ISKANDAR PUTERI, Johor, Oct 4 – Unibet Tietema Rockets rider, Zeb Kyffin, sprang a surprise by winning Stage 7 of the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTdL25) from Melaka to Medini Iskandar Puteri, Johor, today.

It was his first professional career victory for the 27-year-old London-born rider since joining Unibet in 2023, and he hopes to continue his career with the French ProTeam club or catch the attention of other teams.

Today, Medini also saw joy for local fans when Johor-born rider Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli of Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) finished in second place, making him the third local rider to reach a stage podium in the 29-year history of the PLTdL.

Nur Aiman, who also received the Most Combative Rider award for his hard work in the seven-rider early breakaway group before riding solo for over 20km, finished just 2 seconds behind Kyffin and 8 seconds ahead of the peloton led by Tudor Cycling Team’s Arvid de Kleijn.

In addition to the two joyful scenarios for Kyffin and Nur Aiman, Stage 7 was also marred by an accident involving Uno-X Mobility’s legendary rider, Alexander Kristoff and his teammate, the Sprint King points leader, Erlend Blikra, forcing the 38-year-old Kristoff to abandon the race.

Kyffin completed the longest stage of this 29th edition of PLTdL25, covering a distance of 214.9km, in a time of 4 hours 37 minutes 39 seconds with an average speed of 46.4km/h.

No major changes occurred, with all jersey holders retained their respective jerseys despite riding in the scorching heat throughout this edition’s longest race distance. Kyffin, who had been aggressive in several previous stages, set the best move today by breaking away from the peloton to chase down Nur Aiman ahead.

“It’s amazing. There was no pre-race plan; I was just in the peloton. But in the last 15km, I took the opportunity to break away and was let go by the peloton, which was led by the Tudor and Uno-X teams. Then I saw a rider (Nur Aiman) slowing down ahead. I’m not a pure sprinter, but I kept chasing and managed to overtake him,” said Kyffin, laying exhausted on the grass seemingly unable to believe his victory.

Meanwhile, Nur Aiman, a Muar native who targeted this Stage 7, said he was determined to join the seven-rider breakaway group immediately after passing the first sprint zone in Sungai Rambai at km26.

Besides winning the second sprint zone in Semerah (km74.3), Nur Aiman stayed in the small group and conserved energy for his determined solo breakaway attempt in the final 20km after the third sprint zone in Pontian (km166.8), as the other riders in the front group were caught one by one by the peloton.

“I had set a target to pull off a surprise in Stage 7 because this is my home state. I tried to hold on until the finish line but failed. I was too exhausted by then. Even though it’s second place, I’m still proud to stand on the podium,” said the 26-year-old double national champion (road race and individual time trial), whose aggressive riding style, often involving solo breakaways throughout the PLTdL25, reminds local fans of former national rider Loh Sea Keong.

All four jersey holders – the PETRONAS Green Jersey (Overall Leader) worn by Joris Delbove (TotalEnergies); the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) Orange Jersey (Sprint King) worn by Erlend Blikra (Uno-X Mobility); the BubblesO2 Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains) belonging to Patrick Eddy (Team Picnic PostNL); and the Rakan Muda White Jersey (Best Asian Rider) belonging to Nicolya Vinokourov (XDS-Astana) – successfully defended their leads by riding safely and finishing the race within the main group.

In contrast to the sixth stage, which was flagged off in the rain, the 109 riders who started Stage 7 at Jalan Hang Tuah, Historical City of Melaka, endured scorching heat throughout the ride, which did not deter several riders from making early breakaway attempts that were subsequently reeled in.

Delbove, who now has an accumulated time of 23 hours 27 minutes 18 seconds and is still being trailed by 6 seconds by his three closest rivals -Yannis Voisard (Tudor), Anders Halland Johannessen (Uno-X), and Adrien Maire (Unibet) – anticipates a tougher challenge in tomorrow’s 8th and final stage.

“Today’s distance was longer and harder. But I managed to hold on, though I expect tomorrow to be even more difficult and complicated, and I need to be smart in the bonus time zones,” said the 25-year-old rider who has worn the Green Jersey since winning Stage 5 at Fraser’s Hill.

