Le Tour de Langkawi 2017 – Stage 5 [Highlights]

February 26, 2017

Le Tour de Langkawi 2017 – Stage 5– Meru Raya – Kuala Kubu Bhara – 151,5 km

The Tour de Langkawi is a multiple stage bicycle race held in Malaysia. It is named after the archipelago Langkawi, where the first edition started and finished. The race has been held annually since 1996, primarily in the month of February. It usually consists of 10 day-long segments (stages) over 10 days. While the route changes each year, the Genting Highlands climb, the toughest in the tour, is always included. Tour de Langkawi is sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) as a 2.HC road race in the UCI Asia Tour calendar.

A day after proving his climbing legs on the queen stage up Cameron Highlands, Ryan Gibbons was in his element on the flat fifth stage of le Tour de Langkawi where the race leader claimed victory in the bunch sprint.

Three times a top three finisher so far at the race, the Dimension Data rider was too fast for Jacob Mareczko (Wilier-Trestina) while Marco Benfatto (Androni) was third. Benfatto, however, would be relegated for “irregular sprinting,” with Travis McCabe (UnitedHealthcare) instead rounding out the podium on the official results.

“From the start, getting second on stage 1 was an achievement but today was a sense of relief more than anything and I’m just so happy to get the win for the team but also for myself. The first of my career so a very good day today,” Gibbons said after the stage.

“I still think that if I am having a good day, I can sprint on a flat road but today with a little bit of a drag and the road surface being brick, I think it suited me a little more. My team was incredible, they supported me and put me in perfect position, and it would have been hard not to win with the job they did.”

Stage 3 winner Mareczko was the closest challenger to Gibbons but explained to Cyclingnews that he had too much to do in the finale. “Four kilometres to go, some guy fell down and I with my team lost position because of this. In the final metres I was in third position behind the winner and I couldn’t get in front of him,” said Mareczko.

Victory tightens Gibbons’ grip on the yellow jersey with the overall victory now all but assured. The 22-year-old neo-pro also now leads the sprint classification but his goals remain more wins and the yellow jersey. “Obviously the focus is the yellow jersey and stage wins. If the teal jersey comes with it, then it will be great but it is not a focus and we won’t be targeting it,” he said of the other classification he leads.

Having joined Scott Sunderland, McCabe and Mareczko as a sprint stage winner in 2017, the challenge for Gibbons come stage 6 is to become the first multiple winner in this year’s race

How it unfolded

With several riders battling illness at the race, Nicolas Marini was the first casualty of stage 5 as he abandoned just 11km into the stage. The high pace in the peloton, as the break was trying to get established, was too much for the Nippo-Vini Fantini rider.

After numerous attempts to get the break going, at the 44km mark it was Fausto Masnada from Androni who initiated a one-man breakaway. As Masnada was making his move, the peloton briefly split with Gibbons caught in the second group. The Italian was given a three-minute lead from the peloton, which had come back together, and the freedom to enjoy his day in the front of the bunch.

While Masnada claimed the maximum points on offer at the first two intermediate sprints, Gibbons increased his overall lead by claiming bonus seconds at the first sprint. Gibbons also moved into the sprint classification lead due to his aggressive riding.

After the third intermediate sprint point, Masnada decided to call it a day, having also secured the combativity prize for the stage. With 20km to go, the sprint teams started to get their riders into position in anticipation of the finale.

Coming into the final kilometre after the fast run in, it was the usual sprint suspects of the race thus far making their presence known. The UnitedHealthcare and Androni sprint trains clashed, but once into the final few hundred metres, it was Gibbons hitting out and proving to have the best kick on the day.

