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HARIFF
GIVES TSG THIRD STAGE WIN IN FOUR DAYS; NO CHANGE TO JERSEY HOLDERS
11 May 2012
 SUNGAI
PETANI (11 May 2012) 每 It＊s status quo to the jersey holders at
the end of the short and quick Stage Four of the Jelajah Malaysia
2012 as Hariff Salleh gave the Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) their
third stage win in four days.
The ride south
from Kangar in Perlis to Sungai Petani in Kedah covered a distance
of just over 115km and for the first time this year, a frantic bunch
finish at the end saw Hariff emerging victorious ahead of Aisan＊s
Shinpei Kumano and Genesys Wealth Advisers＊ Joel Pearson.
※I＊m very
happy with the win today as it was the first bunch finish of the
Jelajah Malaysia this year,§ said Hariff after the race. ※I＊ve
been targeting to win the stage and I＊m very happy that I did it
today. I＊m hoping for another bunch finish tomorrow.§
With two stages
and close to 400km still to go, the race leader＊s yellow jersey
is still in the hands of Yusup Abrekov of Uzbekistan Suren team
as he also maintained blue jersey for the best Asian rider.
Muhammad Adiq
Husainie Othman (Malaysia Development team) is still holding the
100PLUS white jersey for the best-ranked Malaysian and also the
sprinter＊s green jersey. The red jersey for the king of the mountain
is with Dadi Suryadi (Putra Perjuangan).
Not too long
into the stage today after the flag off in Kangar, it was Mark Julius
Bonzo (team LBC cycling) who sets off on the first attack of the
day before Roman Van Uden (Pure Black Racing team) went into the
chase. But the lead did not last long as they were soon caught up
by the peloton at Sekolah Kebangsaan Behor Mali, just 4km into the
race.
A string of
attacks sprang up over the next several kilometres with LBC, Polygon
Sweet Nice, Genesys, Putra Perjuangan and a few others all trying
their luck but the peloton were just too quick and determined on
this short course.
Heading into
the first sprint at Alor Star, a group of 15 riders 每 including
Shinichi Fukushima (TSG), James Williamson (Pure Black Racing),
Wan Syazwan Afiq (Mas), Khairul Azhar (Kedah) and Amirul Aswandi
(Armed Forces) - have managed to build some distance over the peloton.
Khairul Azhar,
the only survivor of team Kedah, took the first sprint ahead of
Wan Syazwan, Amirul Aswandi and Fukushima. But the breakaway group
was soon taken in by the chasing peloton driven by Uzbekistan Suren
as they to continue to protect the yellow jersey worn by Yusup Abrekov.
※After winning
the yellow jersey (at the longest stage of the Jelajah Malaysia
this year), I think that we should be able to protect it all the
way to the finish,§ said Javad Donyadideh Ahrab, the manager of
the Uzbekistan Suren team.
※Sure, there
are still some 400km still to go, but I think that we are strong
enough to protect it.§
At the 50km
marker (at Simpang Empat) another breakaway was soon formed, with
Harrif Salleh (TSG), Nik Mohd Azwan (Kuala Lumpur), Bambang Suryadi
(Polygon Sweet Nice), Raihaan Abd Aziz (CCN) and Thomas Robinson
(Genesys) leading the way. They were soon joined by LBC＊s Bonzo
who together built a lead of well over one minute.
The second sprint
at Guar Cempedak was won by Raihan Abd Aziz (CCN) to be followed
by Bonzo (LBC), Harrif (TSG) and Nik Mohd Azwan (KL).
※I was not
too worried about losing the sprint points today as I have built
enough of a lead over the others,§ said Muhammad Adiq.
Going into the
last 20km, the peloton soon caught up as Harrif and Raihaan dropped
back to leave just four riders up front.
But the lead
did not last long as the peloton drove forward where not even a
valiant effort from Tour of Brunei winner Michael Torckler at the
last 3km could prevent the first bunch finish of the Jelajah this
year.
Tomorrow＊s
Stage Five will be a 194.9km ride from Sungai Petani, Kedah to Ipoh,
Perak.
PODIUM
RESULTS 每 Stage Four
Stage winner 每 as Hariff Salleh (Terengganu Cycling team)
Yellow Jersey - Yusup Abrekov (Uzbekistan Suren Team)
Green jersey - Muhammad Adiq Husainie Othman (Malaysia Development)
Red jersey 每 Dadi Suryadi (Putra Perjuangan)
White jersey (Best Malaysian) - Muhammad Adiq Husainie Othman (Malaysia
Development)
Blue jersey (Best Asian) 每 Yusup Abrekov (Uzbekistan Suren Team) |