Similar sentiment was shared by Vinokourov, who predicts that the race will be more intense and chaotic, as tomorrow’s Stage 8 features three sprint zones and three climbing zones. “It’s hard to predict, and there will surely be many small breakaways, especially in the climbing zones. But I must be confident because it’s not impossible for me to also challenge for the Green Jersey while defending this White Jersey,” said the 23-year-old son of cycling legend Alexander Vinokourov, who is enjoying his best performance so far.

For Blikra, Stage 7 was unfortunate as his team captain, Kristoff was forced out of the competition due to an error while trying to reach for food in his back pocket. “He lost control in front, and I couldn’t avoid hitting him. His injury looks quite serious, but I was able to continue the ride. Our goal today was to help my teammate (Voisard) for the GC,” he said.

Blikra finished fourth in the stage and has accumulated 55 points in the Sprint King classification, just 4 points ahead of two-time PLTdL25 stage winner, Arvid de Kleijn.

The 8th and final stage of this 29th edition of PLTdL25 continues tomorrow from Dataran Ledang, Tangkak and finishes in front of the PETRONAS Twin Towers (KLCC), Kuala Lumpur covering 180.2km. Sprint zones await at Alor Gajah (km39.9), Seremban (km98.5) and Semenyih (km131.2), along with three climbing zones: a Category 3 climb at Bukit Mantin (km103.5) and two Category 2 climbs at Bukit Hantu (km153.4) and Ampang (km165.9).

The PLTdL25, which holds 2.ProSeries status on the UCI Asia Tour calendar, has passed through all 12 states in Peninsular Malaysia covering a total distance of 1,224.2km. It is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (MSN) with the support of the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).

PORT DICKSON, 3 Oct – Tudor Cycling Team rider, Arvid de Kleijn, secured his second stage victory of the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTdL25) by dominating the final sprint of Stage 6 from Shah Alam to Port Dickson today.

Following his win in Stage 2 in Kepala Batas, the absence of the three-time stage winner and Orange Jersey holder, Matteo Malucelli of XDS-Astana, who was injured in an accident early in the race, seemed to simplify De Kleijn’s task on the short 123.5km stage, which took place in rainy conditions and on slippery roads.

This is also the sixth career stage victory for the 31-year-old rider from Herveld, Switzerland, since his first appearance at PLTdL23, boosting his confidence to add more wins in the remaining two days of competition.

De Kleijn frustrated Uno-X Mobility’s sprinter, Erlend Blikra, who is now wearing the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) Orange Jersey (Sprint King) in Malucelli’s absence. Blikra has a chance to win the jersey for the second time after 2023, as he is now only 3 points behind Blikra.

“We controlled the race in the heavy rain and won this stage. After riding in the hot sun every day, it was good to race in the rain. I will try to find another win because a two-point difference is not a small number. In the final sprint, it was fast and I took a position on the right. Although it was a bit far because I didn’t want to take any risks, I had the speed to win,” said De Kleijn.

He confirmed that his manager informed him via team radio about Malucelli’s accident at around the 20km mark, and he wished his rival a quick recovery and a speedy return to racing.

The PETRONAS Green Jersey (Overall Leader) remains with Joris Delbove of TotalEnergies, who finished the stage in 58th place. Delbove ensured a safe ride while monitoring his closest challengers, Anders Halland Johannessen (Uno-X), Adrien Maire (Unibet Tietema Rockets) and Yannis Voisard (Tudor), all of whom finished together in the large group of 101 riders.

The race, flagged off by Selangor Chief Minister Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and PETRONAS Head of Central and Northern Region, Abu Hanzalah Abu Bakar, started under rainy weather at Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam and concluded in front of the Port Dickson Royal Yacht Club with a time of 2 hours 32 minutes 55 seconds, with an average speed of 48.46km/h.

“I slept well last night, but the race was still competitive. I’m happy to wear the Green Jersey for the first time here. However, throughout the race, there were many breakaway attempts to steal bonus time, but my teammates were smart in controlling the pace today. I hope this continues in the two more challenging stages to come,” said Delbove, who now has an overall time of 18 hours 49 minutes 29 seconds, 6 seconds ahead of Johannessen.

