Tour de Langkawi’s record-breaking stage winner still searching for first victory in 2012
Andrea Guardini (Astana) came to this year’s Tour de Langkawi as a record-breaking stage winner, having taken eleven victories in his two appearances in the Malaysian race to date, but is still awaiting his first in 2013. The 23-year-old Italian - who switched from the giallo fluo of Farnese Vini to the Kazakh turquoise of Astana this season - has taken two seconds and a third in the three sprint stages so far, and now holds the blue points jersey; being so used to the taste of victory in Langkawi however, he is still not satisfied.
“I was used to winning all the sprints in this race,” Guardini told the post-race press conference, “but this year the competition is extremely high from Theo Bos, to Francesco Chicchi and all the good sprinters who are here. Today Francesco was better than me, he interpreted the race better than me.
“I was thinking of sprinting from 250 metres out, but I started 50 metres earlier, and Francesco was in the right position behind me; he has just been better than me today.”
His three podium places have given Guardini a commanding lead in the points classification, and he will wear the blue jersey on tomorrow’s stage to Genting Highlands. The Italian who beat then World champion Mark Cavendish to the line in a stage of last year’s Giro d’Italia wants more than this, however.
“Normally I want to win at least one stage,” he said. “My first goal is winning a stage. Now I have the jersey, and it’s very good, but it’s not enough for me. I want to win one stage.”
Consistent sprinting has earned Guardini a place on the podium of all three of the race’s flat stages so far, but the 23-year-old generously acknowledges the reason why it has not been the top step yet.
“This year there are so many good sprinters,” he conceded, “and the reason that I haven’t won is because every day I have one rider who sprints better than me, and who beats me. And for the moment I am behind, but I am in very good condition and I can try another time to win.
“Not tomorrow,” he joked, referring to the upcoming Queen stage to Genting Highlands, “but on the other stages for sprinters.”