Results :
1 Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Team Dimension Data 3:27:20
2 Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina
3 Travis McCabe (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team
4 Riccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
5 Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
6 Mohd Zamri Saleh (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
7 Marco Maronese (Ita) Bardiani CSF
8 Shiki Kuroeda (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
9 M. Izzat Hilmi Abd Halil (Mas) Sapura Cycling Team
10 Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF
11 Mekseb Debesay (Eri) Team Dimension Data
12 Anuar Manan (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
13 Mohd Shahrul Mat Amin (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
14 Shijin Zhang (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team
15 Marcelo Felipe (Phi) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine
16 Chris Harper (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
17 Phuchong Saiudomsin (Tha) Thailand Continental Cycling Team
18 Bernado Suaza Arango (Col) Manzana Postobon Team
19 Daniel Jaramillo Diez (Col) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team
20 Sergio Higuita (Col) Manzana Postobon Team
21 Scott Sunderland (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
22 Robbie Hucker (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
23 Paolo Simion (Ita) Bardiani CSF
24 Penghai Deng (Chn) Giant Cycling Team
25 Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina
26 Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors
27 Egan Arley Bernal Gomez (Col) Androni Giocattoli
28 Shotaro Watanabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
29 M Ameer Ahmad Kamal (Mas) Malaysia National Team
30 Timothy Roe (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
31 Masakazu Ito (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini
32 Juan Villegas (Col) Manzana Postobon Team
33 Kota Sumiyoshi (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
34 Hideto Nakane (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini
35 Alberto Cecchin (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina
36 Ben O’Connor (Aus) Team Dimension Data
37 Ivan Ramiro Sosa Cuervo (Col) Androni Giocattoli
38 Wilmar Paredes (Col) Manzana Postobon Team
39 Dmitriy Lukyanov (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors
40 Niccolo Pacinotti (Ita) Bardiani CSF
41 Fausto Masnada (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
42 Irwandie Lakasek (Mas) Malaysia National Team
43 Sergey Vlassenko (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors
44 Ying Hon Ronald Yeung (HKg) Infinite AIS Cycling Team
45 Thurakit Boonratanathanakorn (Tha) Thailand Continental Cycling Team
46 Tomohiro Hayakawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
47 Fernando Orjuela (Col) Manzana Postobon Team
48 Eiman Firdaus Mohd Zamri (Mas) Malaysia National Team
49 Cameron Bayly (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
50 Victor Nino Corredor (Col) Sapura Cycling Team
51 Wilmar Jahir Perez Munoz (Col) Sapura Cycling Team
52 Aiman Cahyadi (Ina) Sapura Cycling Team
53 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina
54 Nik Mohd Azwan Zulkiflie (Mas) Malaysia National Team
55 Greg Henderson (NZl) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team
56 Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
57 Giacomo Berlato (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
58 Dadi Suryadi (Ina) Terengganu Cycling Team
59 Jesse James Ewart (Aus) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine
60 Thanawut Sanikwathi (Tha) Thailand Continental Cycling Team
61 Yecid Sierra (Col) Manzana Postobon Team
62 Rafael Andriato (Bra) Team Wilier Triestina
63 M Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff (Mas) Malaysia National Team
64 Maxat Ayazbayev (Kaz) Keyi Look Cycling Team
65 M Afiq Huznie Othman (Mas) Infinite AIS Cycling Team
66 Hang Shi (Chn) Giant Cycling Team
67 Marino Kobayashi (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini
68 Akmal Hakim Zakaria (Mas) Sapura Cycling Team
69 Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) Team Dimension Data
70 Dominic Perez (Phi) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine
71 Bonjoe Martin (Phi) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine
72 Haiwang Liu (Chn) Giant Cycling Team
73 Marco Benfatto (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
74 Tianhao Gu (Chn) Giant Cycling Team 0:00:21
75 Carlos Alzate Escobar (Col) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team
76 Taras Voropayev (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors 0:00:23
77 Kritsada Changpad (Tha) Infinite AIS Cycling Team
78 Khunakorn Nonthichan (Tha) Infinite AIS Cycling Team
79 M Ameen Ahmad Kamal (Mas) Malaysia National Team
80 Andrea Palini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
81 Nelson Martin (Phi) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine
82 Seungwoo Choi (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling
83 Siyu Yang (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:00:32
84 Aspan Zhukenov (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors 0:00:35
85 Yahui Shi (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:00:36
86 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team
87 Ryohei Komori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 0:00:45
88 Sofian Nabil Mohd Bakri (Mas) Sapura Cycling Team
89 Jacques Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Dimension Data 0:00:49
90 Nick Dougall (RSA) Team Dimension Data 0:00:56
91 Stepan Astafyev (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors 0:00:58
92 John Kronborg Ebsen (Den) Infinite AIS Cycling Team 0:01:03
93 Tanaphon Seanaumnuayphon (Tha) Infinite AIS Cycling Team
94 Xin Wang (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:01:09
95 Adrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team 0:01:15
96 Giuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina 0:01:24
97 Zhiwen Chen (Chn) Giant Cycling Team
98 En Huang (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:02:11
99 Xiang Yuan Li (Chn) Giant Cycling Team 0:02:32
100 Sea Keong Loh (Mas) Thailand Continental Cycling Team 0:02:49
101 Navuti Liphongyu (Tha) Thailand Continental Cycling Team
102 Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:03:37
103 Joonyong Seo (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling 0:03:50
104 Daeyeon Kim (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling
105 Haesung Cho (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling 0:04:08
106 Sukho Kang (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling 0:07:42
DNF Nicolas Marini (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini

