The Road races, which completed the program of Belarus Open Road National Championships, ended with the victories of Minsk Cycling Club riders in all categories. Alina Abramenka and Dzianis Marchuk won U-23 gold medals. The elite champion jerseys were tried on by Hanna Tserakh and Aliaksandr Piasetski.
The race day was opened by women. The start of the race was more than calm. There were almost no attacks until the third big lap. Then things got more fun. There were more attacks. As a result, one of them was crowned with success. It was undertaken by the racer of Minsk Cycling Club, Taisa Naskovich, in the company of an athlete from Russia.
The advantage over the peloton gradually grew. As well as the number of participants in the breakaway, which were joined by representatives of Minsk Cycling Club Hanna Tserakh, Nastassia Kiptsikava and Alina Abramenka, as well as a couple of Russians.
The group failed to arrange a pursuit, and even before the small laps in Raubichi it became clear that it was unlikely to close the gap. And there was a split in the ranks of the leaders. Tserakh and Kiptsikava went ahead and arrived at the finish line together. Hanna Tserakh was the first to cross the finish line, becoming the new national champion in the women's group race. Nastassia Kiptsikava won the silver medal, and Taisa Naskovich snatched the bronze medal in a bitter struggle with her rivals from Russia. Thus, the racers of Minsk Cycling Club took the entire podium in the women's group race.
Also successfully ended for the capital club the race among women in the U-23 category, where Alina Abramenka excelled. The second place was taken by a guest from Russia, Anastasia Pecherskikh. And the third was another representative of Minsk Cycling Club Anhelina Krasko.
The men's race was awaited with particular impatience. In addition to the presence of local favorites, the participation of Russian athletes brought additional intrigue.
At the start of the distance of 179.6 km there were 49 riders (elite + U-23), who started the race very actively. The attacks went almost from zero kilometer and did not stop until nine riders broke away. Soon Yauhen Sobal joined them. In addition to him, there were six more representatives of Minsk Cycling Club (Branislau Samoilau, Siarhei Papok, Aliaksei Shnyrko, Dzianis Marchuk, Yauheni Akhramenka, Aliaksandr Piasetski) and three riders from Russia.
The group did not react for a long time to the fact that the gap was slowly widening. And when it exceeded two minutes the group completely stopped active actions. Only one of the leaders of Minsk Cycling Club Yauheni Karaliok did not reconcile himself, who, together with his teammate Vasili Strokau and two Russians, rushed in pursuit.
The breakaway, meanwhile, also split into several groups. Before entering the small laps, Aliaksandr Piasetski was in the lead in the company of Russians Nikita Shulchenko and Konstantin Nekrasov. They were followed by Yauhen Sobal, Branislau Samoilau, Dzianis Marchuk and Russian rider Mamyr Stash. And then Yauheni Akhramenka, Aliaksei Shnyrko and Siarhei Papok, who were soon caught up by the group of Karaliok.
At eight Raubichi laps the leaders did not give up their positions. And attack of Piasetski on the last lap brought him victory with an advantage of 32 seconds and the champion title. Shulchenko was stronger in the final duel of the Russians. Nekrasov took the "bronze".
Desperately fighting Karaliok finished fourth. Three more Minsk Cycling Club racers got into the top 10 of the final protocol: Sobal (6), Strokau (7), Samoilau (9).
In Un-23 standings, the winner was the racer of Minsk Cycling Club Dzianis Marchuk, who was more than two minutes ahead of the closest pursuer Aleksandr Bereznyak from Russia. The third place was taken by Denis Savelyev, a representative of Samara region.
BELARUS CHAMPIONSHIP - GROUP RACE (MEN, WOMEN)
BELARUS CHAMPIONSHIP - GROUP RACE (MEN U-23, WOMEN U-23)
