Having gone close to victory on stages of the Tour de San Luis in January and then being one of several strong riders fighting for victories in the Tours of Qatar and Oman, Andrea Guardini stepped up a level on today’s second stage of the Tour de Langkawi, taking his first win of 2012.
The friendly 22 year old Italian benefited from a good leadout by his Farnese Vini – Selle Italia team, being guided into the correct position and then kicking early to open a gap. He held his advantage and had room to throw his arms up well before the line, beating Jacobe Keough (UnitedHealthcare), Christian Delle Stelle (Colnago-CSF Inox) plus the rest of the main field.
After his staggering five stage wins last year, he’s now taken a sixth, and plans to keep chasing more over the remaining stages in the 2.HC event.
“I needed to come back to Malaysia to be a winner again,” he said after the finish. “This is my fourth stage race of the year and I didn’t manage to win any stages in the first three. That was partly because of bad luck and partly because my adversaries were stronger than me.
“I wanted to win from the start in Argentina but I couldn’t. Now I have found the serenity that I needed in Malaysia. It is easier for me to be quiet here. I have managed to win here on the first occasion, thanks to my team-mates who put me in the right position to sprint.”
The bunch gallop happened after three breakaway riders, Sea Keong Loh (OCBC Singapore), Foris Goesinnen (Drapac Cycling) and RTS Racing’s Lee Rodgers were hauled back with approximately five kilometres to go.
With all the main riders finishing in the same time, overnight race leader Dave Zabriskie maintained his one minute lead over Adam Phelan (Drapac Cycling).
The latter fell hard close to the finish but, fortunately for him, the incident happened just inside the final three kilometres. He crossed the line last but as per UCI rules governing such incidents, was given the same time as the main bunch.
`I expected very hot conditions here and it was very hot indeed,” said a high-spirited Zabriskie after the 151 kilometre race from Putrajaya to Melaka. “I just wanted to say thank you to the team, who did an amazing job today controlling the race. It is great to be in the jersey again.”
Early break almost goes all the way:
Yesterday’s time trial effort may have prompted some riders to have a steady approach to the start of today’s stage but three riders decided to grab the chance and go for it. First to attack was Sea Keong Loh (OCBC Singapore), who attacked after ten kilometres. He was joined soon after by Foris Goesinnen (Drapa Cycling), and they built a steadily growing lead.
Zinal Mohammad Nor Rizuan (Malaysia national team) started chasing and spend a long, lonely time trying to get across.
As expected, the leading duo shared out the primes between them. Sea Keong Leo picked up the intermediate sprints at Salak Tinggi (km 22.5), Port Dickson (km 62.6) and Masjid Tanah (km 116.2), while Goesinnen was first to the top of the category four climb at Bkt Pelandok (km 38.2) and Lingii (km 86.5). Soon after the latter climb the leaders’ gap over the peloton increased to four minutes ten seconds, the highest level. However the decision by Guardini’s Farnese Vini Selle Italia team to give assistance to Garmin – Barracuda’s chasing meant that the time difference began to narrow.
Lone chaser Nor Rizuan was mopped up, and the two leaders had less than a minute with 25 kilometres to go.
RTS Racing rider Lee Rodgers then seized the chance and bridged across, combining with the other two. However the gap continued to drop and the trio were caught approximately five kilometres from the line.
Inside the final kilometre, Farnese Vini set Guardini up perfectly and when the Italian went, he won decisively.
Tomorrow’s third stage covers 187.6 flat kilometres from Melaka to Parit Sulong. Guardini will aim for his second win, Zabriskie will aim to retain yellow and the other riders in the field will try to upstage both and take their own glory.
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Tour de Langakwi (2.1), Malaysia:
Stage 2, Putrajaya to Melaka:
1, Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini, 151 kilometres in 3 hours 35 mins 19 secs
2, Jacobe Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
3, Christian Delle Stelle (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
4, Anuar Manan (Mas) Champion System
5, Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Barracuda
6, Jani Tewelde Weldegaber (Eri) MTN Qhubeka
7, Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar
8, Omar Lombardi (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
9, Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
10, Mohd Zamri Saleh (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
11, James Williamson (NZl) New Zealand
12, Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Terengganu Cycling Team
13, Ramin Maleki Mizan (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
14, Andrea Piechele (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
15, Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
16, Harrif Salleh (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
17, Hossein Nateghi (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
18, Won Jae Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling Team
19, Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
20, Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team, all same time
General classification after two stages:
1, David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Barracuda, 3 hours 59 mins 53 secs
2, Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac, 1:00
3, Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac, 1:10
4, Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin-Barracuda, 1:17
5, José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli, 1:26
6, Joseph Cooper (NZl) New Zealand, 1:31
7, Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, 1:33
8, Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, 1:39
9, Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Barracuda same time
10, Behnam Khalilikhosroshahi (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, 1:46
11, Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Drapac, 1:50
12, Artem Ovechkin (Rus) RusVelo , 1:51
13, Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar, 1:52
14, Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Farnese Vini, 1:57
15, Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System
16, Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli, 2:00
17, Ghader Mizbani Eranagh (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, 2:12
18, Roman Van Uden (NZl) New Zealand,
19, Malcom Rudolph (Aus) Drapac, 2:13
20, Carlos José Ochoa (Ven) Androni Giocattoli, 2:14