Why don't Asian cyclists race?

For all the bikes that are built in China, Taiwan, and Japan, you'd think these countries would have more of a presence in the pro peloton. Who hasn't seen the stereotypical photo of, say, Beijing at the height of rush hour and seen the sort of traffic jam that Jerry described below?

I'm strongly tempted to suggest that Dynacraft is behind this: No one actually likes riding most of these crap bikes--the Magnas, Verticals, and Nexts--produced for the mass market. If they're not to blame, then it's the fact that many Asian counties see biking not as sport but as utility.

Anyway, that's all beginning to change. While the world looks to Italy for stage 3 of the second greatest cycling race on the planet, the Vietnamese have quietly launched their 12th annual An Giang Cycling Cup. You can read a sort of box score here. No photos dug up so far, alas.