Na Ah-reum finishes second in women's road race after photo finish

Korea’s Na Ah-reum finished second in the cycling women’s road race on Wednesday, falling behind Yang Qianyu of Hong Kong in a photo finish at the end of the 139.7-kilometer race.

It was a grueling 3 hours and 36:07 seconds for both Na and Yang, crossing the finish line with very little to separate them. Na veered to the left just meters from the line, potentially costing her the gold medal.

Jutatip Maneephan of Thailand took third, just 0.01 seconds behind Na and Yang. Korea’s Lee Eun-hee finished 19th, just 0.03 seconds behind the winner.

Yang and Na worked together for the vast majority of the second half of the race, pulling out in front of the peloton and pacing each other until the final 3 kilometers when what had been a cooperative effort broke into a sprint to the finish line.

The main peloton, which had been racing far enough back to be often out of sight of the leaders, broke earlier, sprinting fast enough to catch up with Yang and Na and very nearly challenging them for what had looked to be an easy title.

Na’s silver medal is Korea’s first of the cycling road events with one day still to go in the competition. The men’s road race will be held on the same course on Thursday.

Na has struggled at the Asian Games so far, failing to defend her gold medals in both the women’s individual time trial and the road race. In the time trial, which took place yesterday, she finished outside the podium in fifth place. Korea had won gold in the individual time trial at the previous three Asian Games.

Korea has seen some success in cycling this year, winning five medals on the track earlier in the game: three silver and two bronze.

The men’s road race will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday in Hangzhou, China, or 11 a.m. in Korea.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]