VietNamNet Bridge – Tang Chi Hung won the second stage of the Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Cycling Tournament yesterday and Nguyen Truong Tai claimed the yellow jersey.

Sai Gon Plan Protection 1 maintained their top place in the team event with a total time of 26:41.17. Sai Gon Plan Protection 2 came in second with 3.29 minutes more. Vinh Long stood third at 26:59.09.

Hung took the stage with a time of 4 hours, 31.35 minutes at an average speed of 35.348km per hour. He was just a few seconds faster than second-placed Tran Thanh Phu from Military Zone 7 and Ho Van Phuc from Vinh Long team.

Truong Tai couldn’t quite reach the front of the pack, but took the overall lead from Truong Nguyen Thanh Nhan of Hoc Mon team who led the first stage on Monday and finished in the second pack of riders nine minutes back.

Tai couldn’t make the top three, but his total time of 8:52.48 was the best result, giving him the yellow jersey. He was followed by Mai Nguyen Hung of Sai Gon Plan Protection 1 who fell just one second behind. Third place went to Bui Minh Thuy of Vinh Long, at 8:53.04.

Although he had to hand over the yellow jersey, Nhan kept the green jersey for himself after pocketing seven points from second Stage, raising his total to 20, making him the highest point collector of the tournament.

Sai Gon Plan Protection 1 maintained their top place in the team event with a total time of 26:41.17. Sai Gon Plan Protection 2 came in second with 3.29 minutes more. Vinh Long stood third at 26:59.09.

Today, cyclists will race 112km from Phan Rang to Da Lat City of the Central Highlands Province of Lam Dong. It will be one of the most important stages of the tournament as competitors have to conquer two passes, 18km Ngoan Muc and 10km Prenn. The winner of the passes will take the red jersey for the ’king of the mountain’ title.

The 11th Nam Ky Khoi Nghia tournament consists of five stages with a total of 705km from HCM City to Bao Loc District in Lam Dong Province, running from November 18-22. Riders will compete in both road and mountain bike racing for prizes worth VND130 million (US$7,600).

(Source: Viet Nam News)