The Rakan Muda White Jersey (Best Asian Rider) is still safely held by Astana rider, Nicolya Vinokourov, who also improved his position in the overall individual classification to 5th place after earning a 3 second bonus at the second sprint zone in Banting.

Without any climbing zones today, the BubblesO2 Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains) remains unchanged, with Team Picnic PostNL rider, Patrick Eddy, continuing to wear it until the final stage, as Stage 7 tomorrow also has no climbs.

Local fans were also in good cheer as Malaysian Pro Cycling rider, Mohammad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil, finished in fourth place and emerged as the best Asian rider for the stage. Meanwhile, Malaysian national team rider, Kee Zhe Yie, received the Most Combative Rider Award for his efforts in a breakaway that was only caught about 9km from the finish line. Hilmi was clearly unlucky in the final sprint as he had to brake and lost some momentum, missing a chance for a podium spot.

A total of 109 riders will start tomorrow after three riders – Malucelli, Odd Christian Eiking (Unibet) and Vadim Pronskiy (TSG) failed to finish (DNF), and one rider, Shin Dongil (KSPO), did not start (DNS). KSPO is now down to 2 riders, while Team Picnic PostNL and Chengdu DYC have 3 riders each. Solution Tech Vini Fantini and St George Continental each have 4 riders left in the race.

Stage 7 of PLTdL25 will resume tomorrow morning, starting from Jalan Hang Tuah, Melaka and finishing in Medini, Iskandar Puteri, Johor. This is the longest stage, covering 214.9km and features three sprint zones at Sungai Rambai (km26), Semerah (km74.3), and Pontian (km166.8).

The 29th edition of the PLTdL25, which holds 2.ProSeries status on the UCI Asia Tour calendar, began in Langkawi and will conclude with Stage 8 from Tangkak to KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, this Sunday with a total distance of 1,224.2km. It is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (MSN) in collaboration with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).

FRASER’S HILL, 2nd Oct – TotalEnergies rider, Joris Delbove, pulled off an upset by winning the challenging Stage 5 of the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTdL25) from Temerloh, Pahang to Fraser’s Hill today.

Considered the Queen Stage due to the ‘absence’ of Genting Highlands and Cameron Highlands this year, the 25-year-old Delbove waited for the perfect moment to break away from a group of 17 riders before overpowering his two rivals in the final 5km. Anders Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) finished second, followed by Yanis Voisard (Tudor Cycling Team).

The 17-rider group completed the 123.1km stage in 3 hours 25 seconds, and Delbove earned a 10 second time bonus to elevate him to the New Overall Leader – earning him the PETRONAS Green Jersey.

Delbove now has an accumulated time of 16 hours 16 minutes 34 seconds, taking the top spot in the overall individual classification from XDS-Astana rider, Matteo Malucelli, who had worn the jersey since Stage 1 in Langkawi.

However, the Green Jersey lead is considered ‘fragile’ and could change hands again, as Johannessen and Adrien Maire (Unibet Tietema Rockets) are separated by just 6 seconds behind, followed by Voisard (10s).

“This is a great achievement. I’m happy to give something back to the team. It’s a new chapter in my career, and I don’t realize how big this win is yet. When I was in the front group, I followed Johannessen and an Astana rider, and I saw a chance to attack with 3km remaining, but they tried to chase, and I managed to hold on until the finish line,” said Delbove, who had a stage win at the Tour of Rwanda two months ago and the Tour of Alsace last year.

Delbove stated that he will strive to defend the Green Jersey in the remaining stages, as a 6-second advantage is very slim.

Meanwhile, Malucelli still hold the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) Orange Jersey (Sprint King) and is comfortable with a 24-point lead over his closest rival, Erlend Blikra (Uno-X). “It was expected, and I’m still happy with the Sprint King jersey.The points difference is quite comfortable. Perhaps my role now will change – try and help my teammate Nicolya (Vinokourov) challenge for the Green Jersey,” he said at the press conference after Stage 5.

Nicolya, the son of legend Alexandr Vinokourov, finished fourth place and seized the Rakan Muda White Jersey for the Best Asian Rider, which was previously held by Vadim Pronskiy (TSG). He now holds a 39-second advantage over his closest challenger from Mongolia, Jambaljamts Sainbayar, representing Burgos Burpellet BH, while the Thailand Continental Team rider is 1:29s behind.

