Butterworth – Matteo Malucelli from JCL Team Ukyo secured a powerful victory in Stage 2 of the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2024, held from Arau to Butterworth. The Italian rider crossed the finish line with a time of 3 hours, 34 minutes, and 58 seconds, edging out Manuel Penalver of Team Polti Kometa and Arvid de Kleijn of Tudor Pro Cycling Team.
Meanwhile, Mohd Harrif Saleh from Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) impressed as the best Malaysian rider in the stage, finishing in seventh place. Malucelli expressed his delight at the win, stating, “I am very happy with my first victory in a 2 Pro race. This will certainly motivate me to continue pursuing wins in this professional tour.”
The 154.5-kilometer stage was marred by a crash involving several riders, including cyclists from Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, who were rushed to the Seberang Jaya hospital in Penang. The incident occurred near the finish line when a rider collided with a roadside barrier during the sprint.
Despite the crash, Malucelli managed to secure the stage win. Gleb Syritsa from Astana Qazaqstan Team, who finished fifth, retained the Green Jersey as the overall leader with a time of 5:39:23. Syritsa, who also won Stage 1, is closely followed by Malucelli, with only a 0.02-second time difference. TSG’s Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli is in third place with a time of 5:39:27.
Aiman also retained the White Jersey as the Best Asian rider, while Syritsa maintained the Orange Jersey as the King of the Mountains. The Polka Dot Jersey for the King of the Mountains still belongs to Tyler Tomkinson of Ara Skip Capital.
After two stages, VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanie team leads overall, followed by Corratec Vini Fantini and JCL Team Ukyo. Stage 3 will start from Taiping, Perak, to Cameron Highlands, covering a distance of 170.3 kilometers with three climbing zones and three sprint zones.
Also Read: LTdL 2024 Stage 1: Syritsa Sends Early Warning to Rivals
Overall Standings:
- Overall: 1. Gleb Syritsa (Astana Qazaqstan Team), 2. Matteo Malucelli (JCL Team Ukyo), 3. Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli (Terengganu Cycling Team)
- Green Jersey (Overall Leader): Gleb Syritsa (Astana Qazaqstan Team)
- White Jersey (Best Asian Rider): Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli (Terengganu Cycling Team)
- Orange Jersey (King of the Mountains): Gleb Syritsa (Astana Qazaqstan Team)
- Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains): Tyler Tomkinson (Ara Skip Capital)
Team Standings:
- VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanie
- Corratec Vini Fantini
- JCL Team Ukyo
Stage 3 Preview: Stage 3 will be a challenging one, with three climbing zones and three sprint zones. The riders will start from Taiping, Perak, and finish at Cameron Highlands. The stage is expected to be decisive in determining the overall winner of the LTdL 2024.
