Taking stage five and ending the day with two riders in the top seven and a total of four in the top fourteen, Gianni Savio had something to smile about at the Tour de Langkawi on Tuesday.
The race will tackle the cruel slopes of the Genting Highlands on Wednesday, a location which has given Savio’s teams much in the past. Drapac Cycling’s Darren Lapthorne is currently in the driving seat but with fourth-placed Jose Rujano 46 seconds back and Jose Serpa just over a minute behind in seventh, Savio was feeling upbeat.
“I am very happy,” he told VeloNation in a video interview. “All the team today was perfect. In every breakaway there was always one rider, and after that Jose Serpa [won].”
Garmin Barracuda rider Dave Zabriskie held the overall lead heading into the stage but cracked and dropped over nineteen minutes. Savio was clear that something was not right.
“I am surprised…I think he was sick,” he said. “A rider like Zabriskie lost too much time, the reason must be that he was not well. He had some physical problems.”
Providing he can recover, the American will be required to give assistance to his team-mate Tom Danielson, who is now up to second overall and in with a chance of taking his second Tour de Langkawi win. The Androni Giocattoli team has a clear numerical advantage but Garmin –Barracuda wiil fight hard to put Danielson in the best possible position going onto Genting.
Savio said he’s looking forward to the battle. “I don’t know if the new leader [Darren Lapthorne] is very good as a climber, but I think tomorrow will be very interesting between Rjjano and Danielson,” Savio stated.
Click the image below for the full-length interview.