The excitement continued at the Asian Road Cycling Championships “Al-Qassim 2026 ,” with the sixth day witnessing the crowning of new champions in the individual road races for the under-23 youth and under-23 women's categories. The races took place on the Al-Ghadha Park track, amidst a highly competitive atmosphere that brought together elite cyclists from across Asia, who delivered exceptional performances reflecting the significant development of cycling in Asia.
In the 109.2km Junior Individual Time Trial, the Kazakh duo dominated the race. Murat Kuytinov secured first place and the gold medal after a tactical race, finishing in 2:33:34. His teammate and compatriot, Almir Valiyev second, earning the silver medal with the same time, demonstrating their excellent coordination. The bronze medal went to Japan's Yuki Inoue , who also finished third with the same time, in a thrilling finish decided by fractions of a second.
In the women's under-23 individual road race, which covered the same distance (109.2 kilometers), Uzbek cyclist Samira Ismailova achieved a remarkable feat by winning the gold medal. Ismailova finished the race in 3:07:16, comfortably ahead of her closest competitor. China's He Hongyang the silver medal with a time of 3:08:05, 49 seconds behind Ismailova. The bronze medal went to Kazakhstan's Violetta Kazakova, who finished third with a time of 3:08:08.
General context and importance of the championship
The Asian Road Cycling Championships is the continent's premier event in the sport, organized annually by the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC). This edition, held in Saudi Arabia, holds particular significance as it aligns with the Kingdom's efforts to enhance its position as a global sporting destination, a key objective of Vision 2030. The Al-Qassim region's hosting of the championships highlights the capacity of various regions within the Kingdom to organize major sporting events and promotes sports tourism.
Expected impact of the event
Internationally, the championship awards crucial ranking points to individual competitors and national teams, impacting their chances of qualifying for world championships and the Olympic Games. The dominance of countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in these age categories indicates the success of their talent development programs and bodes well for the future of cycling in Central Asia. Domestically, the championship contributes to promoting cycling among Saudi youth and encouraging their participation, while also showcasing the Kingdom's advanced infrastructure for hosting such international events.
At the conclusion of the competitions, the President of the Saudi Cycling Federation, Mr. Abdullah Al-Shahrani, crowned the winners with medals, praising the high technical levels presented by all participants, and the successful organization of the championship, which continues to provide more excitement in its remaining days.