The BubblesO2 Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains) is still held by Team Picnic PostNL rider, Patrick Eddy, who finished the stage in 33rd place but remains on top with 15 points, despite only 10 points being awarded to the Stage 5 winner. This task is viewed as difficult, however, as Eddy only has two teammates remaining after Christian Van Rees became one of two riders who failed to finish (DNF) the stage.

Earlier, 114 riders were flagged off in front of the Temerloh Bus Terminal by Pahang State Executive Councillor for Islamic Religious Affairs, Rural Development and Orang Asli Affairs, Datuk Seri Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad, and PETRONAS East Coast Stakeholder Relations Head, Ahmad Shazly Ramli, at 11.15 am under hot weather.

As seen in previous stages, there was an early breakaway attempt with 7 riders gaining a gap of up to 2 minutes 40 seconds: Nicolas Mercerou (TotalEnergies), Vojtech Kminek (Burgos), Nur Aiman Rosli (TSG), Yauhen Sobal (Chengdu-DYC), Eduoard Bonnefoix (7-Eleven), Yusri Shaari (Malaysia) and Zeb Kyffin (Unibet Tietema Rockets).

This front group dominated the first three sprint zones, with Kyffin, Mercerou and Kminek at the first sprint in Mentakab (km15.3); Nur Aiman, Mercerou and Kminek at the second sprint (Bukit Damar); and Kyffin, Mercerou, and Yusri at the third sprint in Mempaga (km54.8).

Nur Aiman also led the Category 3 climb zone in Raub (km83.6), followed by Bonnefoix and Kyffin, but the peloton increased its tempo to catch the front group about 20km from the finish line.

Stage 6 of PLTdL25 continues tomorrow with a short stage from Shah Alam to Port Dickson, covering a distance of 123.5km. It will start at Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam at 9am and finish in front of the Royal Port Dickson Yacht Club, featuring three sprint zones at Jenjarom (km25.2), Banting (km36.9) and Sungai Pelek (km85.6).

The 29th edition of the PLTdL25, with a total distance of 1,224.2km, is listed as a 2.ProSeries race on the UCI Asia Tour calendar and will conclude with Stage 8 from Tangkak to KLCC this Sunday.

It is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (MSN) in collaboration with the Malaysia National Cycling Federation (MNCF).

KEMAMAN, 1st Oct – XDS-Astana rider, Matteo Malucelli continued to display his power to once again securing a stage victory at the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTdL25) from Kuala Terengganu to Kemaman, covering a distance of 140.8km today.

In a finish that was predicted to end in a bunch sprint, Malucelli, who had previously won Stages 1 and 3, completed a hattrick and equaled his achievement when he was with JCL UKYO last year.

Nevertheless, he credited the success due to the hard work and tactical from his teammates for bringing him into the right position for the final sprint, where he defeated Manuel Penalver (Polti VisitMalta) and Erlend Blikra (Uno-X Mobility) with a time of 3 hours 17 minutes 56 seconds.

The win provides a 10-second time bonus, extending his lead in the overall General Classification to 22 seconds over his closest rival and 26 seconds ahead of teammate Aaron Gate, accumulating a total time of 13 hours 15 minutes 45 seconds to secure him the PETRONAS Green Jersey.

Furthermore, he has also widened the gap in the points classification for the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) Orange Jersey (Sprint King) by accumulating 57 points, 24 points ahead of his closest rival, Blikra.

Meanwhile, Patrick Eddy continues to wear the BubblesO2 Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains) with 15 points, having prevented his nearest challenger from Burgos-Burpellet BH, Jambaljamts Sainbayar, from collecting points at the sole Category 4 climb zone in Kijal.

Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) rider from Kazakhstan, Vadim Pronskiy, also retained the Rakan Muda White Jersey as the Best Asian Rider by riding safely within the main peloton.

With a short and flat route, Malucelli said his task of finding a stage victory for a great team like Astana was made easier. “It’s an amazing feeling, it feels like a continuation of my good performance last year. The wins in the previous two stages removed a lot of pressure. Today, I still felt strong, and my teammates did an excellent job. I executed a perfect sprint in the last 200 meters. But for tomorrow’s stage (the climb from Temerloh to Fraser’s Hill), I will try to defend, at least the Sprint King jersey,” said the Italian rider who joined Astana at the start of 2025.

