Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

Satjakul Sianglam (Thailand #10) being closely chased by the Kazakhstan duo as they enter their second lap of the race. (Photo 16 © Mai/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

The male competitors negotiating through the Ziggurat segment. (Photo 17 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

Jukrapech Wichana (Thailand #11) carefully tailgating L.Lauridsen Adrian (Malaysia #3) up the hilly slope. (Photo 18 © Mai/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

The lead pack, consisting of Satjakul Sianglam (Thailand #10), Nurlan Duisenov (Kazakhstan #12) and Vadim Galayev (Kazakhstan #13) navigate through the Slingshot segment. (Photo 19 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

Yance Oktavianus (Indonesia #17) makes his way towards the feed zone after suffering damage to his bike. (Photo 20 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

Khairul Abdullah (Malaysia #2) in close pursuit of Daniel Koh (Singapore #4) as they approach the Papaya Drop segment. Both cyclists exchanged track position several times before the Singapore rider lost pace late into the race. (Photo 21 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

The leading pack negotiates a downhill portion of the race course. With a good portion of the track consisting of gruelling uphill climbs, these less demanding sections certainly appealed to the riders. (Photo 22 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

Nurlan Duisenov (Kazakhstan #12) balancing his way down a rocky terrain to keep up with his tough Thai competitor upfront … (Photo 23 © Mai/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

… but ends up nursing his bike out of the race course in the closing stages of the race after facing problems with his bike. (Photo 24 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

Daniel Koh (Singapore #4) braves the Papaya Drop segment for the last time in the race. (Photo 25 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

Satjakul Sianglam (Thailand #10) proudly signals his number one placing as he approaches the finish line unchallenged … (Photo 26 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

… while Daniel Koh (Singapore #4) fends off a late sprint to the finish to come in 8th ahead of Yance Oktavianus (Indonesia #17). (Photo 27 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)

Friendship Games Cycling Day 1

The youthful and promising champions of the Singapore Mountain Bike Carnival 2010. From left; Vadim Galayev (Kazakhstan), Satjakul Sianglam (Thailand) and Idomu Yamamoto (Japan) (Photo 28 © Mai/Red Sports)