After a dry day on Wednesday, the Kingdom finally got the breakthrough yesterday when Thurakit came up with a brilliant show to win the men's 24km race. He tallied 80 points. Japan's Toshihiko Ikeura finished second with 72 points while Curtan Patemo of the Philippines' came third with 23 points.

Compatriot Banna Khamfu further cheered the Thai hearts by coming 1-2 with team-mate Chanpeng Nontasin in the women's 16km. Banna logged 65 points against 56 for Chanpeng. Japan's Hiroko Ishii was third with 27 points.

Japan's riders had their share when they took two gold medals from the men's 30km Madison, a mass-start event named after Madison Square Garden in New York, where a racer propels his partner like a slingshot. The highly-spirited Jun Kanehira, despite team-mate's Sho Saeki injury that forced him to retire midway, raced alone to earn 24 points and win the Madison event. Malaysia with 19 and the Philippines with 13 points finished in second and third places.

Shintaro Ishibashi provided the other gold for Japan in the sprint. His injured compatriot Saeki came second and Hong Kong's Wong Kin Chung third.

In the women's 3km individual pursuit final, Thai hope Chanpeng failed to make her mark, going down to Indonesia's Uyun Muzizah. The Thai rider clocked 4.08.770 minutes and the Indonesian rider crossed the line in 4.03.990 minutes.

China reigned supreme, winning the overall title with four gold and two silver, followed by Japan with two gold, three silver and five bronze. The Thai team won two gold, four silver and one bronze. Malaysia came fourth with two gold, two silver and one bronze.

Lombardi abandons Tour

n Italian Giovanni Lombardi pulled out of the Tour de France during the 11th stage in Pla De Beret, Spain, yesterday.

Lombardi, who rides for the Danish CSC team, began suffering early on the second of two days in the Pyrenees mountains.

Somporn Suphop

The Nation