It’s a nervous few days for Stefano Giuliani at the Tour de Langkawi, with the Italian directeur sportif on the threshold of a major commitment. Earlier in the race he promised to give up smoking if the successful neo-pro Andrea Guardini won five stages in the Malaysian race.
After today’s seventh leg, the 21 year old Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli rider has clocked up four wins out of five bunch sprints, and is clearly the quickest rider in this peloton. With a likely three bunch sprints left before the end of the 2.HC race, Giuliani is having what is probably his final nicotine hit in quite some time.
Guardini is growing in confidence in the race and hit out for home with 250 metres left in today’s stage to Tampin. He held off Vuelta a España stage winner Robert Forster (United Healthcare), Dene Rogers (Giant Kenda) plus the rest of the peloton.
The rider who had previously been his closest rival, Malaysian favourite Anuar Manan (Terengganu ProAsia Cycling), was badly positioned in the sprint, being hemmed in until it was too late. He placed only 24th and saw his blue points jersey passing to Guardini as a result.
“It was a different sprint from the previous days, because not many people expected such a finish,” the Italian said afterwards. “Looking at the road book, it was a false flat uphill, but in reality the last 2 kilometres were downhill. But I handled the situation, I took the corner in 5th position…that was ideal, and I did 300 metres finishing flat out.”
Yesterday’s stage saw Manan beat him in an intermediate sprint, gaining two points over him in doing so. And while Guardini was quicker at the finish, he only gained one point for that and lost the blue points jersey as a result. He decided on a different tactic today. “I have decided not to race for hotspot sprints anymore and keep all my strength for the finish,” he said. “Thanks to the breakaway, no hotspot sprint was contested [by the peloton] so Anuar was not able to take more points on the way. I have a comfortable lead but it's not over yet for the blue jersey.”
With a 14 point difference between them now as a result of Manar’s hindered finish, the final outcome in that competition is looking relatively clear. Guardini could encounter his own problems, of course, but it is going to be difficult for the Malaysian rider to come back on him.
The battle for the yellow jersey is looking a lot less certain. Libardo Nino Corredor (Le Tua) remains just two seconds ahead of Jonnatha Monsalve (Androni Giocattoli) in the general classification. The 42 year old had a relatively straightforward day, and the pressure is certainly on Monsalve to somehow take back time.
“This stage has been little bit difficult for me because my team is not very strong,” Nino Corredor said. “However it went without problems. The circumstances of the race helped me because other teams have worked strongly and there were riders away to catch the bonuses.”
Aggressive racing:
The break he refers to happened inside the opening twenty minutes of the 149.5 kilometre race from Banting to Tampin. Four riders went clear and were joined at kilometre 14 by another quartet. Those present were Manuele Caddeo (Colnago CSF Inox Pro), Maxim Jenkins (United Healthcare Pro Cycling), Kihong Yoo (Korea National Team), Sea Keong Loh (Malaysia National Team), Othman M. Adiq (Drapac Professional Cycling Team), David McCann (Giant Kenda), Deon Locke (Team Champion Systems) and Bradley Potgieter (MTN Qhubeka).
With a lead of just over three minutes over the peloton, Caddeo took the first sprint in Sungai Pelek (km 44.6), beating Potgieter, Loh and Jenkins. Shortly afterwards he beat Adiq to the top of the fourth category climb of Bukit Pelandok. The break’s advantage increased to four minutes 25 seconds by the sprint in Port Dickson (km 82), where Potgieter, Locke, Caddeo and Loh were first across the prime line.
Falling rain from what is very unusual weather for Malaysia in January coincided with an increase in speed from the peloton and by the second KOM prime at Linggi (km 105.7), the lead was just over two minutes. There, Locke beat Adiq and Caddeo to the summit.
Potgieter was again first in the next intermediate sprint. He passed the line in Chembong (km 124.7) ahead of Caddeo, Jenkins and Adiq, but any hopes that they would stay clear until the end were frustrated by a big push by the sprinters’ teams. The peloton was just 20 seconds back with five kilometres to go, and they were caught soon afterwards.
Pierre Rolland (Team Europcar) then clipped away two kilometres from the line, but he couldn’t prevent a big bunch finish and the fourth victory of Andrea Guardini.
Monsalve had hoped to do something at the end and try to overcome his two second overall deficit; however he too was confused about the finale.
“We thought today was a good day to take the yellow jersey because the road book showed an uphill finish,” he stated. “That's why we let a breakaway go, because we thought I could take the yellow jersey with that uphill to the line. Unfortunately the finish was downhill and there was nothing to get.”
He’s likely to try something on tomorrow’s 156.5 kilometre race from Kuala Pilah to Jasin. It’s lumpy in parts, and so would be conducive to aggressive racing if he or his team decide to throw down the gauntlet.
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Tour de Langkawi (UCI 2.HC), Jan 23 – Feb 2nd:
Stage 7, Banting to Tampin
1, Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini-Neri Sotttoli) 149.5 kilometres in 3 hours 24 mins 57 secs
2, Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling)
3, Dene Rogers (Giant Kenda Pro Cycling Team)
4, Boris Shpilevsky (Tabriz Petrochemical Team)
5, Marcel Kittel (Skil-Shimano)
6, Takashi Miyazawa (Farnese Vini-Neri Sotttoli)
7, André Schulze (CCC Polsat Polkowice)
8, Elia Favilli (Farnese Vini-Neri Sotttoli)
9, Joeri Stallaert (Landbouwkrediet)
10, Chan Jae Jang (Korea National Team)
11, Omar Lombardi (Colnago-CSF Inox)
12, Taiji Nishitani (Aisan Racing Team)
13, Matthias Friedemann (Team Champion System)
14, Andrea Pasqualon (Colnago-CSF Inox)
15, Koen De Kort (Skil-Shimano) all same time
General classification after stage 7:
1, Libardo Nino Corredor (Le Tua Cycling Team) 21 hours 39 mins 42 secs
2, Jonnatha Monsalve (Androni Giocattoli) at 2 secs
3, Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) at 19 secs
4, Dennis Van Niekerk (MTN Qhubeka) at 22 secs
5, Rahim Emami (Azad University Cycling Team)
6, Lachlan Morton (Chipotle Development Team) at 27 secs
7, Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF Inox) at 44 secs
8, Ghader Mizbani (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) at 50 secs
9, Hossein Askari (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) at 52 secs
10, Hyosuk Gong (Korea National Team)
11, Pierre Rolland (Team Europcar) at 1 min 23 secs
12, Jose Mendes (CCC Polsat Polkowice) at 1 min 44 secs
13, Amir Zargari (Azad University Cycling Team) at 1 min 54 secs
14, Alex Howes (Chipotle Development Team) at 1 min 58 secs
15, Kirk Carlsen (Chipotle Development Team) at 2 mins 21 secs