LAHORE, April 15: With a powerful sprint, Haroon Rasheed of Wapda defeated closest rivals Asmat Ali and Ghulam Abbas of Army, to win 100km road race in the 55th national cycling championship on Saturday.

Haroon, winner of a gold medal in the last SAF Games and champion of the Tour de Pakistan, covered the marathon distance in two hours 47.55 seconds to claim a gold medal.

Asmat chased the leader till last as he touched the finishing line after only a difference of two seconds (two hours 47 minute 57 seconds) to claim a silver medal.

Ghulam Hussain, also remained in the run till last and he romped home with difference of two seconds to Asmat (two hours 47 minute 59 seconds) to notch up a bronze medal.

The three contenders had taken the lead after covering a distance of 35km, leaving behind experienced cyclists Dilsher Ali, Amjad Ali, Gulfam, Asif, Mohammad Azeem, Siddiq and Sakhawat Shah.

In all, 54 cyclists from nine units of the Pakistan Cycling Federation took part in the race.

Results:

100km road race:

Haroon Rashid (Wapda) two hrs 47 min.55 sec; Asmat Ali (Army) two hrs 47 min 57sec; Ghulam Abbas two hrs 47.59sec; Mohammad Asif (Railways) two hrs 54min 50 sec; Naveed Ahmad (Wapda) two hrs 54 min 51 secs; Zahid Gulfam (SSGC) two hrs 54min 52 secs.