Anuar takes stage in Langkawi, Erler keeps lead

Just a day after Japanese champion Taiji Nishitani scored a stage win at the Tour de Langkawi, Anuar Manan made history when he took the first-ever Malaysian stage victory in the race on Friday.

The talented 23-year-old, who has been locked in a tight battle for the points jersey with Australian Michael Matthews, burst out of the peloton at the end of the 111.5 kilometer stage in Port Dickson. Manan hit the line ahead of Vidal Celis (Footon-Servetto) and René Haselbacher (Vorarlberg-Corratec) to take the day’s top spot.

Manan also took the day’s first intermediate sprint and ended the day a full nine points clear of Matthews (Jayco Skins) in the green jersey competition.

Matthews had taken the jersey from him yesterday, but Manan rode a tactical race and is now favored to keep the jersey outright when the race ends on Sunday.

“I feel very happy. I want to say thanks to the Malaysian people who always support me,” the Geumsan Ginseng Asia rider said, clearly delighted with his victory, and reception, in Port Dickson.

“I had to win the stage for the Malaysian team, who were also helping me to get through today. I had to not lose too much energy by taking (intermediate) points, and instead to save energy for the last sprint.”

Manan said after yesterday’s stage that these efforts during the stage had been his undoing, in that he had dug deep to contest the final intermediate sprint of the day but had been found lacking in the gallop for the stage win itself. But on Friday, he turned around and did the opposite; it paid off very well.

“I took things more easily today. I took back the lead in the green jersey competition in the first intermediate sprint – I got into the breakaway and many Malaysian riders like Loh Sea Keong from Marco Polo and two riders from the Malaysian team were helping me to take the intermediate sprint points. I got that sprint and moved ahead.

“I didn’t have to put out too much power for the intermediate. In the second intermediate, I just watched Matthews and he didn’t take any points. I just stayed in the group, saving my energy. It was not like yesterday, when I was always fighting for the first, second and third intermediate sprints.”

Manan slipped away with 13 others after just two kilometers of racing. Together with Pedro Merino (Footon-Servetto), Pierpaolo De Negri (ISD-Neri), Rene Weissinger (Vorarlberg-Corratec), Peter McDonald (Drapac Porsche Cycling), Ghader Mizbani (Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling), Sea Keong Loh (Marco Polo Cycling), Takeaki Ayabe (Aisan Racing), Malcom Rudolph (Team Jayco- Skins), Hossein Nateghi (Azad University Iran), Scott Zwizanski (Kelly Benefit Strategies), Christoff Van Heerden (South Africa National), Rusli Amir (Malaysia National) and Shahrul Mat Amin (Malaysia National), this group opened up a 50 second lead.

It was ultimately brought back by a furious chase behind, but by this time Manan had won the first intermediate sprint in Umbai.

Matthews missed the move and consequently conceded five points to his rival in the green jersey contest. He also missed out on top points in the second prime as Alexandr Shushemoin (Kazakhstan National) and then Bradeley Hall (Marco Polo Cycling) got clear just past the fifty kilometer point, and build up a strong lead together. Two other riders nabbed the points for third and fourth.

Shushemoin and Hall stayed out front for 40 kilometers and also contested the third bonus sprint, with the earlier placings being reversed.

The move was ultimately snuffed out less than 20 kilometers from the finish, paving the way for the big bunch sprint and Manan’s breakthrough win.

Overnight race leader Tobias Erler (Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling) remains in the yellow jersey. He picked up an extra second when placing third in one of the day’s intermediate sprints.

Erler is now six seconds ahead of David Pell (Drapac Porsche Cycling) and a further two up on Jay Thomson (South Africa National). However, with Genting suiting the pure climbers in the race, he admitted that he is not very optimistic about staying on top.

