Today in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, the 5th Asian Games started in closed premises.Athletes from more than 60 countries in Asia and Oceania will compete for podiums in 21 sports, including cycling on the track.

Competitions on cycling at the "Asian Games 2017" will be held from 18 to 23 September. In total, 9 sets of medals will be drawn - 5 among men and 4 among women. 8 Kazakhstani riders will be defending the honor of the republic on the canvas of the Ashkhabad cycle track. In one of the most complicated tempo disciplines, an omnium, the participant of the Olympic Games, the bronze medalist of the World Cup, silver medalist of the Asian Championship Artem Zakharov will perform. Another discipline that Kazakhstan's "tempo players" will try to conquer is the team pursuit race. The bronze medalist of the World Cup Sultanmurat Miraliyev, the gold medalist of the Asian Championships Alisher Zhumakan, as well as Sergey Chatovkin and Roman Vasilenkov are announced for participation in it.This year, development is not very common in Kazakhstan sprint, so the V Asian Games will be a serious challenge for domestic sprinters. In Keirin, Pavel Vorzhev and Zaki Sultanov will fight for prize medals. In the team sprint Sergei Ponomarev will join them."Cycling on the track is included for the first time in the program of Asian Games in closed spaces," said Tulpar Mansurov, Secretary General of the Kazakhstan Federation of Cycling. - For our trackers - this is an excellent opportunity to compete for victory and test your level at a serious international competition.I note that the program of the Games does not quite fit our tempo players, because it does not include our "core" disciplines, for example, scratch and group race. However, we expect good results, since Artem Zakharov will go to Omnium, and at the Olympics he entered the top 10 in this race. In general, the composition is chosen strong. Zakharov and Miraliev are quite experienced riders, they are always one of the leaders in competitions on the Asian continent among tempovikov. From young Zhumakan, Shatovkin, Vasilenkov, too, we are waiting for results, in the summer they successfully performed in Europe.I am happy that Kazakhstan on the track will be represented not only at a pace, but also in a sprint. Now the sprint both from the side of the federation and from the Center of Olympic preparation is given due attention, and we are determined to occupy this niche. "
It is known that cyclists from 15 countries will take part in the "Asian Games 2017". V Asian indoor games will last until September 23rd.

Source: cycling.kz