Increasing his Tour de Langkawi career tally to nine stages and thus equaling Graeme Brown’s long-standing record, Italian sprinter Andrea Guardini was quickest to the line today in Chukai.
At the end of a aometimes-wet 100.8 kilometres, the Farnese Vini – Selle Italia competitor took a clear-cut victory over the motivated local rider Salleh Harrif (Terengganu Cycling Team), American talent Jacobe Keough United Healthcare) and the Iranian Hossein Nateghi (Tabriz Petrochemical Team).
Overnight race leader José Serpa (Androni Giocattoli – Venezuela) rolled in as part of the main bunch and thus remains at the head of the general classification. With two days left in the race, he holds a 30 second lead over team-mate Jose Rujano and a 56 second advantage over fellow Colombian Victor Nino Corridor (Azad University Cross Team).
The final climb of the race was covered today, the fourth category Kuatan, and so unless a big break goes clear with dangerous rivals present, there’s very limited scope for other riders to get time back on him.
That final climb of the race means that he has now sealed victory in the King of the Mountains classification.
The other classification battles are still ongoing; of those, Guardini’s victory sees him move back up into the frame for the blue points jersey, with the Italian now six points off the 68 point total of Valentin Iglinskiy (Astana).
He’s won four stages in this year’s race and with the final two also expected to come down to sprints, few would bet against him clocking up at least one of those.
“I took my fourth win today and I am happy with that,” he said after the stage. “Tomorrow I'll try to get one more. But now the strongest train is from UnitedHealthcare."
Harrif will take encouragement from what was a very good result today and will likely try to take another strong result.
“My second place win today is one of the most valuable experiences,” he stated. “Last year I was third, this year I am so much better and it's a great beginning for me to increase my performance in my career.
“If there is a chance I would like to win because I don't want to disappoint the fans in my town. The route tomorrow (stage 9) is near to my home and I know all the ins and outs.”
How things unfolded:
Under slightly wet conditions, 119 riders signed on for today’s third-last stage of this year’s Tour de Langkawi. The 100.5 kilometre race from Pekan to Chukai was the shortest road stage of the ten-day 2.HC event, with Friday’s religious day prompting an earlier-than-usual start at 9am plus a curtailed distance.
Several riders were particularly psyched, including those from the Terengganu team which would be racing on home soil, plus Champion System’s Anuar Manan and Adiq Hussainie, both also from the region.
Manan had hoped to shine, but was suffering from a stomach bug and didn’t start at full strength.
There were repeated attacks after the drop of the flag, but nothing stuck until fifteen kilometres into the stage. At that point Chin Lung Huang (RTS Racing Team), Shinichi Fukushima (Terengganu), Wijaya Endura (Indonesia National Team) and Rusli Amir Mustafa (Malaysia) broke clear and began a bid to chase the stage victory.
They were joined almost immediately by Abbas Saeiditanha (Azad University) and Hao Liu (Max Success Sports), but the six man group dropped to five when Mustafa crashed out of the move.
The others continued to battle on and gradually grinded out a decent lead. After 40 kilometres they were one minute clear, then by the time Endra beat Liu and Huang to the top of the category four climb of Kuantan (km 47.7), they had added another twenty seconds onto that.
Just before that point, Liu took the intermediate sprint at kilometre 44.8. He also did likewise at Balok (km 58.9), edging out Huang in the first and Endra in the next.
With the riders in the second half of the stage, the pace of the bunch ramped up, thanks to Guardini’s Farnese Vini – Selle Italia team. This had the predicted effect on the break’s advantage, with the gap dropping to one minute six seconds with 26 kilometres to go, then just 38 seconds four kilometres later. However it increased again up to 50 seconds, after which Endra got dropped.
Fukushima beat Liu to take the final bonus sprint in Cherating (km81.7), after which the break’s advantage tipped the other way and began falling once more.
Sensing danger, Fukushima and Saeiditanha pushed onwards in an attempt to stave off the pursuit behind, but were hauled back inside the final ten kilometres. That paved the way for the big bunch sprint and, as things turned out, Guardini’s fourth win of the year’s race and ninth in total.