General Classification after Stage 5 :
1 Ryan Gibbons (RSA) Team Dimension Data 18:53:06
2 Cameron Bayly (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness 0:00:23
3 Alberto Cecchin (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina 0:00:27
4 Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors 0:00:29
5 Mekseb Debesay (Eri) Team Dimension Data 0:00:32
6 Chris Harper (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness 0:00:33
7 Daniel Jaramillo Diez (Col) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team
8 Egan Arley Bernal Gomez (Col) Androni Giocattoli
9 Timothy Roe (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
10 Ben O’Connor (Aus) Team Dimension Data
11 Fernando Orjuela (Col) Manzana Postobon Team 0:00:40
12 Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina 0:01:02
13 Hideto Nakane (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:01:06
14 Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:01:09
15 Bernado Suaza Arango (Col) Manzana Postobon Team 0:01:10
16 Ivan Ramiro Sosa Cuervo (Col) Androni Giocattoli
17 Robbie Hucker (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
18 Fausto Masnada (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 0:01:22
19 Victor Nino Corredor (Col) Sapura Cycling Team 0:01:50
20 Wilmar Paredes (Col) Manzana Postobon Team 0:01:56
21 Tomohiro Hayakawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 0:01:57
22 Dmitriy Lukyanov (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors
23 Wilmar Jahir Perez Munoz (Col) Sapura Cycling Team 0:02:01
24 Marcelo Felipe (Phi) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine 0:02:28
25 Ying Hon Ronald Yeung (HKg) Infinite AIS Cycling Team 0:02:39
26 Dadi Suryadi (Ina) Terengganu Cycling Team 0:02:56
27 Yecid Sierra (Col) Manzana Postobon Team 0:03:17
28 Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) Team Dimension Data 0:03:37
29 John Kronborg Ebsen (Den) Infinite AIS Cycling Team 0:03:56
30 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina 0:04:13
31 Sergey Vlassenko (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors 0:05:29
32 Masakazu Ito (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:05:59
33 Penghai Deng (Chn) Giant Cycling Team 0:06:42
34 Jesse James Ewart (Aus) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine 0:07:05
35 Travis McCabe (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team 0:07:32
36 Hang Shi (Chn) Giant Cycling Team 0:07:46
37 Mohd Shahrul Mat Amin (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team 0:07:52
38 Nik Mohd Azwan Zulkiflie (Mas) Malaysia National Team 0:08:00
39 Greg Henderson (NZl) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team 0:09:18
40 Carlos Alzate Escobar (Col) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team 0:09:37
41 M Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff (Mas) Malaysia National Team 0:09:54
42 Siyu Yang (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:10:46
43 Niccolo Pacinotti (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:12:56
44 Rafael Andriato (Bra) Team Wilier Triestina 0:13:24
45 M Ameer Ahmad Kamal (Mas) Malaysia National Team 0:13:42
46 Zhiwen Chen (Chn) Giant Cycling Team 0:13:47
47 Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team 0:14:00
48 Daeyeon Kim (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling 0:14:07
49 Riccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:14:21
50 Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:15:21
51 Sea Keong Loh (Mas) Thailand Continental Cycling Team 0:15:33
52 Jacques Van Rensburg (RSA) Team Dimension Data 0:16:13
53 Joonyong Seo (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling 0:17:10
