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2008 Tour de Taiwan, with 7 different divisions and 8 stages, started at Love River of Kaohsiung City as its first stage. Not only a site event named “Walking in the Love River for World Games 2009” (in Chinese: 愛河健走，世運加油) was held to support the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung City, but also a damn hot weather challenged for cyclists’ physical strength.

Picture by Greg Chang, PhotoSport International.

In the starting of the 3rd lap, there was a sudden blow sound near the 50m flag. According to some witnesses, a cyclist from Health Net Pro Cycling Team was forced to quit this race because his tire blew suddenly due to a damn hot weather and the temperature of the race lane progressively rose up.

Picture by Greg Chang, PhotoSport International.

By the way of this race, not every cyclist could get rid off the chasing groups until some 5 cyclists suddenly get rid off them to become the leading group. Finally, Kam-po Wong reverse this condition in the final lap and won the champion of this stage. Indirectly, he also won the asian and general leading champion in this stage.

Picture by Greg Chang, PhotoSport International.

Results

1 Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                      1.57.04 (45.102 km/h)
2 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDR
3 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) AISAN Racing Team
4 Mroz Mateusz (Pol) Merida Europe Team
5 Misbah Muhamad Rauf Nur (Mas) Malaysian National Team
6 Kirk O'bee (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis
7 John Murphy (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis
8 Seon Ho Park (Kor) Seoul City Cycling Team
9 Lofflerstefan (Ger) Giant Asia Racing Team
10 Daniele Defranceschi (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee Cycling Team       

General Classification after Stage 1

1 Kam Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                      1.56.54
2 John Murphy (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis    0.01
3 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDR                         0.02
4 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) AISAN Racing Team                              0.05
5 Emile Abraham TR1 Team Type 1                                        0.06
6 Lofflerstefan (Ger) Giant Asia Racing Team                           0.09
7 Erik Hoffmann (Nam) Giant Asia Racing Team
8 Mroz Mateusz (Pol) Merida Europe Team                                0.10
9 Misbah Muhamad Rauf Nur (Mas) Malaysian National Team
10 Kirk O'bee (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis        

Download Tour de Taiwan 2008 Stage 1 FULL RESULT