Tour de Langkawi (2.HC) stage 8 result:
Pekan to Chukai:
1, Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia, 100.8 kilometres in 2 hours 13 mins 27
2, Salleh Harrif (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
3, Jacobe Keough (USA) United Healthcare
4, Hossein Nateghi (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
5, Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team Europcar
6, Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
7, Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox
8, Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
9, Jani Tewelde (Eri) MTN Qhubeka
10, Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin Barracuda
11, Robert Forster (Ger) United Healthcare
12, Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
13, Zainal M. Nor Rizuan (Mas) Malaysia National Team
14, Cristian Benenati (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
15, Joon Yong Seo (Kor) Seoul Cycling
16, Roman Van Uden (NZl) New Zealand National Team
17, Seung Kwon Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling
18, Dennis Van Niekerk (Rsa) MTN Qhubeka
19, Ramin Maleki Mizan (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
20, Behnam Khalili (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
21, Alex Howes (USA) Garmin Barracuda
22, Anuar Manan (Mas) Champion System
23, Salleh Mohd Zamri (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
24, Valery Valynin (Rus) Rusvelo
25, Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
26, Hassan Suhardi (Mas) Malaysia National Team
27, Adiq Othman (Mas) Champion System
28, Mathieu Claude (Fra) Team Europcar
29, Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
30, Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
31, Christian Delle Stelle (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox
32, Mat Senan M. Saufi (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
33, Junbin Kim (Kor) Seoul Cycling
34, Arin Iswana (Ina) Indonesia National Team
35, Mat Amin M. Shahrul (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
36, Jai Crawford (Aus) RTS Racing Team
37, Malcom Rudolph (Aus) Drapac Cycling
38, Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
39, Miguel Nino Corridor (Col) Azad University Cross Team
40, Victor Nino Corridor (Col) Azad University Cross Team
41, Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
42, Artem Ovechkin (Rus) Rusvelo
43, Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin Barracuda
44, Ahmad Lutfi M.Fauzan (Mas) Malaysia National Team
45, Ghader Mizbani (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
46, Alireza Haghi (Iri) Azad University Cross Team
47, Tesfay Habtemariam (Eri) MTN Qhubeka
48, Hossein Askari (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
49, Michael Torckler (NZl) New Zealand National Team
50, Yasuharu Nakajima (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
51, Joseph Cooper (NZl) New Zealand National Team
52, Karl Menzies (Aus) United Healthcare
53, Meron Russom (Eri) MTN Qhubeka
54, Misbah M. Rauf Nur (Mas) Malaysia National Team
55, Thomas Bertolini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
56, Jose Rujano (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
57, Jung Hwan Youm (Kor) Seoul Cycling
58, Stefano Locatelli (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox
59, Chris Butler (USA) Champion System
60, Yonnatta Monsalve (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
61, Agung Ali Sahbana (Ina) Indonesia National Team
62, Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System
63, Jose Serpa (Col) Androni Giocattoli
64, Jonathan Clarke (Aus) United Healthcare
65, Freddy Gonzalez (Col) Azad University Cross Team
66, Jacques J.V. Rensburg (Rsa) MTN Qhubeka
67, Alexander Khatuntsev (Rus) Rusvelo
68, Rusli Amir Mustafa (Mas) Malaysia National Team
69, Masakazu Ito (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
70, Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN Qhubeka
71, Kenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
72, Ming Xing Xue (Chn) MAX Success Sports
73, Dmitry Kozonchuk (Rus) Rusvelo
74, Serguy Klimov (Rus) Rusvelo
75, Hao Liu (Chn) MAX Success Sports
76, Paolo Locatelli (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox
77, Marco Canola (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox
