Four Seconds That Decided the Podium: Changan Race Almaty Highlights

167 cyclists from seven countries took to the Sokol International Circuit, with the biggest drama unfolding in the Elite Men category, where bonus seconds and mere fractions of a second ultimately decided third place.

On September 6, the Sokol International Circuit near Almaty was transformed into a cycling venue for the day as 167 athletes from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom, Spain, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania and Russia lined up for Changan Race Almaty.

Families and friends came to support the riders, bringing the total number of participants and spectators at the event to around 300.

Changan Kazakhstan, part of Astana Motors, served as the title sponsor of the event. The race featured three categories: Women, Open Men and Elite Men. Open Men attracted the largest field, with 126 riders, while 17 women and 24 Elite Men competitors took to the start line.

The competition consisted of two stages. Riders first tackled a 9 km individual time trial. The stage leaders were awarded symbolic yellow jerseys, which they wore into the road race that followed.

Depending on the category, the second-stage distances were 32 km, 45 km and 72 km. The two formats tested very different skills: in the individual time trial, riders raced alone against the clock, while the road race added tactics, positioning and the ability to choose the right moment to attack.

In addition to the overall standings, medals were awarded across several age groups.

The most dramatic battle of the day unfolded in the Elite Men category. To intensify the fight for the overall standings, the organizers had introduced time bonuses for the top three finishers in the second stage. Ultimately, those bonus seconds proved decisive.

According to organizing committee representative Farukh Tursunzhanov, just four bonus seconds separated Sergey Lushchenko and Islam Usmanov in the final standings. Once the bonuses were factored in, Usmanov moved into third place by the narrowest of margins. It was a classic example of road racing, where hours of effort can come down not only to outright speed but to every second gained along the way and at the finish.

“We wanted to add an extra spark to the race. Islam Usmanov moved into third place by a margin of just around 80–90 milliseconds. That is exactly the kind of scenario we hoped the format would create,” Tursunzhanov said during the awards ceremony.

Denis Kolomatsky, Director of Changan Kazakhstan, followed the action from the course itself. A cycling enthusiast, he has also competed in races in the past.

“For Astana Motors and Changan, it is important to be part of an active sporting community and to support initiatives that bring people together through movement and a healthy lifestyle. As a cycling enthusiast myself, I understand the emotions the riders experience and the intensity of competition on the course. This year’s race was particularly close, with the gaps between the leaders coming down to mere fractions of a second. Moments like these are what make sport truly exciting,” said Denis Kolomatsky, Director of Changan Kazakhstan.

Maksim Rybakov claimed the overall Elite Men title, followed by Evgeny Sladkov in second place and Islam Usmanov in third. Both Sladkov and Usmanov have previously enjoyed success at cycling events in Almaty. In 2025, Sladkov won the Giro d’Almaty overall title, while Usmanov took first place in the 18–29 age category.

Anastasia Volchanskaya won the Women’s overall classification, with Leniza Valiyeva finishing second and Dana Sakabayeva third. The victory continued Volchanskaya’s strong run of results after she also claimed the overall Giro d’Almaty title the previous year.

In the Women’s 18–29 category, the top three were Elvira Takhautova, Akberen Koptileu and Akniet Nurbek.

Tansholpan Tleubayeva won the Women’s 30–39 category. In the 40–49 category, Sarah Brown took first place, followed by Nuriya Nurbakimova in second.
In Open Men, Vladimir Vetrov took the victory, Eduard Ten finished second and Artemiy Kuznetsov claimed third place.

Among riders aged 18–29, Dinmukhamed Abdrakhmanov finished first, ahead of Dmitry Makarevich and Darkhan Yesteuov.

The 30–39 podium featured Daulet Ibragimov, Roman Kornilov and Oleg Markitanchik, while Denis Chernykh, Aidos Kushuyev and Timur Murtazin took the top three places in the 40–49 category.

In the 50–59 category, Denis Vasilyev took first place, followed by Vladimir Korotkov and Marat Shoranov, Rector of Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University.

The older age groups also delivered notable performances. In the 60–69 category, Igor Filin of Kyrgyzstan took first place, Alexey Abramenko finished second, and renowned Kazakh sculptor Nurlan Dalbay placed third.

Three Changan vehicles accompanied race officials on the course: the EADO Plus, the third-generation UNI-V and the fourth-generation CS75 Plus. Denis Kolomatsky joined a race official in the CS75 Plus to follow the competition from inside the course.

Host Ruslan Raimkulov added a personal touch to the event. Before the individual time trial, he introduced the riders and shared interesting facts about each of them. This gave spectators an opportunity to learn not only the riders’ names and race numbers, but also the stories behind the people taking on the course.

Changan Race Almaty concluded with an awards ceremony honoring the winners and podium finishers in both the overall and age-group classifications. Speaking at the ceremony, Denis Kolomatsky expressed confidence that the race would grow even bigger in 2027.

Full results from Changan Race Almaty, held on September 6, 2026, are available on the official website.