Italian Malucelli bounces back to win Stage 3 of LTdL

KUALA KANGSAR: Italian cyclist Matteo Malucelli triumphed in Stage 3 of the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) on a challenging route from Sungai Petani to Kuala Kangsar. The XDS Astana rider capitalized on his sprinting skills to finish the 189.7km race in 4 hours, 31 minutes, and 59 seconds. Malucelli outpaced Riley Pickrell and Sepp Van den Boer, who tied for second place with the same time.

This victory granted Malucelli 10 bonus points and 15 stage classification points, bolstering his chances of claiming the King of the Sprint jersey in the 2026 LTdL. Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil, a national rider from Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC), secured fifth place, becoming the top Asian finisher. In the general classification, Lennart Jasch of Tudor Pro Cycling Team retained the orange jersey, while Abel Balderstone and Jorge Castellon followed closely behind.

Yuhi Todome led the white jersey classification for the Best Asian Rider, with Kee Zhe Yie and Tsen Ren Bao in the following positions. Jasch also took the lead in the King of the Mountains standings, narrowly ahead of Terengganu Cycling Team rider Aiman Zariff. Tomorrow's Stage 4 will see a 142.3 km route from Meru Raya to Cameron Highlands, featuring three intermediate sprint zones and a Hors Catégorie summit finish at Tanah Rata.