Holder Shpilevsky keeps yellow jersey at Tour of Hainan

Defending champion Boris Shpilevsky from Russia kept the yellow jersey at the seventh stage of the 2009 Tour of Hainan International Road Cycling Race on Tuesday.

Grega Bole from Slovenia became the dark horse and finished first in four hours eight minutes and 25 seconds, edging Italy's Francisco Ventoso who clocked 4:08:25. Shpilevsky came in the third with 4:08:25.

The 24-year-old Bole said he had never considered leading the general individual classification, but the stage champion was possible. "I will try to keep No. 1 in the next two stages," he said.

Though finishing third in the stage, Shpilevsky still kept his yellow jersey. "I didn't expect it was so cold today, and it somehow influenced my performance," he said, adding that he likes warm weather.

Shpilevsky also kept his green jersey for leading the intermediate sprints classification.

The Chinese team had kept the blue jersey for the best Asian riders individual for the fourth time. However, this time it was Ma Haijun who wore the jersey instead of Hui Guo.

"The whole Chinese team did very well. Our goal today is to keep the blue jersey, and it doesn't matter who wears it," said Ma.

With absolute advantage in climbing, Volodymyr Zagorodniy from Ukraine continued to keep his polka-dot jersey at the stage.

A total of 117 players attended the seventh stage race.

Running from Nov. 11 to 19, the nine-stage race covers 1,400 kilometers and will visit all the 18 cities and counties of south China's Hainan province for the first time.

Source: Xinhua