Tour de China - 2.6

China, July 23-26, 2001

The Stages

  • Stage 1 - July 23: Hohhot-Baotou, 180 km
  • Stage 2 - July 24: Gobi Desert, 220 km
  • Stage 3 - July 25: Dongsheng-Zhungeerqi, 180 km
  • Stage 4 - July 26: Hohhot City Criterium, 80 km

Calbee Tour of China report

By the Marco Polo Cycling Team

Sergei Lavrenenko (Kazakstan) won the final overall classification in the Calbee Tour de China, in front of Nathan Dahlberg and Dennis Hammink, both from Marco Polo Cycling Club. The Tour was held in Inner Mongolia and the Gobi Desert. Teams from Kazakstan, Marco Polo (international), Japan (national), Australia, Hong Kong (national), Taipei, Mongolia (national) and China filled the 62 rider field.

In stage one, Sergei Lavrenenko took 4 bonus seconds more than second placed Nathan Dahlberg, and this turned out to be decisive for the final win. With the help of the strong Kazak national team, Lavrenenko lost no time on Dahlberg after that.

Stage two was dominated by the Kazaks, but saw a very strong attack from Dahlberg on the leading position of Lavrenenko, who could close the gap again.

In stage three there was a long break of 180 km, only Korean rider Chun Daehong survived and just made it before the pack.

In the last stage Marco Polo tried to surprise the Kazaks by sending third placed Hammink in the break, but the 40 seconds that the break gained was not enough for Hammink to catch Dahlberg or Lavrenenko in the GC. Hammink did win his second stage though, after his victory in stage two, the 220 km stage through the Gobi Desert. With the two wins, Hammink also took the points classification.

Stage 1 - July 23: Hohhot-Baotou, 180 km 

1 Sergei Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National          3.41.59
2 Nathan Dahlberg (NZl) Marco Polo CC
3 Tomoya Kanou (Jpn) Japan National                      0.01
4 Hillton McMurdo (Aus) Australia
5 Dennis Hammink (Ned) Marco Polo CC                     2.06
6 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Japan National
7 Tang Xuezhong (Chi) Beijing
8 Vadim Kravchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National
9 Steven Harcolit (Aus) Australia                        2.08
10 Chun Daehong (Tpe) Taipei Team Giant

Stage 2 - July 24: Gobi Desert, 220 km

1 Dennis Hammink (Ned) Marco Polo CC                  5.38.08
2 Tang Xuezhong (Chi) Beijing
3 Ulzii Orshikh Jamsran (Mon) Mongolia National
4 Sergei Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National
5 Nathan Dahlberg (NZl) Marco Polo CC
6 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Kazakstan National                 0.01
7 Makoto Ijima (Tpe) Taipei Team Giant
8 Pavel Nedakh (Kaz) Kazakstan National                  0.02
9 Vadim Kravchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National              0.10
10 Bakhtiyar Maminov (Kaz) Kazakstan National            5.29
 
General classification after stage 2
 
1 Sergei Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National          9.19.58
2 Nathan Dahlberg (NZl) Marco Polo CC                    0.04
3 Dennis Hammink (Ned) Marco Polo CC                     2.06
4 Tang Xuezhong (Chi) Beijing                            2.10
5 Pavel Nedakh (Kaz) Kazakstan National                  2.21
6 Ulzii Orshikh Jamsran (Mon) Mongolia National          2.22
7 Makoto Ijima (Tpe) Taipei Team Giant                   2.24
8 Vadim Kravchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National              2.26
9 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Kazakstan National
10 Bakhtiyar Maminov (Kaz) Kazakstan National            7.50
 
Points classification
 
1 Dennis Hammink (Ned) Marco Polo CC
2 Sergei Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National
3 Nathan Dahlberg (NZl) Marco Polo CC
 
Team classification
 
1 Kazakstan                                          28.04.43
2 Marco Polo Cycling Club                                5.32
3 Taipei Team                                           30.46

Stage 3 - July 25: Dongsheng-Zhungeerqi, 180 km

1 Daehong Chun (Tpe) Taipei Team Giant
2 Dennis Hammink (Ned) Marco Polo CC
3 Xuezhong Tang (Chi) Beijing
4 Vadim Kravchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National
5 Nathan Dahlberg (NZl) Marco Polo CC
6 Ulzii Orshikh Jamsran (Mon) Mongolia National

Stage 4 - July 26: Hohhot City Criterium, 80 km 

1 Dennis Hammink (Ned) Marco Polo CC                 1.56.58
2 Denis Tupchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National
3 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Japan National
4 Miura Kyoshi (Tpe) Taipei Team Giant
5 Hilton McMurdo (Aus) Australia
6 Makoto Ijima (Tpe) Taipei Team Giant                   0.01
7 Rob Conijn (Ned) Marco Polo CC                         0.09
8 Shinji Suzuki (Jpn) Japan National
9 Tomoya Kanou (Jpn) Japan National                      0.11
10 Nathan Dahlberg (NZl) Marco Polo CC                   0.40
11 Sergei Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National
 
Final general classification
 
1 Sergei Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National         15.48.55
2 Nathan Dahlberg (NZl) Marco Polo CC                    0.03
3 Dennis Hammink (Ned) Marco Polo CC                     1.06
4 Makoto Ijima (Tpe) Taipei Team Giant                   1.45
5 Tang Xuezhong (Chi) Beijing                            2.03
6 Ulzii Orshikh Jamsran (Mon) Mongolia National          2.19
7 Pavel Nedakh (Kaz) Kazakstan National                  2.35
8 Vadim Kravchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National              2.41
9 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Kazakstan National                 3.16
10 Denis Tupchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan National              7.32
 
Points classification
1 Dennis Hammink (Ned) Marco Polo CC                       50 pts
2 Chun Daehong (Tpe) Taipei Team Giant                     20
3 Tang Xuezhong (Chi) Beijing                              20
 
Team classification
 
1 Kazakstan                                          47.31.07
2 Marco Polo Cycling Club                                4.45
3 Taipei Team                                           29.05

Courtesy of the Marco Polo Cycling Club/worldwidecycling.com