Mongolia to form its first semi-professional cycling team

The Mongolian Cycling Federation (MCF) reported about the achievements made by Mongolian athletes and the preparations for the Tokyo 2020 on February 22.

Mongolian cyclists took part in the Asian Road and Para Cycling Championships 2018, which was held between February 8 and 12 in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. The Mongolian team placed fourth in the 70 km team category cycling. International Sports Master S.Jambaljamts brought the first medal from the mass start category of Asian Championships, claiming a bronze medal in the U23 category.

The team also secured three bronze medals in the master category (International Sports Master Kh.Purevsuren – a bronze medal, International Sports Master S.Tumendemberel – two bronze medals) at the Continental Championship.

Cyclist B.Tegshbayar brought home a bronze medal from the Asian Track Championships 2018, which took place at the Velodrom Nasional Malaysia in Nilai, Malaysia from February 16 to 20.

B.Tegshbayar’s bronze medal is Mongolia’s first medal from the championships. The cyclist became a champion of the 2016 Junior Track Cycling World Championships. He made a great achievement in the national cycling history by bringing the first gold medal for Mongolia from the World Championships (UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships 2016) in the mass start 10 km category, which took place in Switzerland in 2016.

Additionally, the MCF established the first semiprofessional or continental team “Project Nice Cote D’Azur” in collaboration with France with an aim to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.

Led by a French coach, the team consists of eight athletes, including six Mongolian cyclists B.Iderbold, B.Buyandelger, D.Erkhes, E.AltanOchir, N.Buyantogtokh, and S.Ayush-Ochir. French cyclist Stefan and Australian cyclist Brendan are also on the team, and the team will head to Europe soon. The joint team will train and take part in tournaments through a three-year contract.

The MCF also announced that an International Bicycling Rally from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing will be held in August.