He stated that throughout the race, Astana calmly controlled the pace despite a small breakaway group ahead, and only became aggressive in the last few kilometers, where he was expertly positioned by Alexander Vinokurov and Aaron Gate, especially through the final two right turns towards the finish line.

Local and TSG fans’ hopes, which were initially high when Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli was seen in the three-rider breakaway group, were dashed when the national champion, who had won the two sprint zones in Marang and Paka was caught by the peloton led by Astana and Uno-X, about 4km before the finish line at Taman Bandar Cukai, Kemaman.

The race, which started at Dataran Batu Buruk, Kuala Terengganu, officiated by the Chairman of the Terengganu Youth, Sports and NGO Development Committee, saw riders start under a scorching 31-degree Celsius heat with Nur Aiman, Vojtech Kminek (Burgos), and Yauheni Sobal (Chengdu DYC) formed the early breakaway.

However, Kminek decided to slow down the pace and rejoin the peloton, while Aiman and Sobal worked together until Kijal, before Sobal also dropped back. When Nur Aiman rode solo, he was easily caught by the peloton.

“It wasn’t meant to be, but I tried my best today. I will keep trying in the next stages,” said Nur Aiman who was still proud of the Most Combative Rider award for the fourth stage.

Malaysian Pro Cycling (MPC) rider, Mohammad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil, was the best Asian and ASEAN rider for the stage, finishing in seventh place.

However, several minor accidents occurred at the back of the peloton, and three riders failed to finish the stage (DNF) and are out of the competition, meaning only 115 riders will start Stage 5 tomorrow.

Stage 5, covering a distance of 123.1km, is considered one of the decisive stages of this year’s PLTdL25. It will start in Temerloh, featuring three sprint zones in Mentakab, Bukit Damar and Mempaga, before riders face the first climb, Category 3 in Raub and then the final Category 1 summit finish at the Fraser’s Hill Clock Tower.

The 29th edition of the PLTdL25, which holds 2.ProSeries status in the UCI Asia Tour calendar, began in Langkawi last Sunday and will conclude with Stage 8 from Tangkak to the PETRONAS Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur next Sunday, covering a total distance of 1,224.2km.

It is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (MSN) in collaboration with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).

PASIR PUTEH, Sept 30 – XDS-Astana rider, Matteo Malucelli stamped his mark when he claimed his second stage victory at the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTdL25) this afternoon, edging out Uno-X Mobility’s Alexander Kristoff in a sprint finish at the end of Stage 3 from Gerik, Perak to Pasir Puteh,Kelantan.

Malucelli, who led the main peloton, clocked a time of 4 hours 28 minutes 04 seconds. He previously won Stage 1 in Langkawi but lost to Tudor Cycling Team’s Arvid de Kleijn at Stage 2 in Kepala Batas yesterday.

More impressively, today’s success – his fifth stage win in PLTdL after three victories last year, sees the Italian rider solidify his lead in the overall individual classification. He continues to wear the PETRONAS Green Jersey, 16 seconds ahead of his two closest rivals, Erland Blikra (Uno-X) and Astana teammate Aaron Gate.

The victory also confirms Malucelli’s grip on the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) Orange Jersey for the Sprint King classification, increasing his lead to 42 points as his closest rival De Kleijn dropped far behind after the three climbing zones in the 198.2km route.

Meanwhile, Picnic PostNL rider, Patrick Eddy, who was part of the breakaway group, dominated the Category 3 climb (Gerik) and the Category 1 climb (Puncak Titiwangsa) and took third place in the Category 2 climb at Sri Banding.

The Australian-born rider, who joined Picnic last year, collected 15 points – an equal score with Burgos Burpellet-BH’s Jambaljamts Sainbayar. However, Eddy was awarded the BubblesO2 Polka Dot Jersey as the King of the Mountains for being the first to cross the summit of the higher-ranked Category 1 climb at Puncak Titiwangsa.

The Rakan Muda White Jersey for the Best Asian Rider has also changed hands, going to Vadim Pronskiy after his teammate, Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli, who wore the jersey for the first two stages, finished in the second group.

