Hanoi cyclist wins longest stage of cross-Vietnam race

Hanoi cyclist Dang Thanh Duoc secured victory in stage 21 of the HTV Television Cup 2026 cross-Vietnam race, employing clever tactics.

The stage on the morning of 26/4, spanning 204 km from Binh My commune, TP HCM, to Ninh Kieu ward, Can Tho, marked the longest leg of the race. The team competition was a significant focus, as Cong an TP HCM aimed to overtake Vinama for the lead. Despite the challenge of crossing the long My Thuan and Can Tho bridges, the TP HCM riders maintained control, keeping the main group together.

Cyclists competing across Can Tho bridge during stage 21 of the HTV Television Cup 2026 cross-Vietnam race, noon 26/4. *Photo: Huy Pham*

With 700m remaining, as the strong sprinters marked each other, Dang Thanh Duoc unexpectedly broke away. He unleashed his full power, crossing the finish line alone to claim his second stage victory, following his first win in stage 15 of this year's race. The stage time was 4 hours 40 minutes 19 seconds, with an average speed of 43,66 km/h.

Duoc, 22 years old, is from Dong Nai but competes for Hanoi. He is not a strong sprinter, but he is known for his aggressive and clever riding style. Against stronger riders, Duoc consistently seeks opportunities to break away and secure a win.

"Today, I am even surprised by this victory," Duoc said. "Last night, I couldn't sleep, and this morning, while tackling My Thuan bridge, I was exhausted. But thanks to my teammates' support with food and water, I recovered and managed to achieve this win."

The sprint to the finish of stage 21.

Since the main group, including the yellow jersey holder, finished together, the classification jerseys remained unchanged. Yarash (New Group) still wears the yellow jersey, Pham Le Xuan Loc (Quan khu 7) retains the orange jersey for the best Vietnamese rider. Dzianis wears the green jersey as the sprint king. Tran Trong Phuc (Dong Nai) holds the white jersey for the best young rider.

Vinama maintained its top position in the team classification, followed by Cong an TP HCM and Dong Nai. Vinama's rider Moise fell in the final 2 km but managed to finish, thus retaining the red jersey as the king of the mountains.

Cyclist Dang Thanh Duoc celebrates his victory in stage 21 of the HTV Television Cup 2026 cross-Vietnam race, noon 26/4. *Photo: Huy Pham*

The national cycling race for the TP HCM Television Cup - Ton Dong A 2026 runs from 3/4 to 30/4/2026. The peloton started in Phu Tho, the ancestral land of Vietnam, a region associated with the worship of the Hung Kings and the sacred Hung Temple historical site. The race then covers 25 stages, totaling 2,745 km, traversing provinces and cities from north to south, before concluding at Thong Nhat Hall, TP HCM, on 30/4.

On 27/4, riders will compete in stage 22, a 45 km circuit race around Cai Khe ward in Can Tho.