First stage winner Karl Platt (right) from Team Bulls Germany in action during the Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge 2014 in Langkawi, Kedah on Oct 14. - TheStar/Zhafaran Nasib
LANGKAWI: Team Bulls rider Karl Platt has made arrangements for his family to join him in Langkawi this weekend.
And the 36-year-old German is hoping to give them a surprise gift by winning the Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge (LIMBC) 2014 overall title.
Platt, who won the LIMBC overall title in 2012, took a huge first step towards fulfilling his target by winning the 65km first stage at the Lagenda Park here yesterday.
Platt crossed the finish line in 2’22:56.00, ahead of the Slovakia’s Michal Lami (2’22:56.70), and Kazantsev Kirill of Kazakhstan (2’25:17).
“Unlike some of the others in the LIMBC elite category, I didn’t skip Saturday’s UCI Marathon (world championship qualifier) race, which was on the exact route as today’s first stage. That experience was handy as I knew when to attack and when to hold back,” he said.
“I felt great and this win has given me the confidence to fight for the overall title. My family are arriving this weekend and, hopefully, I can surprise them with another LIMBC crown.”
Despite his win yesterday, Platt did not get his hands on the yellow jersey. It went to Lami, who opened up a lead of 0:10.90 over Platt, thanks to his third-placing effort in Monday’s individual time trial.
In the women’s elite category, favourite Eva Lechner’s fears of suffering cramps came true as the Colnago Sudtirol rider was forced to give way to Slovenia’s Blaza Klemencic in the final part of the race.
Both riders were side-by-side coming down the final climb less than 10km from the finish line when Lechner suffered cramps in the first stage for the second year in a row.
Blaza blazed past the finish line in 2’45:14.40 to open up a hefty 2:45.70 lead over Lechner in the overall standings.
In the men’s Open category, Kedah’s Mohd Shafari Malik failed to hold on to the leader’s orange jersey after coming in second behind Seree Ruangsiri of Team Endurace Thailand.
The Thai rider will now wear the orange jersey for today’s second stage, after taking an overall 0:26.30 lead over Shafari ahead of today’s 45km race, which will start at the Lagenda Park and end at the Perdana Quay.
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