Park Sung Baek wins the first stage of the Tour de Taiwan-Part 1
The South Korean rider, Park Sung Baek had a tremendous start of the Tour de Taiwan, as he sprinted to victory in the stage one on Sunday, 20 March 2011.
The 26-year-old Korean rider started his professional cycling career six years back with the Taiwan-based team, Giant-Asia Racing. The first stage race was held in the Taipei City Criterium, where Sung Baek came on top against an overall
102 participants. This was a promising start of the season after a disappointing performance in the Asian Games last year.
It was an ironic end to the men’s road race in Guangzhou 2010, when he was denied of the gold in the sprint to the finish line. Sung Baek was believed to have held back Hong Kong’s, Wong Kam Po in the race. Kam-Po, however could not muster
a finish any better than 14th in the first stage this tour.
Sung Baek made sure that none of such controversies could be implicated on to him quickly racing clearly ahead of any nearest challenger.
“I made sure I did not lose any time and avoided all the crashes and all that and just took it easy because it’s a long tour ahead,” Drapac Professional Cycling Team rider said after the race.
“The team did a great job for me and Jang (Chan Jae) did a perfect lead-out for me. I was a little concerned of crashes at the start of this race and that was the reason why I was a little cautious.”
The Korean expressed his delight after winning the race and mentioned, it is better to take it stage by stage rather than thinking of victory, right from the start.
Sung Baek currently is part of the South Korea National team and it took him 1hour 21minutes and 39 seconds to finish the 60km race around Taipei City Hall. D’Angelo & Antennuci rider Bernardo Riccio finished second, followed by Dean Downing
of the Rapha Condor team.
“For the next several days, the strategy will still be the same and that is to look for the opportunity to take another stage win, although I really can’t wait for the climb to start.” Sung Baek said.
A quick view to the first stage race results of the top five to the finish-line is as follows;
1. Sung Baek Park (Kor), Korea, 1hour: 21minutes:39seconds.
2. Bernardo Riccio (ITA), d’Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo, s.t.
3. Dean Downing (Gbr), Rapha Condor-Sharp, s.t.
4. Dean Windsor (Aus), Rapha Condor-Sharp, s.t.
5. Chan Jae Jang (Kor), Korea, s.t.
Overall eighteen teams took part in the first stage of the Tour de Taiwan with cyclists coming from around the globe and 22 different countries, competing in the round-the-island race. The race started on 20 March and is scheduled to run
through 28 March.