Tour of Qinghai Lake - 2.5

China, July 27 - August 3, 2002

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Stage 7 - August 1: Qinghai Lake Hotel - GuiDe, 114.5 km

Australian team report

By Brian Stephens, AIS U23 coach

Stage 7 caught most people by surprise as the course turned out to be much tougher that the course profile indicated. There was a big descent about 20 km from the finish followed by a very tough climb then another rough descent to the finish alongside a big dam and power station on the Yellow River.

David Pell was again aggressive in the first half but suffered on the climb. Ben Johnson tried to get clear before the climb but wa caught on the lower slopes. Dave McPartland was our best stying with the leaders until the final kilometers of the climb and running 14th on the stage. The Spanish team from Catalunya took control of the Tour with a win by Tondo Xavier Vocpini who also took the lead. Aussie Glen Chadwick was third.

Results

1 Tondo Xavier Vocpini (Spa) Catalanunya    2.45.46
2 Gouzhang Wang (Chi) China                    0.28
3 Glen Chadwick (Aus) Marco 0.Polo             
4 Tom Danielson (USA) USA                      0.32
5 Kam Po Wong (HK) Hong Kong                   0.45
...
14 Dave McPartland (Aus) AIS Australia         1.34
53 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AIS Australia           3.53
54 Gene Bates (Aus) AIS Australia              
56 Ben Johnson (Aus) AIS Australia             
77 David Pell (Aus) AIS Australia              8.09
85 Adrian Laidler (Aus) AIS Australia          9.12

General classification after stage 7

1 Tondo Xavier Vocpini (Spa) Catalana       2.42.22
1 Gouzhang Wang (Chi) China                    0.29
2 Tom Danielson (USA) USA                      0.42
4 Glen Chadwick (Aus) Marco Polo               0.27
5 Tiaan Kannemayer (RSA) South Africa          1.59
...
38 David McPartland (Aus) AIS Australia       15.35
41 Ben Johnson (Aus) AIS Australia            16.12
43 David Pell (Aus) AIS Australia             16.30
48 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AIS Australia          17.36
69 Gene Bates (Aus) AIS Australia             26.00
72 Adrian Laidler (Aus) AIS Australia         26.49