Stage 2
Senawang - Melaka • 161.7kms
10th February 2009
LTdL: Gavazzi Dominates Stage Two
MELAKA, Feb 10 -- Mattia Gavazzi from Diquigiovanni-Androni team dominated stage two of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2009 which ended here Tuesday.
The Italian clocked 3 hours 42 minutes 13 seconds to win the route from Senawang, Negeri Sembilan to Dataran Pahlawan, Melaka, a distance of 160.9km.
Although Alexandr Pliuschin from AGR team and Cervelo Test Team's sprinter, Oscar Pujol Munoz, made a breakaway since the first sprint zone at Tampin, Negeri Sembilan, they were unable to retain the lead in the last four kilometres.
"It's already three victories this year...anyway, it was a good performance for me and the team, and the hot wheather here was no trouble at all," said Gavazzi at a press conference after the race.
Two weeks ago, Gavazzi claimed one stage at Tour of San Jose, Argentina, and yesterday, he also claimed the first stage of LTdL from Putrajaya to Senawang, Negeri Sembilan.
The 22-year-old rider is confident he can beat former Diquigiovanni-Androni's sprinter Alberto Loddo who claimed five stages in the 2007 LTdL.
His team manager, Gianni Savio, praised all his riders, especially Jackson Rodriguez and Jose Serpa, who made good efforts today to help Gavazzi chase Pliuschin and Munoz.
"We will work hard from today, especially for Serpa at 'hors' climbing in Genting Highlands on Friday.
"We are lucky to win this stage because two of our riders are not in good condition," he said.
Gavazzi also retained his yellow jersey as the individual classification leader with a total time 6'48:35s and sprints jersey after collecting another 15 points today for a total of 30 points.
For the Asian riders category (blue jersey), Dmitriy Gruzdev of the Kazakhstan national team retained the jersey with 6'48:48s while Mohd Akmal Amrun from MNCF took second place.
The only jersey change today is the red jersey as the King of the Mountain (KOM) after South African, Janse Van Rensburg J, snatched it away from his teammate, Jaco Venter, after winning the KOM category three at Bukit Inas, Negeri Sembilan.
For the general clasification, South Africa retained to lead 20 teams, followed by Malaysia and Vorarlberg-Corratec accumulating a total time of 20'26:45s.
Stage three tomorrow covers a total of 186km in Melaka which starts and ends at Dataran Pahlawan, comprising three sprint zones in Muar (Johor), Bukit Kepong and Tangkak (Johor).
LE TOUR DE LANGKAWI 2009 STAGE TWO RESULTS
MELAKA, Feb 10 -- Following are the results of the 2009 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) cycling championship stage two from Senawang, Negeri Sembilan to Melaka, a distance of 160.9km, today.
Top 10 Finishers:
1. Mattia Gavazzi (Diquigiovanni-Androni) 3 hours 42 minutes 13 seconds
2. Nolan Hoffman (South African) 3'42:13s
3. Aurelien Clerc (AG2R) 3'42:13
4. Christoff Van Heerden (South African) 3'42:13s
5. Hilton Clarke(Fuji-Servetto) 3'42:13s
6. Denys Kostyuk (ISD) 3'42:13s
7. Rene Hasselbacher (Vorarlberg-Corratec) 3'42:13s
8. Yukiya Arashiro BBOX Bouygues Telecom 3'42:13s
9. Hossien Nateghi (Iran) 3'42:13s
10. Miyataka Shimizu EQA Meitan Hompo 3'42:13s
Top 10 Riders Overall (Yellow jersey):
1. Mattia Gavazzi (Diquigiovanni-Androni) 6'48:35s
2. Nolan Hoffman (South African) 6'48:45s
3. Alexandr Pliuschin (AG2R)6'48:46s
4. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kazakhstan) 6'48:48s
5. Chris Sutton (Garmin Slipstream) 6'48:49s
6. Jaco Venter (South African) 6'48:49s
7. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Carvelo Test Team)6'48:49s
8. Mohd Akmal Amrun (MNCF) 6'48:50s
9. Aurelian Clerc (AG2R) 6'48:51s
10.Christian Meier (Garmin Slipstream) 6'48:54s
Top 10 Asian Riders Overall (Blue jersey):
1. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kazakhstan) 6'48:48s
2. Mohd Akmal Amrun (MNCF) 6'48:50s
3. Roman Zhiyentayev (Kazakshtan)6'48:54s
4. Hossien Nateghi (Iran) 6'48:55s
5. Yukiya Arashiro (BBox Bouygues Telecom) 6'48:55s
6. Miyataka Shimuzi (Meitan-Hompo) 6'48:55s
7. Ahmad Haidar Anuawar (Malaysia) 6'48:55s
8. Ji Xitao (China) 6'48:55s
9. Hui Guo (China) 6'48:55s
10.Mohd Faris Abdul Razak (MNCF) 6'48:55s
SPRINT CATEGORY (Green jersey):
1. Mattia Gavazzi (Diquigiovanni-Androni) 30 points
2. Nolan Hoffman (South African) 27 points
3. Hossien Nateghi (Iran) 18 points POLKA DOT CATEGORY (Red jersey):
1. Janse Van Rensburg J (South African) 6 points
2. Jaco Venter (South African) 4 points
3. Batosz Huzarski (ISD) 4 points
TOP 10 TEAMS OVERALL:
1. South African 20'26:45s
2. Malaysia 20'26:45s
3. Vorarlberg-Corratec 20'26:45s
4. Garmin Slipstream 20'26:45s
5. China 20'26:45s
6. ISD 20'26:45s
7. MNCF 20'26:45s
8. Cervelo Test Team 20'26:45s
9. Iran 20'26:45s
10.EQA-Meitan Hompo 20'26:45s
ASIAN TEAMS OVERALL:
1. Malaysia 20'26:45s
2. China 20'26:45s
3. MNCF 20'26:45s
4. Iran 20'26:45s
5. EQA-Meitan Hompo 20'26:45s
6. Doha 20'26:45s
7. Kazakhstan 20'26:45s
8. Le Tua 20'26:45s
9. Seoul Cycling 20'26:45s
LTdL 2009 - Stages 