Shandong's Liu wins first cross-boundary National Games cycling road race

ZHUHAI, China, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Liu Zhicheng of Shandong broke out of a dramatic final sprint to win the men's individual road race at China's 15th National Games on Saturday.

One of the Games' most anticipated events, the road race's 231.8-kilometer route crosses the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge six times without interruption, making it the first cross-boundary race in the National Games' history and the only event that connects the three host regions - Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao - in a single competition.

Liu crossed the finish line first in five hours, 17 minutes and five seconds, followed by Beijing's Xue Chaohua and Yunnan's Hu Haijie, with the podium places determined by mere centimeters.

"This is my first time competing in Hong Kong and Macao. The pace in the latter part of the race was much faster than usual, with every athlete taking the competition very seriously," Liu told a press conference. "The final sprint and jostling for position were extremely intense."

"I was really looking forward to this route even before the race," said silver medalist Xue. "Cycling across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge was quite a breathtaking experience. I hadn't expected the bridge to be this long. Besides the race, it was nice to enjoy the scenery along such a well-designed course."

Among the 104 riders who had started the race, 98 completed the challenging course, with Hong Kong's Chu Tsun Wai achieving the highest placement among his squad by securing 15th position, while Kam Chin Pok emerged as the highest-placed finisher for Macao in 30th position.

The Games' cycling competition continues on Sunday morning with the women's individual road race, which features 101 athletes, with the opening ceremony scheduled for the evening. ■