KEPALA BATAS: It was a meaningful victory for Tudor Pro Cycling’s Arvid De Kleijn as he clinched the second stage of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) yesterday.
The 163km race from Padang Besar to Kepala Batas saw De Kleijn emerge strongest in a bunch sprint finish, crossing the line in 3’29:59s.
The win not only made up for his disappointment in the opening stage, where he finished third, but also marked his first victory of the year.
The Dutch rider admitted that the triumph was especially significant after spending several weeks in hospital earlier this year with a serious collarbone injury sustained during the UAE Tour in February.
“I was injured, and it took a long time to recover. But I’ve been feeling good over the past few weeks, even though the results weren’t there,” said De Kleijn.
“Then you come here wanting to win, and I knew it was possible. My teammates did a fantastic job, putting me in the right position and then, I won.
De Kleijn’s victory also reignited his rivalry with XDS Astana’s Matteo Malucelli, as both riders are now locked in a close battle for the green jersey in the general classification.
Malucelli currently retains the jersey with a time of 5’30:05, holding a slim two-second advantage over De Kleijn.
The pair are also neck-and-neck in the fight for the orange jersey in the points classification, with Malucelli still leading the standings on 27 points, followed closely by De Kleijn on 24.
Last year, the two riders were locked in a fierce battle, not only trading stage victories but also vying for the orange jersey, which Malucelli eventually claimed.
“It’s a great feeling. You know, it’s not easy to win here and I’ve learned that from last year. It feels good to end a difficult period with a victory.
“It gives me confidence, and I know I’m fast enough to win, but you still have to prove it. And today (yesterday) I think I did. So I’m really happy,” added De Kleijn.
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