 Matej Stare (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj 0.34
9 Ahad Kazemi Sarai (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 0.35
10 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Serramenti Diquigiovanni-Androni 0.37
Other
72 Ciaran Power (Irl) Pezula Racing 43.04
86 Kieran Page (GBr) Pezula Racing 53.58
88 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Pezula Racing 55.00
92 Martyn Irvine (Irl) Pezula Racing 58.06
122 Derek Burke (Irl) Pezula Racing 1.58.05
Points classification
1 Alex Rasmussen (Den) Denmark 58 pts
2 Blazej Janiaczyk (Pol) Poland 45
3 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Serramenti Diquigiovanni 41
6 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 32
Mountains classification
1 Ahad Kazemi Sarai (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 21 pts
2 Hossein Askari (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 17
3 Lucas Persson (Swe) Cycle Collstrop 15
10 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 1
----
(15 July) McCANN IN TOP FORM IN FAR EAST
Giant Asia's David McCann fought his way back up to 2nd in the General Classification on today's 5th stage of the tour of Quinghai Lake. The Belfast rider crossed the stage's highest peak at 3,800m in the front group of 8. There was a regrouping of 26 riders at the front following 50km of descent to the finish line. McCann's former team mate Hossein Haskari took the overall lead with Rock Racing's climbing stars Oscar Sevilla and Tyler Hamilton lying 4th and 7th in the overall classification. After missing the prologue TT due to flight problems the Irish riders in Team Pezula squad found the climbs and altitude difficult with Ciaran Power losing 12mins, Martyn Irvine coming in 20mins behind and Derek Burke trailing in 35mins after the stage leader. David O'Loughlin was listed as DNF.
The race continues with a further mountain stage and 3 flat stages which will allow the sprinter's teams to fight for stage results.
General classification after stage 5
1 Hossein Askari (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 13.40.46
2 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 0.02
3 Matej Stare (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj 0.06
4 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Rock Racing 0.07
5 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Serramenti Diquigiovanni-Androni 0.08
6 Blazej Janiaczyk (Pol) Poland 0.14
7 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Rock Racing 0.17
8 Rhys Pollock (Aus) GE - Marco Polo Team P/B Trek 0.20
9 Ghader Mizbani Iranagh (Irn) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 0.21
10 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Cycle Collstrop 0.22
Others
56 Ciaran Power (Irl) Pezula Racing 16.31
79 Kieran Page (GBr) Pezula Racing 27.25
83 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Pezula Racing 28.27
88 Martyn Irvine (Irl) Pezula Racing 31.33
127 Derek Burke (Irl) Pezula Racing 1.31.32
----
(13 July) David Mc Cann 2nd in Prologue of Tour of Qinghai Lake:
Belfast cyclist David Mc Cann bounced back from illness at the recent Tour of Korea to claim 2nd place in the 3.8km Opening Time trial stage of the prestigious Tour of Qinghai Lake in China. The Giant team rider, flew around the fast Xining city course in a time of 4minutes 13seconds.
He led Oscar Sevilla(rock racing) and Bradley Huff(Jelly Belly cycling) on top of the leader board until former world scratch race Champion Alex Rasmussen of Denmark posted the winning time of 4 minutes 3seconds. Mc Cann will wear the green points Jersey in tomorrow's 145km stage from Xining to Qinghai Lake.
"I'm surprised to get the second place today.
I got really sick at the Team Ireland house in Belgium and it kind of ruined the Tour of Korea for me.
I rode through it and I was slowly getting better there. I did manage to win a stage and help my team mate Erik to second overall.
Hopefully things will go well now this week when we hit the hills.
Time will tell.