78, Adam Semple (Aus) Drapac Cycling
79, David McCann (Irl) RTS Racing Team, at 21 secs
80, Carlos Ochoa (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
81, Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System, at 23 secs
82, Wijaya Endra (Ina) Indonesia National Team
83, Junrong Ho (Sin) OCBC Singapore
84, Kevin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar
85, Choon Huat Goh (Sin) OCBC Singapore
86, Suryadi Dadi (Ina) Indonesia National Team
87, Lee Rodgers (GBr) RTS Racing Team
88, Parno (Ina) Indonesia National Team
89, Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin Barracuda
90, Ali Ahmad Fallanie (Mas) Malaysia National Team, at 27 secs
91, Alex Coutts (GBr) RTS Racing Team
92, Yong Li Ng (Mas) Azad University Cross Team
93, Ting Deng (Chn) MAX Success Sports, at 30 secs
94, Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Drapac Cycling, at 33 secs
95, Wan Chung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team
96, Pengfei Qi (Chn) MAX Success Sports, at 41 secs
97, Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Terengganu Cycling Team, at 43 secs
98, Louis Crosby (NZl) New Zealand National Team
99, David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin Barracuda
100, Suk Ho Kang (Kor) Seoul Cycling, at 48 secs
101, Won Jae Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling
102, Alexandre Vinokurov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, at 58 secs
103, Abbas Saeiditanha (Iri) Azad University Cross Team
104, Andrea Di Corrado (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox, at1 min 02 secs
105, Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar
106, Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Cycling
107, Anthony Charteau (Fra) Team Europcar
108, Adrian Hegyvary (USA) United Healthcare
109, Hilton Clarke (Aus) United Healthcare
110, Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
111, Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
112, Sea Keong Loh (Mas) OCBC Singapore
113, Christophe Kern (Fra) Team Europcar, at1 min 08 secs
114, Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team, at1 min 10 secs
115, Rhys Pollock (Aus) Drapac Cycling, at1 min 16 secs
116, Chin Lung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team, at 2 mins 16 secs
117, James Williamson (NZl) New Zealand National Team
118, Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Terengganu Cycling Team, at 2 mins 39 secs
119, Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli, at 2 mins 43 secs
Intermediate sprints:
Kuantan, km 44.8:
1, Hao Liu (Chn) MAX Success Sports 5 pts
2, Chin Lung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team 3
3, Abbas Saeiditanha (Iri) Azad University Cross Team 2
4, Wijaya Endra (Ina) Indonesia National Team 1
Balok, km 58.9:
1, Hao Liu (Chn) MAX Success Sports 5 pts
2, Wijaya Endra (Ina) Indonesia National Team 3
3, Abbas Saeiditanha (Iri) Azad University Cross Team 2
4, Chin Lung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team 1
Cherating, km 81.7:
1, Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Terengganu Cycling Team 5 pts
2, Hao Liu (Chn) MAX Success Sports 3
3, Chin Lung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team 2
4, Abbas Saeiditanha (Iri) Azad University Cross Team 1
Mountain prime:
Kuantan, km 47.7:
1, Wijaya Endra (Ina) Indonesia National Team 4 pts
2, Hao Liu (Chn) MAX Success Sports 2
3, Chin Lung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team 1
Team's Classification
1, Tabriz Petrochemical Team 06 mins 40 mins 21
2, Terengganu Cycling Team
3, Astana Pro Team
General Classification :
1, Jose Serpa (Col) Androni Giocattoli, 26 hours 51 min 37 secs
2, Jose Rujano (Ven) Androni Giocattoli, at 30
3, Victor Nino Corridor (Col) Azad University Cross Team, at 56
4, Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, at 2 mins 20
5, Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocattoli, at 3 mins 43
6, Stefano Locatelli (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox, at 4 mins 15
7, Ghader Mizbani (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, at 4 mins 23
8, Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, at 4 mins 28
9, Dennis Van Niekerk (Rsa) MTN Qhubeka, at 4 mins 33
10, Joseph Cooper (NZl) New Zealand National Team, at 4 mins 44