54 Khunakorn Nonthichan (Tha) Infinite AIS Cycling Team 0:18:10
55 Nick Dougall (RSA) Team Dimension Data 0:18:21
56 M Ameen Ahmad Kamal (Mas) Malaysia National Team 0:18:24
57 Maxat Ayazbayev (Kaz) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:21:58
58 Sergio Higuita (Col) Manzana Postobon Team 0:23:00
59 Marco Maronese (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:23:23
60 Nelson Martin (Phi) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine 0:23:50
61 Stepan Astafyev (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors 0:25:16
62 Phuchong Saiudomsin (Tha) Thailand Continental Cycling Team 0:25:36
63 Aiman Cahyadi (Ina) Sapura Cycling Team 0:26:44
64 Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness 0:27:34
65 Taras Voropayev (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors 0:28:42
66 Thurakit Boonratanathanakorn (Tha) Thailand Continental Cycling Team 0:29:01
67 Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team 0:29:13
68 Xin Wang (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:30:18
69 Kritsada Changpad (Tha) Infinite AIS Cycling Team 0:32:44
70 Seungwoo Choi (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling 0:36:12
71 Tianhao Gu (Chn) Giant Cycling Team 0:36:30
72 Haesung Cho (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling 0:36:37
73 Shiki Kuroeda (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 0:36:44
74 Shotaro Watanabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 0:37:04
75 Giacomo Berlato (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:37:51
76 Dominic Perez (Phi) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine 0:38:09
77 Navuti Liphongyu (Tha) Thailand Continental Cycling Team 0:38:49
78 Juan Villegas (Col) Manzana Postobon Team 0:38:57
79 Haiwang Liu (Chn) Giant Cycling Team 0:40:26
80 Bonjoe Martin (Phi) 7 Eleven Roadbike Philippine 0:40:54
81 Scott Sunderland (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness 0:41:26
82 Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina 0:41:28
83 Marco Benfatto (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 0:41:44
84 Mohd Zamri Saleh (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team 0:42:17
85 Kota Sumiyoshi (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 0:42:59
86 Irwandie Lakasek (Mas) Malaysia National Team 0:43:01
87 Ryohei Komori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 0:43:20
88 Paolo Simion (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:43:47
89 Aspan Zhukenov (Kaz) Vino Astana Motors 0:43:52
90 M Afiq Huznie Othman (Mas) Infinite AIS Cycling Team 0:44:23
91 Thanawut Sanikwathi (Tha) Thailand Continental Cycling Team 0:44:27
92 Adrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling Team 0:44:41
93 Shijin Zhang (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:44:48
94 Akmal Hakim Zakaria (Mas) Sapura Cycling Team 0:45:26
95 Giuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Team Wilier Triestina 0:45:42
96 Tanaphon Seanaumnuayphon (Tha) Infinite AIS Cycling Team 0:46:34
97 Eiman Firdaus Mohd Zamri (Mas) Malaysia National Team 0:47:25
98 Yahui Shi (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:47:30
99 Sofian Nabil Mohd Bakri (Mas) Sapura Cycling Team 0:47:56
100 Xiang Yuan Li (Chn) Giant Cycling Team 0:48:17
101 Marino Kobayashi (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:48:20
102 M. Izzat Hilmi Abd Halil (Mas) Sapura Cycling Team 0:50:02
103 Andrea Palini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 0:50:21
104 Sukho Kang (Kor) KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling 0:50:36
105 Anuar Manan (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team 0:50:39
106 En Huang (Chn) Keyi Look Cycling Team 0:50:49