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With just three races remaining on the UCI Asia Tour 2009-2010 calendar, it now looks set to be a three-horse race, dominated by Iranians, for the overall individual title. Iranian team Tabriz Petrochemical looks to have an unassailable lead in the teams ranking, thanks in part to another overall victory:
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Iranians complete their domination of race
Mehdi Sohrabi (Tabriz Petrochemical) has taken out the final stage criterium in Xining to complete a tour to remember for his team. Sohrabi defeated Ruslan Tleubayev (Kazakhstan National Team) with the sprint points competition winner, Boris Shpilevskiy (Russian National Team), back in third place.
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Askari takes yellow into final stage
Russian National Team rider Boris Shpilevskiy won his second stage of the Tour of Qinghai Lake on the penultimate day into Qingshizui. Shpilevskiy (27) defeated Mehdi Sohrabi (Tabriz Petrochemical) and Valentin Iglinskiy (Kazakhstan National Team) in a bunch sprint after the hors categorie climb at 94.6kms failed to crack the sprinters' legs.
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Askari remains in yellow
Russian National Team rider Boris Shpilevskiy has put the sprinters back in the spotlight winning stage six of the tour into Mole in the Qilian County. Shpilevskiy outlasted Matej Stare (Slovenian National Team) and Simon Clarke (ISD-Neri) from Australia; the win puts Shpilevskiy into the green jersey leader of the point's competition with two stages remaining.
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Askari in command overall as Sohrabi takes stage
Iranian Hossein Askari (Tabriz Petrochemical) has sensationally ridden into the overall lead at the Tour of Qinghai Lake after stage six in Xihaizhen. Teammate Mehdi Sohrabi took out the stage ahead of Nikola Kozomara (Partizan SRBIJA) with Askari back in third place. Askari now leads the tour by 44 seconds over previous leader Radoslav Rogina (Loborika) and Kiel Reijnen (Jelly Belly) who is a further 41 seconds behind.
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Qinghai Lake showed one of her many moods today. After a beautiful picture postcard stage the day before, heavy rain and a drop in temperature made conditions miserable for the peloton.
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Serbian Ivan Stevic (Partizan SRBIJAN) has been removed from the Tour of Qinghai Lake for his middle-finger salute at the finish of stage four at Qinghai Lake. An emotional Stevic raised his finger in a gesture directed at his team’s mechanic who had previously joked with him about his form.
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Iranian strongman takes stage win
Ghader Mizbani (Tabriz Petrochemical) gave further demonstration of his strength at this year’s Tour of Qinghai Lake today, and was rewarded for his efforts with victory in Xining. The Iranian defeated Rasoul Barati (Giant Asia racing Team) and Alexander Filippov (Russian National Team) to claim stage three.
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Gregor Gazvoda (Arbo KTM-Gebruder Weiss) won stage two of the Tour of Qinghai Lake in Xunhua. Gazvoda edged out Hossein Askari (Tabriz Petrochemical) and Irishman David McCann (Giant Asia Racing Team) in another gruelling day on the roads of China. Tour leader Rogina Radoslav (Loborika) remains in yellow after finishing fifth on the stage. He holds a 37 second lead over Gazvoda.
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