MELAKA – Just as the Dutch once conquered Melaka 300 years ago, Tudor rider Arvid de Kleijn proudly carried his Dutch heritage to conquer the fifth stage of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL), from Kuala Lumpur to Ayer Keroh.
Just yesterday, De Kleijn, known as the Little Gorilla, stormed to victory in the fourth stage from Kuala Kubu Bharu to Bentong.
What makes it even more interesting is that De Kleijn also claimed victory in the Melaka stage, which began in Karak, during last year’s edition.
Even with two victories under his belt, the 30-year-old rider remains eager for more podium finishes as a stage winner, with three stages of the race still ahead.
“I was thinking this morning about winning again in Melaka, and it would be really great to do it. It was a perfect race.
“I’d say the help from my teammates was spot on. Around 200 meters from the finish line, I could feel the other contenders closing in on me,” said de Kleijn.
However, he is not just focused on more stage wins but is also determined to seize the orange jersey, the King of Sprints title, currently held by Matteo Malucelli of JCL Ukyo.
Malucelli has collected 46 points, while De Kleijn, last year’s holder of the jersey, is only one point behind the Italian rider.
“It’s exciting to have this close battle with Malucelli, especially with such a small points gap, but we’ll see how things play out in the coming days.
“I think it’s going to be fun. As for the overall jersey, it will be tough for me since I’m currently in 35th place, but I might give it a shot. But I’m definitely aiming for the orange jersey,” he added.
Meanwhile, the battle for the three main jerseys remains unchanged, with Max Poole of Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL still holding the Green Jersey as the overall leader, and Mario Aparicio of Burgos-BH proudly keeping the Polka Dot Jersey as the King of the Mountains.
At the same time, Manabu Ishibashi from JCL Ukyo holds onto the White Jersey, representing the best Asian rider in the competition. – October 3, 2024