Skip to main content

LTdL: Guardini Takes Stage Three Despite Blazing Heat


BATU PAHAT, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- The blazing heat along the 187.60km from Melaka to Parit Sulong did not deter Italy's Andrea Guardini of the Farnese Vini-Selle Italia team to claim the third stage win in the 2012 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) race.

The Italian young star, who also retained the blue jersey for the sprint competition, ended today's stage in 4 hours 30 minutes 11 seconds to claim his second stage win.

Finishing in a mass bunch in today's race, Guardini displayed his sprinting skills in the final kilometres to cross the finishing line first.

"With 10km to go, the Colnago riders tried to make the race difficult. They tried to push me to the back but my team mates helped me. They brought me back. My team worked very well again today just as I had wanted," said the 22-year-old rider.

Following him close at the finishing line were Netherland's Raymond Kreder of Garmin Barracuda and Malaysia's Anuar Manan of Champion System.

With today's results, Anuar will be the closest contender for the Blue Jersey after accumulating 26 points, just four points behind Guardini.

About three kilometres before the chequered flag, eight riders were involved in a crash and injured themselves.

Among them were Tom Danielson (Garmin Barracuda) and Malaysia's Mohd Harrif Salleh (Terengganu Cycling Team) and they have been accredited with the same time as the winner by the race Commissaire.

After three stages, United States' David Zabriskie retained the Yellow Jersey after accumulating 8'30:04s, while Drapac Cycling team rider Floris Goesinnen of the Netherlands retained the Red Jersey (King of the Mountain) with eight points.

Astana Pro Team's Dmitriy Gruzdev retained the White Jersey as the best Asian rider after three stages, while his team continued to top the leader board in the Asian Team Overall classification after accumulating 25'36:02s.

In the team general classification, Garmin Barracuda leads the pace with a time of 25'33:08s.

Stage Four tomorrow will be over a 169.4km course from Batu Pahat to Muar, with three sprint zones at Simpang Rengam, Air Hitam and Batu Pahat.
From Farhanah Azmi
-- BERNAMA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more

Chance to catch Messi and company

  FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and vice president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin with FC Barcelona chief executive officer Antoni Rossich yesterday. Pic by Osman Adnan LIONEL Messi's presence alone could sell half the tickets despite reigning world club champions FC Barcelona's date with a Malaysian XI at the National Stadium on Aug 10 falling on the third day of Hari Raya. The much anticipated visit of the four-time European champions comes with expectations from fans who want a full star-studded line-up. "The summer will be a busy period with a lot of uncertainty with players moving away and coming in. "But yes, our plans are to bring our full team here," said FC Barcelona chief executive officer Antoni Rossich yesterday. Rossich was speaking at the announcement of the friendly match, which is part of the three-match FC Barcelona Asia Tour 2013, which sees the giants also visiting China and Thailand. Also pre...
2 comments
Read more