PUTRAJAYA — German climber Lennart Jasch of Tudor Pro Cycling Team was crowned the overall champion of the 30th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL 2026), successfully defending the leader’s orange jersey through eight demanding stages covering 1,258.5 kilometres across Peninsular Malaysia.
The 2026 edition concluded on Sunday with a high-speed finish in Putrajaya, where Italian sprinter Matteo Malucelli of XDS Astana Team dominated the final bunch sprint on Stage 8 to claim his third stage victory of the race and lock up the Best Sprinter’s blue jersey.
Stage-by-Stage Breakdown: How LTdL 2026 Unfolded
Stage 1 (Shah Alam to Kampar, 193 km): Malucelli Strikes First
The 30th edition opened in Shah Alam with a long flat stage heading north into Perak. A late break was reeled in by the sprinter teams, setting up a bunch sprint finish in Kampar. Matteo Malucelli launched an explosive sprint to beat Javier Ibáñez (Caja Rural–Seguros RGA) and Riley Pickrell (Modern Adventure Pro Cycling), capturing the opening stage and the first leader’s jersey.
Stage 2 (Taiping to Gunung Jerai, 145.6 km): Jasch Takes Charge
The race shifted to the mountains early with a summit finish at Gunung Jerai. Lennart Jasch powered away on the steep slopes of the Kedah peak to claim a solo victory in 3:37:21. Finishing 16 seconds ahead of Abel Balderstone Roumens (Caja Rural–Seguros RGA) and 32 seconds clear of Jan Castellon Ribalta, Jasch seized the orange jersey—a lead he would maintain for the remainder of the tour.
Stage 3 (Sungai Petani to Kuala Kangsar, 189.9 km): Double for Malucelli
Returning to flat terrain across Kedah and Perak, Stage 3 saw the sprinter teams regain control. Malucelli timed his finish to perfection in Kuala Kangsar, edging Pickrell and Tudor’s Seppe Van Den Boer to register his second stage win of the tour. Malaysia Pro Cycling’s Mohamad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil impressed with a 5th-place sprint finish.
Stage 4 (Meru Raya to Cameron Highlands, 140.1 km): Rikunov Conquers the Highlands
The peloton tackled the first of back-to-back major mountain finishes heading up to Cameron Highlands. Petr Rikunov (Wheeltop Rotor Chengdu Team) broke clear on the long climb to take the stage win. Jasch closely marked his General Classification rivals Balderstone and Castellon, crossing safely to retain his overall race lead.
Stage 5 (Tapah to Genting Highlands, 125.7 km): Breuillard Takes Queen Stage; Jasch Holds Firm
The signature Queen Stage up the formidable Genting Highlands climb proved to be the ultimate test for the GC contenders. France’s Nicolas Breuillard (Team TotalEnergies) delivered a masterclass effort on the hors-catégorie ascent to claim the stage victory. Behind him, Jasch rode a calculated, defensive race to limit his losses, keeping Balderstone at bay to protect his 26-second lead in the General Classification.
Stage 6 (Pandan Indah to Rembau, 121.3 km): Pickrell Triumphs in Hilly Finish
Featuring rolling terrain through Negeri Sembilan, Stage 6 favored puncheurs and breakaway opportunists. Canadian rider Riley Pickrell of Modern Adventure Pro Cycling launched a decisive late burst in Rembau to claim his first stage win of the week.
Stage 7 (Melaka to Batu Pahat, 159.1 km): Gimeno’s Breakaway Surprise
In a flat coastal stage expected to favor the sprinters, Spanish rider Nil Gimeno Ferrer (Equipo Kern Pharma) executed a tactical breakaway move. Gimeno held off the charging main pack into Batu Pahat to record his maiden professional victory, while Jasch crossed safely within the main bunch.
Also Read: Ezekiel Kemboi and Alemitu Ajema Lema Secure Titles at KLSCM 2026 as Yeow Ni Jia Retains Local Crown
Stage 8 (Muar to Putrajaya, 183.8 km): Malucelli Seals Points Jersey in Grand Finale
The final 183.8km leg from Muar to the administrative capital set up a rapid, grandstand finish. Malucelli capitalized on lead-out support from XDS Astana Team to comfortably sprint to victory over Pickrell and Christiaan van Rees (Team Picnic PostNL), sealing his third stage win of the tour.
Final Classifications and Podium Honors
Jasch’s consistency across the heavy mountain stages guaranteed him the overall orange jersey with a cumulative time of 28:57:04. Caja Rural–Seguros RGA teammates Abel Balderstone (+26s) and Jan Castellon (+42s) completed the overall podium in second and third place, while also securing victory in the Team Classification.
In addition to his GC victory, Jasch locked up the King of the Mountains polka-dot jersey. Malucelli’s sprint hat-trick earned him the Best Sprinter’s blue jersey with 64 points. Japan’s Yuhi Todome (Aisan Racing Team) captured the Best Asian Rider white jersey, while Tsen Ren Bao (St George Continental Cycling Team) finished as the highest-placed Malaysian rider, taking 25th overall.