Eddy, Sainbayar (who was also named the Most Combative Rider), Vadim, Daniel Whitehouse (St George Continental) and Cedric Bakke Christophersen (Unibet Tietema Rockets) were in the first breakaway group, maintaining the lead with about 3 minutes over the main group. However, they were caught on the descent by a peloton who realized De Kleijn was not among them. The main peloton, led by Uno-X, Kern Pharma and Astana, continued to increase the gap and arrived almost 16 minutes ahead of the second group.

Malucelli admitted he felt a little sad about having to disappoint Kristoff, who is considered a legendary rider aiming to add to his personal win collection before retiring at the end of the year.

“It’s a mixed feeling. I wouldn’t be sad if I had lost to Kristoff. But this is cycling. We just want to do our best in every race and all my teammates worked hard on the climbs and the flat route to create a significant gap ahead. I was quite far back as we approached the finish line because my teammates were exhausted and I just sprinted to the best as I could,” said the 31-year-old rider, who only smiled after the commissaires confirmed his win via photo-finish.

Meanwhile, Eddy was delighted to wear the Polka Dot King of the Mountains jersey and felt his performance was in good shape after racing in the Vuelta a Espana a few weeks ago.

“It’s hard to explain because this wasn’t my target. I just tried to chase the front riders and we managed to dominate the first three climbing zones. This (Polka Dot Jersey) will be a new motivation for me and the team after only being listed at the last minute with two young riders on the team this time,” he said, referencing the overall green jersey won by Picnic PostNL rider Max Poole last year.

Vadim admitted the white jersey is not unfamiliar, as he won it in 2019 and 2023 when he was with the elite WorldTeam, Astana-Qazakhstan. “I’m becoming more comfortable and happy with TSG and consider Malaysia as my second home. Today was quite difficult because when I tried to break away on the first climb, a few riders were quite fast in the chase. I’m happy and hope to keep this jersey for the more difficult climbs ahead in Stage 5 from Temerloh to Bukit Fraser,” he said.

Local fans also cheered local rider Tsen Ren Bao, son of former national rider Tsen Seong Hoong and now representing St George, who finished 28th in the stage to become the Best ASEAN Rider.

Only 118 riders completed the Stage 3 after 3 riders did not start (DNS) and 5 others failed to finish (DNF).

The PLTdL25 with 2.ProSeries status in the UCI Asia calendar, continues with Stage 4 tomorrow from Kuala Terengganu to Kemaman, covering a distance of 140.8km, featuring 3 sprint zones at Marang (km12.3), Dungun (km66.7) and Paka (km87.4), and one Category 4 climbing zone at Kijal (km126.2).

The 29th edition of the PLTdL25 is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (MSN) in collaboration with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).

KEPALA BATAS, 29 Sept – Tudor Cycling Team rider, Arvid de Kleijn, won Stage 2 of the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTdL25) from Padang Besar, Perlis, to Kepala Batas, Penang in a bunch sprint finish today.

After finishing third in Stage 1 in Langkawi yesterday, de Kleijn skillfully navigated the middle lane to pass Stage 1 winner, Matteo Malucelli of XDS-Astana while VF Group Bardiani CSF-Faizane rider, Enrico Zanoncello, took third place.

However, Malucelli still retains the PETRONAS Green Jersey for the overall General Classification (GC) leader with an accumulated time of 5 hours 30 minutes 50 seconds, just 2 seconds ahead of de Kleijn.

The gap for the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) Orange Jersey for the Sprint King is even tighter, at only 3 points.

The Best Local Rider for Stage 2 was Wan Abdul Rahman Hamdan of Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) who finished in sixth place, improving on his 12^th place finish in Stage1. His teammate, Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli, successfully defended the Rakan Muda White Jersey for the Best Asian Rider.

With no climbing zones today, St George Continental Cycling Team rider, Ben Carman, still holds the BubblesO2 Polka Dot Jersey as the King of the Mountains.

Meanwhile, Cedric Bakke Christophersen of Unibet Tietema Rocket, who attempted a solo breakaway before the finish line, was awarded the Most Combative Rider.

The healthy rivalry between the two Sprint Kings of 2024 (Malucelli) and 2023 (De Kleijn) promises a more intense battle on the remaining flat stages, with both determined to add to their collection of PLTdL stage wins.

