After 2 stages which were suited for the sprinters the peloton headed into the mountains today during the 3rd stage of Le Tour de Langkawi. Pieter Serry put down a strong ride finishing 7th after a hard climb to 1500 metres in the Cameron Highlands.
After 18 kilometres there was a lead group of 5 riders and they opened up a gap of 11 minutes. From that lead group Meiyin Wang attacked and went on solo. The rider of the Hengxiang Cycling Team managed to keep the chasers behind him on the climbs in the Cameron Highlands. Wang won the stage after a long solo, Julian David Arredondo (Team Nippo) finished 2nd at 2.27 and Nathan Haas (Garmin-Sharp) was the day`s number 3 at 3.11. Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Serry was also in the group of Haas and finished 7th.
"It was a fast start for a 140km long stage, up to a 1500m altitude finish," Sport Director Rik Van Slycke said. "Five riders went after about 30km and there was no real control in the field by any team. The break got up to about 12 minutes before teams started pulling, and then it was back to 7 minutes at the feed zone of the climbs. Our team then took over and we brought it back to four minutes. That's when the break attackedand Wang Meiyin went solo. The peloton continued to pull and got it dowb ti 2'30" at the finish. Pieter and Serge did a great job finishing with a group of 25 riders, in 7th place and 16th place. Very good job also today for Michal Golas and Carlos Verona!"
