LANGKAWI – Astana Qazaqstan Team rider, Gleb Syritsa sent an early warning to his rivals by winning Stage 1 of the Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2024 in Kuah, today.
In the 96.5-kilometer race, Syritsa crossed the finishing line in two hours, four minutes, and 37 seconds, beating his competitors, Casper Van Uden from Team dsm-firmenich PostNL, who finished second, followed by Lorenzo Conforti from VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane at third.
This victory also earned Syritsa, a Russian sprinter who won two stages in LTdL 2023, the Green Jersey as the overall leader.
“It was a good start for our team. My teammates did a great job, especially at the end of the race, which allowed me to win Stage 1 today.
“Approaching the finish line, it wasn’t very risky because I had teammates protecting me. I’m definitely happy with this win and believe I can win more in the upcoming races,” Syritsa said.
In addition to the Green Jersey, Syritsa also claimed the title of King of Sprints with a total of 17 points, while Van Uden secured second place with 12 points and Conforti third with nine points.
The Polka Dot Jersey for King of the Mountains was awarded to Tyler Tomkinson from Ara Skip Capital after he scored two points in the climbing zone at Look Out Point, with Terengganu Cycling Team’s Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli coming in second with one point.
Despite this, Aiman could take pride in winning the White Jersey as the Best Asian Rider after finishing second in two sprint zones and the climbing zone.
“I’m grateful that my strategy and my team’s efforts paid off in Langkawi today. I made a breakaway early in the race, and that tactic worked, allowing me to earn the White Jersey. I hope to defend this jersey until the last stage in Sarawak. But ultimately, it depends on the team’s strategy and my coach; I will do my best,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC) rider Mohammad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil also caught attention by finishing seventh overall, making him the best Malaysian rider.
“I want to thank my teammates who helped a lot at the beginning of the race. In the last kilometer, I was a bit behind, but I tried to catch up with the front group.
“I kept pushing, and in the last 500 meters, I realized I was in the top 10, so I sprinted as best as I could and ended up finishing strong,” he said.
The second stage on Monday will start from Arau, Perlis, to Butterworth, Penang, covering a distance of 154.5 kilometers.
The route features three sprint zones in Jitra, Menara Alor Setar, and Sungai Petani, Kedah.