“It’s a great feeling. My teammates, Changizi (Sebastian), did a great job – making sure we were in the middle of the front group, and I’m happy everything worked out for us. PLTdL is a special race in my heart, but personally, I hope the weather is better for the next stages,” said De Kleijn.

This victory marks his personal fifth stage win, following victories in Stage 1 and 6 in 2023, and Stage 4 and 5 last year.

Regarding the expected tougher rivalry with Malucelli, he said that personally, they have no issues. They are professional and they challenge each other to increase their stage-win tally.

The Swiss rider explained that although the race started in heavy rain and with slick roads, which added an almost 3km neutral zone, his team remained calm and relaxed despite attempts by some riders to break away.

He noted that Tudor only began their work at the front of the peloton in the final few kilometers before entering Kepala Batas town under blazing heat, which then culminated in a bunch sprint.

“It was actually a tough race and I hope the weather changes for the better after this,” said De Kleijn.

Meanwhile, Malucelli was clearly disappointed with his tactical execution in the final sprint. “My teammates (Astana) worked hard to pull us to the front and find a comfortable space, but perhaps I made a small mistake by sprinting too early and ran out of energy at the last moment,” said Malucelli who won 3 stages last year with the Japanese Continental team, JCL UKYO.

Regarding the leader’s and Sprint King’s jerseys, which he has worn for two consecutive stages, the Italian rider stated he will try to defend them, even though he is aware that Stage 3 from Gerik to Pasir Puteh involves some challenging climbs.

“I know this route because I raced it in 2018 (with Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec). We will see how the situation is tomorrow. But we will try to control the race, although we know it will be difficult since we only have six riders,”said Malucelli who has collected four PLTdL stage victories so far.

Stage 3 from Gerik,Perak to Pasir Puteh, Kelantan tomorrow with a distance of 198.2km, featuring three climbing zones – Gerik (Category 3), Sri Banding (Category 2) and Puncak Titiwangsa (Category 1).

Riders will then face a flat route with three sprint zones in Jeli (km117.3), Bukit Bunga (km134.1) and Machang (km179.1) before finishing in front of the Pasir Puteh Land and District Office.

The 29th edition of PLTdL25, the 2.ProSeries status in the UCI Asia race calendar, involves 8 stages with a total distance of 1,244.2km. It is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (MSN) in collaboration with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).

LANGKAWI, 28 Sept – Matteo Malucelli membalas kepercayaan pasukan barunya, XDS-Astana apabila menghadiahkan kemenangan pada Peringkat 1 jelajah berbasikal PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTdL25) di Pekan Kuah, pagi ini.

Pada penamat kayuhan sejauh 96.7km yang bermula di lokasi permulaan yang sama dan berakhir dengan henjutan beramai-ramai ke garisan penamat, Raja Pecut PLTdL24 yang menyertai Astana pada awal tahun ini selepas tidak melanjutkan kontrak dengan JCL UKYO, mengekang asakan pelumba tempat kedua yang juga Raja Pecut PLTdL22, Erland Blikra dari Uno-X Mobility dan Raja Pecut PLTdL23, Arvid Kleijn (Tudor Racing Team).

Kelompok besar yang menamatkan kayuhan dengan masa 2jam 22 saat, memberikan bonus 10 saat kepada Malucelli untuk turut menyarung jersi hijau pendahulu keseluruhan tajaan PETRONAS, dan 15 mata bagi mengetuai senarai kutipan mata Raja Pecut dan jersi oren tajaan Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS).

Dalam pada itu, pelumba Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli turut mengorak langkah dalam senarai individu keseluruhan (GC) apabila meraih bonus 7 saat selepas menguasai dua zon pecutan di Harbour Park dan Padang Matsirat, selain tempat ketiga di zon pecutan kedua di Bayas untuk disarungkan jersi putih tajaan Rakan Muda sebagai Pelumba Terbaik Asia di akhir peringkat itu.

Pelumba St George Continental, Ben Carman yang meloloskan diri ketika menghampiri zon pendakian tunggal kategori 4 di Bukit Malut pada 16km sebelum ke penamat, menyarung jersi polka dot Raja Bukit tajaan BubblesO2.