11, Chris Butler (USA) Champion System, at 5 mins 09
12, Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin Barracuda, at 5 mins 17
13, Jai Crawford (Aus) RTS Racing Team, at 5 mins 18
14, Jonathan Clarke (Aus) United Healthcare, at 6 mins 02
15, Yonnatta Monsalve (Ven) Androni Giocattoli, at 6 mins 13
16, Jani Tewelde (Eri) MTN Qhubeka, at 6 mins 14
17, Artem Ovechkin (Rus) Rusvelo, at 6 mins 32
18, Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System, at 6 mins 33
19, Adiq Othman (Mas) Champion System, at 6 mins 49
20, Jacques J.V. Rensburg (Rsa) MTN Qhubeka, at 7 mins 03
21, Carlos Ochoa (Ven) Androni Giocattoli, at 7 mins 14
22, Mat Senan M. Saufi (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team, at 7 mins 25
23, Hossein Askari (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, at 7 mins 35
24, Jung Hwan Youm (Kor) Seoul Cycling, at 8 mins 47
25, Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia, at 8 mins 49
26, Michael Torckler (NZl) New Zealand National Team, at 9 mins 22
27, Marco Canola (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox, at 9 mins 41
28, Serguy Klimov (Rus) Rusvelo, at 10 mins 32
29, Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, at 10 mins 50
30, Ramin Maleki Mizan (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, at 11 min 33
31, Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN Qhubeka, at 11 min 53
32, Kenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team, at 12 mins 03
33, Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli, at 12 mins 12
34, Suryadi Dadi (Ina) Indonesia National Team, at 12 mins 15
35, Dmitry Kozonchuk (Rus) Rusvelo, at 12 mins 17
36, Anthony Charteau (Fra) Team Europcar, at 13 mins 06
37, Abbas Saeiditanha (Iri) Azad University Cross Team, at 13 mins 19
38, Ahmad Lutfi M.Fauzan (Mas) Malaysia National Team, at 14 mins 07
39, Mat Amin M. Shahrul (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team, at 14 mins 17
40, Seung Kwon Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling, at 14 mins 54
41, Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Cycling, at 15 mins 05
42, Masakazu Ito (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team, at 15 mins 30
43, Freddy Gonzalez (Col) Azad University Cross Team, at 15 mins 38
44, Alex Coutts (GBr) RTS Racing Team, at 15 mins 53
45, Kevin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar, at 15 mins 57
46, Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin Barracuda, at 15 mins 58
47, Rusli Amir Mustafa (Mas) Malaysia National Team, at 16 mins 03
48, Adam Semple (Aus) Drapac Cycling, at 16 mins 28
49, Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team, at 16 mins 43
50, Alexander Khatuntsev (Rus) Rusvelo, at 17 mins 00
51, Ting Deng (Chn) MAX Success Sports, at 17 mins 06
52, Agung Ali Sahbana (Ina) Indonesia National Team, at 17 mins 25
53, Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, at 18 mins 18
54, Ming Xing Xue (Chn) MAX Success Sports, at 18 mins 24
55, Tesfay Habtemariam (Eri) MTN Qhubeka, at 18 mins 55
56, Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Terengganu Cycling Team, at 19 mins 28
57, Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox, at 19 mins 38
58, Misbah M. Rauf Nur (Mas) Malaysia National Team, at 19 mins 40
59, Wijaya Endra (Ina) Indonesia National Team, at 20 mins 44
60, David McCann (Irl) RTS Racing Team, at 21 min 12
61, Junrong Ho (Sin) OCBC Singapore, at 21 min 17
62, Hassan Suhardi (Mas) Malaysia National Team, at 21 min 41
63, Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar, at 21 min 47
64, Floris Goesinnen (Ned) Drapac Cycling, at 21 min 56
65, Alexandre Vinokurov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, at 23 mins 03
66, Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System, at 23 mins 46
67, Mathieu Claude (Fra) Team Europcar, at 23 mins 48
68, James Williamson (NZl) New Zealand National Team, at 25 mins 41
69, Meron Russom (Eri) MTN Qhubeka, at 25 mins 56
70, Jacobe Keough (USA) United Healthcare, at 26 mins 37
71, Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia, at 27 mins 23
72, Pengfei Qi (Chn) MAX Success Sports, at 27 mins 33
73, Ali Ahmad Fallanie (Mas) Malaysia National Team, at 27 mins 37
74, Christian Delle Stelle (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox, at 27 mins 47
