Andrea Guardini wins stage 7, his fourth, at the 2011 Tour de Langkawi

Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli) won his fourth bunch sprint in the Tour de Langkawi on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Italian neo-pro, who has had a stunning debut in this race, started his sprint more than 250 meters from the line in Tampin and held off all his rivals, including Vuelta a España stage winner Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare), who finished second, and third-placed Dene Rogers (Giant Kenda).

Malaysian favorite Anuar Manan (Terengganu ProAsia Cycling) was boxed in, placing only 24th and losing the blue points jersey to Guardini. Race leader Libardo Nino Corredor (Le Tua) retained the yellow leader’s jersey.

Guardini changed tactics on Saturday, realizing that Manan tended to be fast in the intermediate sprints but lose some snap at the end of the stages. As a result he and his team were content that a break went clear, and they didn’t try to bring the escapees back until much closer to the end.

“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.”

Guardini and the rest of the riders had anticipated a different type of finish, and were surprised to see how things turned out in the finale to the the 149.5km race from Banting to Tampin.

“It was a different sprint from the previous days, because not many people expected such a finish,” he said afterwards. “Looking at the road book, it was a false flat uphill, but in reality the last 2 kilometers were downhill. But I handled the situation, I took the corner in fifth position — that was ideal, and I did 300 meters finishing flat out.”

Race leader Nino Corredor had a relatively quiet day in the saddle and his slender two-second lead wasn’t really challenged at any point by closest rival Jonnatha Monsalve (Androni Giocattoli). He’s now a day closer to the race finish in Kuala Lumpur, where the 42-year-old could become the oldest-ever winner of the event.

“This stage has been little bit difficult for me because my team is not very strong,” he 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.”

Monsalve said afterwards that the team made the decision to wait until the finale, then try to take back the two seconds to yellow. However, the same confusion about the finish mentioned by Guardini also applied to him, and he didn’t have his chance.

“We thought today was a good day to take the yellow jersey because the road book showed an uphill finish,” he said. “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.”

Three stages remain in the race, and while the points jersey contest looks more certain due to Manan’s misfortune, the battle for yellow is still very much a close one.

How it happened

There were many attacks inside the first 10km, with a group of four eventually going clear and being joined at kilometer 14 by another quartet.

The break comprised Manuele Caddeo (Colnago CSF Inox Pro); Maxim Jenkins (UnitedHealthcare); Kihong Yoo (Korea National Team); Loh Sea Keong (Malaysia National Team); Othman M. Adiq (Drapac); David McCann (Giant Kenda); Deon Locke (Team Champion Systems); and Bradley Potgieter (MTN Qhubeka).

Five kilometres later, the octet had a 50-second advantage over the bunch. Recognizing that this was most likely the break of the day, Ebrahim Javani (Suren Cycling Team) set off in pursuit but struggled to get on terms. He was caught by the bunch after 34km of racing, by which time the break was two minutes and 40 seconds clear.

Caddeo took the first sprint in Sungai Pelek (km 44.6), beating Potgieter, Loh and Jenkins. The riders covered 46km in the first hour, and the gap here was three minutes, 15 seconds. This had increased to 4:25 by the sprint in Port Dickson (km 82), where Potgieter, Locke, Caddeo and Loh were first across the prime line.

It began to rain soon afterwards and this spurred the bunch into action, with several attacks going clear and the pace picking up. The acceleration had the expected effect on the break’s advantage and by the second KOM prime at Linggi (km 105.7), the lead was just over two minutes. Locke beat Adiq and Caddeo to the summit there.

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 it was looking less and less likely that he or the others would get to use their sprint at the finish. The peloton was just 20 seconds back with 5km to go, and they were caught soon afterwards. Pierre Rolland (Team Europcar) then clipped away 2km from the line, but he couldn’t prevent a big bunch finish and the fourth victory by Guardini.

Next up is a 156.5km race from Kuala Pilah to Jasin. After a bonus sprint at Bahau, two fourth-category climbs come in the first third of the stage and should help those keen to try their chances in a break. Later on, two intermediate sprints precede the final rush for the line.

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