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Unus Alladin

Japanese veteran spoils day for Millar and Bicisport

Experienced Japanese rider Masahiko Mifune spoiled more than one party by winning yesterday's star-studded Hong Kong Classic along the Wan Chai waterfront.

Mifune, just three days short of his 35th birthday, prevented a fairytale ending for favourites Bicisport Australia and also overshadowed the return of Hong Kong-raised world champion David Millar, who pulled out with five laps to race.

Mifune slipped into the lead with about 100 metres to go to overtake Bicisport's luckless Cameron Hughes in the US$60,000 event, which is part of the Relaunch Hong Kong campaign. The Australian team were dogged by bad luck in last week's Tour of South China Sea and indebted to Russian outfit Moscow City Sports Association, who gave the Bicisport team the trophy and half the prize-money.

Millar, who was celebrating his 27th birthday, couldn't keep up with the searing pace on his first day back from a one-month break, disappointing the large crowd. 'I just didn't have it,' he said. 'I'm not very fit.

'It was a tough, tough race, but on the whole, it has been a fantastic day for me and it is surprising there seem to be a lot of spectators who follow cycling,' said the world road race champion, who was making his first appearance in Hong Kong on a bike in 10 years.

Mifune won the sprint home to give Holland-based World Wide Cycling victory in the 80km individual circuit race.

'I thought my condition was getting better and better after competing in last week's Tour of South China Sea,' said the 34-year-old Japanese, who clocked one hour, 48 minutes and 37 minutes for the 28-lap race.

'I felt good at the finish. I had some luck and I think it was tactics that won the day,' said Mifune, who struck misfortune in the seventh stage of Tour of South China Sea in Coloane, Macau, last week.

'My bike frame broke in half and I couldn't make the final hill climb in the end which was a shame because I really wanted to do well in the Tour,' said Mifune, who finished outside the top 10.

'When I broke my bike, I could not follow Wong Kam-po and the rest of the riders up that final climb. That was the end of 2003 and that was all bad luck. Now, it is 2004 and I have good luck. I was one of the oldest riders at the Tour. But I am more experienced and I can still show them a thing or two,' said Mifune, who won US$5,500.

'I have won national titles in Japan before and I am happy to have won this because it has good prize money. I have maybe three or four years of racing left in me. I am sure I am the longest-serving professional Asian rider in Europe,' said Mifune, who has been based in Belgium for nine years.

Mifune received a lot of help from Australian teammate Chris Bradford.  Mifune said: 'There were not many chances to break away because it was a bunched sprint and the streets were narrow. Chris was a little tired and he didn't have any power in that final sprint.'

A disappointed Hughes, who finished an unlucky second in the Coloane stage last week, said he couldn't keep up with the little Japanese at the finish, but was pleased with second place overall, worth US$3,500.

'Bradford attacked in the last 500 metres and the other two riders [Milan Dovrscik and Vladimir Bushanskiy] followed. Mifune just sat there because Bradford was on his team,' said Hughes.

'Mifune was on my wheel and coming into the last 100 metres, we jumped Bradford, but Mifune was in front. It helps if you have two riders because one can attack while the other can sit.'

His teammate, Sydney Olympic gold medallist Brett Aitken, was with the leading group of riders, before he slipped back in the chasing group finishing sixth - and that left Hughes exposed in the final sprint.

'We were lucky to have two riders in it initially,' Hughes said. 'I tried to do all the work for Brett and set it up for him to win. We were a bit unlucky.'

'Bradford looked strong in the final lap but his challenge finally petered out - but not before helping Mifune to victory.

'With the final lap to go, I launched in front, making sure the other riders chased me down while using as much energy as possible and setting up the sprint for Mifune. It was a good win for World Wide Cycling. It was a fantastic race today. It was well organised and there were great crowds and I'd like to come back again,' said Bradford, who finished fifth.

Tour of South China Sea champion Oleg Grishkin, of the Moscow City Sports Association, finished ninth in 1:49.19, just ahead of six-time world points race champion Bruno Risi of Switzerland.

Home favourite Wong Kam-po fared better, finishing a respectable 16th. 'I wanted to stay with the leaders throughout the race, but I didn't want to take that chance because I would have cut my own throat and probably finish well down the list. So I conserved my energy for the sprint home. I am pleased with my final position,' said Wong, who was second overall in the Tour of South China Sea.



Mifune steals show as stars struggle