“I think it is almost zero percent, unless the other guys crash!” he smiled, when asked about his chances. “Today my team-mate Ghader Mizbani had a really impressive ride, he was in the first breakaway and ISD had to chase it down. The ISD team was really strong today. They had to work almost the whole stage – hopefully they have tired legs tomorrow so that we can go…”

Erler said that he believes that less than ten riders can now win the 2010 Le Tour de Langkawi. “I think there are a few contenders – Eibegger from Footon-Servetto is one. I know him from Austria, he is a good friend of mine and I think he will be really strong tomorrow.

“There’s Rujano and Pydgomyy from ISD, and then four guys from my team. I think it depends on the shape of the day, so it is hard to make a pick, but I think that one of those seven riders will make the race.”

Erler gives the impression of someone who has enjoyed his time in yellow. Even if his stay in that jersey comes to an end tomorrow, it is certain that he will leave Malaysia with very satisfied thoughts about his time here, and the warm reception he got from the country’s people.

Genting bekons
Apart from the battle for the yellow jersey, the mountains competition will also enter a very important moment tomorrow. The climb of the Genting Highlands is far steeper than anything the riders have experienced thus far this year, and the field is certain to be blitzed on its wall-like slopes.

Current King of the Mountains leader Peter McDonald lost out on today’s single mountain prime, the Eye on Malaysia bridge in Melaka. He finishing outside the points and, in taking first place, Zainal Rizuan closed right up on him. McDonald ended the day with a total of eleven points; the Malaysian rider Rizuan is now on ten and could overtake him tomorrow.

However Genting Highland is am hors catégorie climb and 25 points will be awarded the winner of the stage. It’s conceivable that a rider who has not figured thus far in the competition could win the overall classification for best climber; as a result, McDonald knows a tough task is in store.

“Hopefully I can score some points,” he said. “I don’t know if I can get enough to hold onto the jersey. Today didn’t quite go to plan…the radio wasn’t working in the leadout for the KOM, so we messed that up a bit. It would have been nice to have a few more points up my sleeve, I would feel more confident, but now I really have to ride well tomorrow. It is really just up to me.

“I think I really have to get out of my comfort zone if I want a result up there in Genting. I will be looking to go with the moves and to stay with the good guys up the hill.”

Many other riders will also have the same goal of performing strongly on its cruel slopes. However, when the climb bites, only a small few will be still in contention as they near the top. If past editions of the Tour are any indication, a¬ complete upheaval of the general classification is virtually guaranteed by the time the stage is over.

Top-10,  Stage 5
1. Anuar Manan (Mas), Geumsan Ginseng Asia, 2:23:11
2. Vidal Celis (Sp), Footon-Servetto, s.t.
3. Rene Haselbacher (A), Vorarlberg-Corratec, s.t.
4. Ruslan Tleubayev (Kz), Kazakhstan National Team, s.t.
5. Alex Candelario (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies, s.t.
6. Johann Rabie (RSA), South Africa National Team, s.t.
7. Christoff Van Heerden (RSA), South Africa National Team, s.t.
8. Michael Matthews (Aus), Team Jayco-Skins, s.t.
9. Ahmad Anuawar Haidar (Mas), MPC Marco Polo Cycling Team s.t.
10. Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr), ISD-Neri, s.t.
(Full Results)

Top-10, overall
1. Tobias Erler (G), Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling, 17:59:23
2. David Pell (Aus), Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 0:06
3. Jay Thomson (RSA), South Africa National Team, at 0:08
4. Michael Matthews (Aus), Team Jayco-Skins, at 2:40
5. Anuar Manan (Mas), Geumsan Ginseng Asia, at 2:50
6. Vidal Celis (Sp), Footon-Servetto, at 3:00
7. Taiji Nishitani (Jpn), Aisan Racing Team, at 3:06
8. Ruslan Tleubayev (Kz), Kazakhstan National Team, at 3:10
9. Alex Candelario (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies, at 3:10
10. Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr), ISD-Neri, at 3:11
(Full Results)

FILED UNDER: News / Race Report / Road TAGS: Tour de Langkawi