HÀ NỘI — Phạm Quốc Cường won the first stage of the Bình Dương Television Cycling Tournament, Ống Nhựa Hoa Sen Cup, on December 3.

Cường of Đồng Tháp triumphed in the 153km stage from the southern province of Bình Dương to Bình Thuận, in which he competed in 3:21.31.

Nguyễn Minh Luận of the Việt Nam youth team and Hà Văn Sơn of BTV Đại Nam Bình Dương were the runners-up.

Cường also held the yellow jersey award for the best overall time and the green jersey award for the best sprinter, with 15 points.

The event has attracted the 10 strongest teams in the country, including HCM City, Đồng Tháp, An Giang and Đồng Nai with nearly 70 cyclists, more than 20 of whom are now members of the national team.

They will compete in nine stages, with a total length of nearly 1,100km via the provinces of Bình Thuận, Ninh Thuận, Khánh Hòa and Gia Lai, as well as Kon Tum, Đắk Nông, Bình Phước and Bình Dương.

The tournament has a total prize of VNĐ400 million (US$17,400), of which the winners of the overall yellow jersey will earn VNĐ60 million ($2,600).

The event’s organisers will hold charity activities on the sidelines of the event, including giving 900 gifts to disadvantaged households and 90 bicycles to poor students in the provinces the cyclists will pass through.

The event will be a chance for national cyclists to hone their skills to prepare for the Asian Games to be held in Indonesia next August. — VNS