Second Minsk Cup gathers 19 cycling teams from 13 countries

Defending the title of the best

Second Minsk Cup gathers 19 cycling teams from 13 countries

Belarusian Sergey Popok has won the Minsk Grand Prix for the second time, having overcome fierce competition in the 120km-race. Alexander Golovash (from Minsk), Andrey Bratashchuk (Kolss) and Deins Kaņepējs (Rietumu-Delfin) led for some time, being as much as 90 seconds ahead, but 5km before the finish line, Popok accelerated.


Peloton on Minsk streets. Photo: BelTA

Besides Alexander Golovash, other cyclists on the Minsk team were Stanislav Bozhkov, Yevgeny Sobol, Oleg Agievich and Anton Muzychkin, who took strategic positions to allow their leader to cycle unmolested. Sergey sped ahead to overtake Latvian Andris Smirnovs, cycling for Alfa Baltic team, and third place went to Belarus’ multi-champion Yevgeny Gutarovich. The top ten cyclists included two more Belarusians, with Anton Ivashkin coming 8th and Vladimir Gorokhovik finishing 9th. “It’s always great to win at home, supported by friends and family. It’s difficult to express my emotions. The whole team has done well,” noted Sergey Popok after the victory, adding that this is the seventh win for the Minsk squad this season.


Sergey Popok’s finish

One day earlier, two more Belarusian cyclists took to the Minsk Cup medals podium, with Yevgeny Gutarovich earning silver and Minsker Anton Ivashkin claiming bronze.

By Kirill Karin
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