Impressive De Vos takes solo win and overall lead in K. Terengganu
KUALA LUMPUR: A big win comes with a big reward.
Adam De Vos of Rally Cycling grabbed the deserving overall lead of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) after emerging as the runaway winner in the 166km third stage from Kota Bharu to Kuala Terengganu yesterday.
To make the victory sweeter, it was the 24-year-old Canadian first ever stage victory in an Hors category race as well as the first time holding the yellow jersey.
De Vos also emulated his Rally Cycling team manager Eric Wohlberg as the only second Canadian to claim stage win in LTdL. Coincidentally, Wohlberg also won in Kuala Terengganu in 1999.
The feat would not have been realised had he not made a bold move of launching a breakaway from the peloton in the final two kilometres.
De Vos sprinted his lungs out to cross the finish line in 3’58:18 – 13 seconds clear of second-placed Kim Dae-yeon of KSPO Bianchi Asia Procycling as Nik Mohd Azman Zulkifli of Forca Amskins Racing brought cheers for the local fans by coming in third.
De Vos who was over the moon by the win said he has his teammates to thank for.
“My teammates had guided me a lot on what to do when in a breakaway group such as this one,” said De Vos.
“So, as soon as we took the last corner with two kilometres to the finish, I launched my attack and sustained my position at the front despite being chased by the three other riders.”
Nik Mohd Azwan also sent the
local fans into a frenzy after he took the white jersey as the leading Asian rider, as well as sitting second to De Vos in the race for yellow jersey.
De Vos, who clocked 12’45:31 after three stages, leads by 14 seconds from Nik Mohd Azwan, while Australia’s Harry Sweeny of Mitchelton-BikeExchange is a further eight seconds back.
“I’m happy to wear this yellow jer- sey, but not sure if we can defend it because there is still the climbing stage in Cameron Highlands to come,” said De Vos.
“If possible, I will try to stick to the big climbers in the race and arrive with them at the finish line in Cameron Highlands.
“The more important thing to focus and right now is to quickly recover after a hard day today,” added De Vos.
Nik Mohd Azwan, 28, has vowed to build on the solid start in his fifth appearance in the race.
“This is one of my best performances in LTdL and I hope to continue in this rhythm after this,” said Nik Mohd Azwan.
Anuar Manan and Mohd Hariff Saleh completed the remarkable day for the host country by finishing fifth and seventh respectively.
Today’s fourth stage covers 177.6km from Dungun to Pekan.