Russian biker Igor Frolov, who had just joined Vietnam’s cycling last month, claimed both the overall and the mountains titles at the 2022 Ho Chi Minh City TV (HTV) Cup tournament after its last round concluded on Saturday morning.

His team, Ho Chi Minh City-Vinama, also won the team championship for the best team performance throughout the 23-stage competition.

In the last round covering 140 kilometers from Madagui Town in Lam Dong Province to Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City-Vinama and Ho Chi Minh City-New Group’s racers proactively held the peloton back at a two-minute ride away from the breakaway.

About ten kilometers to the finish line, three riders, including Pham Le Xuan Loc of Quan Khu 7, escaped the breakaway.

Spectators cheer for cyclists in the final round of the 2022 Ho Chi Minh City TV (HTV) Cup tournament, April 30, 2022. Photo: N.K. / Tuoi Tre

Loc took the lead until around a few hundreds of meters before the Reunification Palace, the destination of the stage, as Le Nguyet Minh of Ho Chi Minh City-New Group sprinted past him to cross the finish line in the first place.

In addition to recognizing Minh as the final round winner, the organizers presented the most prestigious yellow and polka dot jerseys and the two separate prizes worth VND200 million (US$8,700) and VND50 million ($2,177) for Igor Frolov for winning both of the general and mountains classifications.

Igor Frolov of Ho Chi Minh City-Vinama races at the 2022 Ho Chi Minh City TV (HTV) Cup tournament. Photo: Tan Phuc / Tuoi Tre

The 2022 HTV Cup was Frolov’s debut at a tournament in Vietnam as the Russian just joined Ho Chi Minh City-Vinama last month.

The team was also awarded VND100 million ($4,354) as the new champions of the annual tourney.

Le Nguyet Minh of Ho Chi Minh City-New Group reacts after finishing first in the final round of the 2022 Ho Chi Minh City TV (HTV) Cup tournament, April 30, 2022. Photo: N.K. / Tuoi Tre

The blue jersey and the prize of VND50 million for the points winner went to Nguyen Tan Hoai of Tap Doan Loc Troi.

Meanwhile, Pham Le Xuan Loc won the white jersey and an award worth VND30 million ($1,306) for the best young rider.

Le Nguyet Minh of Ho Chi Minh City-New Group wins the final round of the 2022 Ho Chi Minh City TV (HTV) Cup tournament, April 30, 2022. Photo: N.K. / Tuoi Tre

The HTV Cup race has been held annually since 1989 and is considered Vietnam’s ‘Tour de France.’

In its 34th edition, the competition took 98 cyclists from 14 competing teams through 2,316.2 kilometers in 23 stages from north to south in celebration of Vietnam’s reunification on April 30, 1975.

Nguyen Tan Hoai of Tap Doan Loc Troi wins the blue jersey and the prize of VND50 million (US$2,177) in the points classification of the 2022 Ho Chi Minh City TV (HTV) Cup tournament, April 30, 2022. Photo: N.K. / Tuoi Tre

Pham Le Xuan Loc of Quan Khu 7 wins the best young rider title of the 2022 Ho Chi Minh City TV (HTV) Cup tournament, April 30, 2022. Photo: N.K. / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!