Bagi Malucelli, yang memenangi Peringkat 2, 7 dan 8 PLTdL24, kemenangan di Peringkat 1 PLTdL25 ini adalah sesuatu yang menggembirakan dan memberi motivasi besar untuk menempuh baki 7 peringkat seterusnya.

“Saya selesa sepanjang kayuhan dan apabila menghampiri ke garisan penamat, rakan sepasukan (Anton) Kuzmin menarik saya ke depan tetapi saya tetap memerhati (Alexander) Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility). Tetapi apabila Kristoff semakin perlahan dan Blikra mula memecut, saya turut memulakan henjutan pada 300 meter terakhir dan akhirnya menang.

“Berada dalam pasukan WorldTeam memang memberi lebih keyakinan, lebih-lebih lagi saya berasa selesa dan tenang di sepanjang perlumbaan.

“Menang peringkat pertama dan menyarung jersi pendahulu memberikan saya keyakinan tetapi saya sedar tanggungjawab semakin besar. Namun kami akan tetap fokus dan memberi tumpuan hari demi hari kerana ada banyak lagi peringkat selepas ini,” kata pelumba 31 tahun yang turut menang peringkat di Tour of Presidential Turkiye dan Tour of Hainan tahun ini.

Sementara itu, Nur Aiman yang juga juara kebangsaan lebuh raya dan ujian masa individu tahun ini, membuktikan dia lebih bersedia pada penampilan kali ketiga dalam PLTdL kali ini.

“Jurulatih memberitahu supaya cuba membuat breakaway dan itu yang saya lakukan. Saya gembira dengan jersi putih (Pelumba Terbaik Asia) dan kedudukan di tangga kedua GC.

“Saya ada keyakinan dan berharap dapat melakukan sesuatu yang lebih besar lagi untuk pasukan pada Peringkat 3 (Gerik-Pasir Puteh) nanti,” katanya merujuk kepada tiga zon pendakian awal sebelum laluan landai panjang sebaik melintasi Banjaran Titiwangsa.

Walaupun dilepaskan di bawah cuaca hujan dengan keseluruhan 129 pelumba, tempo kayuhan bertukar agresif apabila pelumba Unibet-Tietema Rockets, Aiden Maire memulakan pemecahan selepas jarak 30km dan dia disertai Nur Aiman, George Mitsui (Aisan Racing Team) dan Nate Hadden (St George) untuk membentuk kumpulan kecil pendahulu.

Kumpulan ini berada hanya 1 minit 50 saat di depan sebelum peloton yang digerakkan pasukan Astana, Tudor dan Uno-X mengejar dan dapat menangkap mereka sebaik melepasi zon pecutan ketiga.

Tindakan Carman yang meloloskan diri seketika membolehkan dia menguasai zon pendakian mudah Kategori 4 di Bukit Malut, sebelum dapat ditangkap. Walaupun ada cubaan satu atau dua pelumba untuk membuat pemecahan, skrip penamat Peringkat 1 itu tetap berakhir dengan pecutan beramai-ramai ke garisan penamat.

Seorang pelumba pasukan KSPO, Lee Hosan gagal menamatkan aksi peringkat pertama itu dan terkeluar dari saingan, lantas menyukarkan pasukan benua Korea Selatan itu yang hanya menyenaraikan lima pelumba kali ini.

Peringkat 2 PLTdL25 akan bermula di Padang Besar, Perlis ke Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang dengan jarak 166.1km, pagi esok dan sekali lagi ia dijangka akan berakhir dengan henjutan beramai-ramai ke garisan penamat di Jalan Tun Hamdan Sheikh Tahir.

Tanpa sebarang zon pendakian, tiga zon pecutan di Jitra (Km54.0), Pendang (Km90) dan Sungai Petani (Km142.9) bakal menyaksikan saingan sengit dalam perebutan jersi hijau, jersi oren dan jersi putih.

Edisi ke-29 PLTdL25 yang menyusuri semua negeri di Semenanjung dengan jarak keseluruhan 1,244.2km, disenaraikan pada status 2.ProSeries dalam kalendar perlumbaan Asia UCI.

Ia dianjurkan Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS) menerusi Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) dengan kerjasama Persekutuan Kebangsaan Berbasikal Malaysia (PKBM).