75, Zainal M. Nor Rizuan (Mas) Malaysia National Team, at 28 mins 20
76, Lee Rodgers (GBr) RTS Racing Team, at 28 mins 22
77, Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Terengganu Cycling Team, at 28 mins 50
78, Hossein Nateghi (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, at 29 mins 13
79, Alireza Haghi (Iri) Azad University Cross Team, at 29 mins 21
80, Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, at 29 mins 22
81, Joon Yong Seo (Kor) Seoul Cycling, at 29 mins 32
82, Thomas Bertolini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia, at 29 mins 49
83, Roman Van Uden (NZl) New Zealand National Team, at 30 mins 02
84, Robert Forster (Ger) United Healthcare, at 30 mins 06
85, Junbin Kim (Kor) Seoul Cycling, at 30 mins 44
86, Miguel Nino Corridor (Col) Azad University Cross Team, at 30 mins 52
87, Won Jae Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling, at 31 min 09
88, Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team, at 32 mins 26
89, Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team Europcar, at 33 mins 20
90, Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia, at 33 mins 35
91, Cristian Benenati (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia, at 33 mins 51
92, Sea Keong Loh (Mas) OCBC Singapore, at 34 mins 11
93, Choon Huat Goh (Sin) OCBC Singapore, at 34 mins 19
94, Valery Valynin (Rus) Rusvelo, at 34 mins 23
95, Yong Li Ng (Mas) Azad University Cross Team, at 34 mins 51
96, Behnam Khalili (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, at 35 mins 50
97, Yasuharu Nakajima (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team, at 37 mins 00
98, Christophe Kern (Fra) Team Europcar, at 37 mins 01
99, Arin Iswana (Ina) Indonesia National Team, at 38 mins 16
100, Paolo Locatelli (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox, at 38 mins 44
101, Alex Howes (USA) Garmin Barracuda, at 38 mins 47
102, Malcom Rudolph (Aus) Drapac Cycling, at 38 mins 53
103, Salleh Harrif (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team, at 39 mins 29
104, Karl Menzies (Aus) United Healthcare, at 39 mins 37
105, Salleh Mohd Zamri (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team, at 39 mins 41
106, Anuar Manan (Mas) Champion System, at 40 mins 30
107, Rhys Pollock (Aus) Drapac Cycling, at 41 min 03
108, Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team, at 41 min 19
109, Parno (Ina) Indonesia National Team, at 41 min 38
110, Andrea Di Corrado (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox, at 42 mins 02
111, Hao Liu (Chn) MAX Success Sports, at 42 mins 55
112, Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin Barracuda, at 43 mins 34
113, Wan Chung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team, at 44 mins 05
114, Suk Ho Kang (Kor) Seoul Cycling, at 44 mins 26
115, Adrian Hegyvary (USA) United Healthcare, at 46 mins 20
116, David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin Barracuda, at 46 mins 40
117, Hilton Clarke (Aus) United Healthcare, at 47 mins 49
118, Louis Crosby (NZl) New Zealand National Team, at 50 mins 45
119, Chin Lung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team, at 51 min 20
Best Asian Rider:
1, Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, 26 hours 53 mins 57
2, Ghader Mizbani (Iri) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, at 2 mins 03
3, Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team, at 2 mins 08
Points Classification:
1, Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 68
2, Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 62
3, Jacobe Keough (USA) United Healthcare 50
4, Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin Barracuda 47
5, Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox 45
6, Salleh Harrif (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team 38
7, Jani Tewelde (Eri) MTN Qhubeka 36
8, Anuar Manan (Mas) Champion System 36
Mountains Classification:
1, Jose Serpa (Col) Androni Giocattoli 27
2, Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia 24
3, Jose Rujano (Ven) Androni Giocattoli 24
Team Classification:
1, Androni Giocattoli 80 mins 38 mins 52
2, Astana Pro Team, at 12 mins 06
3, MTN Qhubeka, at 13 mins 36
4, Champion System, at 13 mins 37
5, Tabriz Petrochemical Team, at 18 mins 14
6, New Zealand National Team, at 21 min 39