TANAH MERAH, Feb 28 (Bernama) -- Frenchmen Bryan Coquard of Team Europcar powered his way to the front in a bunch sprint finish to take Stage eight of the 2013 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) which ended here, Thursday.
The race was once again interrupted by rain a few kilometers before the finishing line.
The 20-year-old sprinter managed to pip Omega Pharma-Quickstep's Andrew Fenn and Vini Fantini-Selle Italia's Francesco Chicchi at the finish line with a time of three hours, 36 minutes and 47 seconds.
"I am very happy because I have been trying to get a stage win since the start of the race. The race has many good sprinters. The win is my first stage win in my career," said the 2012 London Olympic Games silver medallist in the Omnium event (track).
With the remaining two stages, Coquard noted that he had to improve a lot in his sprint to continue the winning momentum.
"With today's mission accomplished and in the remaining two stages, I think my team will work on the same tactic if there is another bunch sprint finish," he said.
In the general classification, Colombia's Julian David Arredondo Moreno of Team Nippo-De Rosa retained the Yellow jersey after accumulating 29'31:52S and remained just 01:15s ahead of his nearest rival Pieter Weening of Orica GreenEdge from the Netherlands.
Astana Pro Team rider Andrea Guardini, who continued to don the Blue jersey, sprinted to fourth place in today's stage.
Guardini noted that he was in the right position in the final kilometer of the 164.50km race but was stuck behind a non-accelerating sprinter with just 300m to go.
"I had more legs for a sprint today, but no space to take the lead out. I was in third position with 500m to go, but the second rider in front of me wasn't moving very fast.
"In the end I finished fourth by only using 60 or 70 per cent of my power sprint. I have to thank my team mates for working so hard to catch the breakaway group," he said.
China's Wang Meiyin continues to wear the Red jersey (mountain competition) and the White jersey as the Best Asian rider, since the first stage.
In the team general classification, professional continental team from South Africa, MTN Qhubeka lead the pace with a time of 88'44:34s, while the Asian team overall standings is headed by Iran-based Tabriz Petrochemical Team with an accumulated time of 88'53:34s.
The LTdL race will continue with Stage nine tomorrow from Pasir Puteh to Kuala Berang, a distance of 123.60km.
From FARHANAH AZMI -- BERNAMA
The 20-year-old sprinter managed to pip Omega Pharma-Quickstep's Andrew Fenn and Vini Fantini-Selle Italia's Francesco Chicchi at the finish line with a time of three hours, 36 minutes and 47 seconds.
"I am very happy because I have been trying to get a stage win since the start of the race. The race has many good sprinters. The win is my first stage win in my career," said the 2012 London Olympic Games silver medallist in the Omnium event (track).
With the remaining two stages, Coquard noted that he had to improve a lot in his sprint to continue the winning momentum.
"With today's mission accomplished and in the remaining two stages, I think my team will work on the same tactic if there is another bunch sprint finish," he said.
In the general classification, Colombia's Julian David Arredondo Moreno of Team Nippo-De Rosa retained the Yellow jersey after accumulating 29'31:52S and remained just 01:15s ahead of his nearest rival Pieter Weening of Orica GreenEdge from the Netherlands.
Astana Pro Team rider Andrea Guardini, who continued to don the Blue jersey, sprinted to fourth place in today's stage.
Guardini noted that he was in the right position in the final kilometer of the 164.50km race but was stuck behind a non-accelerating sprinter with just 300m to go.
"I had more legs for a sprint today, but no space to take the lead out. I was in third position with 500m to go, but the second rider in front of me wasn't moving very fast.
"In the end I finished fourth by only using 60 or 70 per cent of my power sprint. I have to thank my team mates for working so hard to catch the breakaway group," he said.
China's Wang Meiyin continues to wear the Red jersey (mountain competition) and the White jersey as the Best Asian rider, since the first stage.
In the team general classification, professional continental team from South Africa, MTN Qhubeka lead the pace with a time of 88'44:34s, while the Asian team overall standings is headed by Iran-based Tabriz Petrochemical Team with an accumulated time of 88'53:34s.
The LTdL race will continue with Stage nine tomorrow from Pasir Puteh to Kuala Berang, a distance of 123.60km.
From FARHANAH AZMI -- BERNAMA
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