Stage 8 of the 2025 Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV) Cup cycling tournament, covering a 171.5 km route from Dong Hoi City to Hue City, ended in dramatic fashion as officials had to consult video replay to determine the winner - Nick Kergozou.

Despite the scorching heat, a group of five cyclists - Nguyen Anh Huy, Nguyen Duong Ho Vu, Vo Thanh An, Ta Tuan Vu, and Nguyen Hoang Ngoc Linh - broke away early after the start.

Their efforts paid off as domestic riders Nguyen Anh Huy, Ta Tuan Vu, and Nguyen Hoang Ngoc Linh claimed victories in Sprint 1, 2, and 3 respectively.

Nguyen Hoang Ngoc Linh continued to lead solo for over 50 km, at one point establishing a gap of nearly three minutes from the main group. However, his solo push was ultimately reeled in about 20 km from the finish line by the yellow jersey holder Loic Desriac and other top teams.

As the finish approached, sprint specialist Nick Kergozou was perfectly positioned by his teammates. Unexpectedly, Russian cyclist Savva Novikov (Nhua Binh Minh Binh Duong) launched a powerful final sprint, leading to a thrilling head-to-head battle in the last few meters.

The two riders crossed the finish line nearly simultaneously, prompting race officials to rely on video footage to confirm Nick Kergozou as the stage winner.

This marks the fourth stage win for the New Zealander, who retains the green jersey. Other classifications remain unchanged: Loic Desriac continues to wear the yellow jersey, Nguyen Tan Hoai holds the orange jersey, and Dang Van Phap keeps the white jersey.

On April 12, Stage 9 of the 2025 HTV Cup – Ton Dong A will take place in Hue with a 42 km circuit race from Trang Tien to Phu Xuan.

Duy Nguyen