Jones jags the green jersey and the second stage as Delko deliver

author：qinghaihu  publish time：2019-07-15

By: Samuel Turner

Australian Brenton Jones has cast away doubts of a poor Tour of Qinghai Lake with a superb victory at the second stage today in Xining. Jones, along with Delko Marseille Provence, secured top spot at the circuit race with a gritty final sprint from the young Australian.

The 119km circuit around Xining was always going to end in an inevitable dash to the finish line, favoured by sprinters. The 13.2km street circuit was repeated nine times and the road conditions were exceptionally favourable compared to yesterday.

Jian Cai Wang and Li Zisen of Tianyoude Hotel Cycling Team were the breakaway racers, separating from the group early on in the second stage. The locals loved their determination, but the group however was consistently controlled by Delko and yesterday’s time trial winners, Medellin.

The last sprint to the finish line was a kilometre of intense competition between Turkish star Onur Balkan (Salcano Sakarya BB Team) and seasoned sprinter Nicolas Marini (Tianyoude Hotel Cycling Team), who finished second and third respectively.

“It was very fast, but I think the experience from last year paid off,” Jones commented, in relation to his victory at the second stage last year in Qinghai.

“I didn’t hit the front until one hundred metres to go and I knew that was the way to win.”

It couldn’t have come at a better time for Jones, as yesterday’s time trials were incredibly disappointing.

“Yesterday I felt very average,” admitted Jones. “I was really bad. I had bad legs and after twenty kilometres I was done. But I know that you have to keep fighting and today I kept fighting.”

The Colombian Alfonso Roldan of Medellin is the new leader of Chinese stage race with time bonus at intermediate sprint, carrying yesterday’s momentum to grant him the race leader’s yellow jersey.

Jones earned the green point leader jersey, which he almost won last year, but was bested on the last day. He was especially grateful to his team who together created the opportunity for him to seize first place.

“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Jones told media. “I think it will be a successful tour for Delko.”