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Guardini Powers His Way To First Stage Win With Astana

DUNGUN, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- Good team work towards the finishing line enabled Italy's Andrea Guardini of Astana Pro Team to win stage seven of the 2013 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL), his first in 2013.


The 23-year-old, sprinting to his first victory of the 2013 season, clocked three hours, 37 minutes and 17 seconds in the 149.80km race from Kuantan, Pahang to Dungun, Terengganu.

The victory today brings his career total at LTdL race to 12 stage wins.

"It is so hard for me at the beginning of the season to get my first win, and after today I am happy and relaxed and I know that the energy and motivation for me and the whole team is very high," Guardini said.

His team mate, Ruslan Tleubayev and Assan Bazayev took turns at the front for Guardini, pulling hard in the last 10km, especially with wind coming off the sea and a long, straight road to the finish.

"Baza was there at 5km to go until 2km, and then Ruslan took me to 500m. The wind was coming from the right, so I stayed behind the Orica Greenedge rider and started my sprint at 200m to go on the left, protected from the wind. It was perfect positioning, perfect timing and perfect win," Guardini said.

Guardini continued to don the Blue jersey (sprint competition) with 22 points ahead of his nearest rival, Anuar Manan of Synergy-Baku Cycling Project, who accumulated 50 points.

In the general classification, Colombia's Julian David Arredondo Moreno of Team Nippo-De Rosa retained the Yellow jersey after accumulating 5'55:05s.

He was just 01:15s in front of his nearest rival, the Pieter Weening of Orica GreenEdge from the Netherlands.

"I am glad that today me and my team mates could control the breakaway and we arrived in Dungun as we wanted," he said.

China's Wang Meiyin continued to wear the Red jersey (mountain competition) and the White jersey (best Asian rider).

In the team general classification, professional continental team from South Africa, MTN Qhubeka lead the pace with a time of 77'54:13s.

The LTdL race will continue with Stage eight tomorrow, a 164.50km distance from Kuala Terengganu to Tanah Merah, Kelantan, a route that includes three sprint zones at Desa Fikri, Kampung Raja and Pasir Puteh.

-- BERNAMA

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