Triumphant: Truong Nguyen Thanh Nhan of Eximbank HCM City 1 (shown in an earlier leg) finished the eighth and final stage in the leading group yesterday to take the overall yellow jersey.

HCM CITY — Le Van Dong of Tan Thuan Thao-Can Tho won the eighth and final stage of the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Cycling Tournament yesterday after finishing the 153km race from Ha Tien Town to Vi Thanh City in front.

Cyclists from An Giang Plant Protection and ADC-Vinh Long Television tried to break away from the pack early on, but were reeled in by the peloton. Competition between first placed Eximbank HCM City 2 and their main rivals Domesco Pharmacy Dong Thap 2 was intense, with just 14 seconds separating them at the end of the team event.

The pack approached the finish line together, and it was Dong who sprinted to cross the line first in a time of 3:47.18 with an average speed of 40.38kmh, followed by Le Quang Truc of Le Quang-Binh Duong and his teammate Vo Thanh Anh Khoa.

Finishing in the leading group, Truong Nguyen Thanh Nhan of Eximbank HCM City 1 took the overall yellow jersey with a combined time of 23:53.18. Trinh Phat Dat of An Giang Plant Protection 1 and Nhan's teammate Dinh Quoc Viet came in second and third.

Eximbank HCM City 1 also celebrated the individual sprinters title, as Le Van Duan claimed the green jersey with 123 points. Trinh Duc Tam of ADC-Vinh Long was crowned the best young cyclist.

Eximbank HCM City 2 held on to take the team event in a combined time of 71:41.31, followed by Domesco Pharmacy Dong Thap 2 and 1.

The teams will now look towards a national cycling tour in mid-October in Binh Duong Province. — VNS