How do you deal with a rider like Matteo Malucelli (XDS-Astana), who already has two stage victories at this year's Le Tour de Langkawi to add to his three stage wins in the preceding two editions?
"Go around him," was the response from Modern Adventure sports director Alex Howes when asked that exact question this morning in Pandan Indah, as the team never for a second appeared to have any doubt that Riley Pickrell could achieve the feat – not when the Canadian had been so closely matched with the XDS-Astana rider in the last two photo finish sprint stages.
"We think we're faster, so we've just got to show it," Howes told Cyclingnews. And on stage 6 they certainly did.
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There was no photo finish needed this time, with a stellar lead-out leaving Pickrell sheltering in the wheel of his last man, Scott McGill, until they had indeed gone around Malucelli and his lead-out, with just the job of finishing it off to complete.
After roaring in celebration over the line, the two-time runner-up, however, was taking nothing for granted.
"No, I wasn't confident at all," he said in response to a question from Cyclingnews about his levels of certainty once he had got out in front with such a strong launch on the run to the line.
"The last two sprints, I was feeling really good, and then Malucelli came around me in the last three metres so I even did a bike throw on the line just to be sure. And the whole sprint, I was going, 'please don't come around me, please don't come around me, please don't come around me'," he said in a post-race interview with a small group of media.
This time, though, the result was clear. Pickrell had just taken his first win of the season on stage 6 of Le Tour de Langkawi, and he did it with his parents on the sidelines watching as they'd come all the way out to Malaysia to see him race. Plus, it was his first victory with the Modern Adventure squad and also the team's sixth win of its opening season, but first since June.
"The team has put a lot of a lot of trust in me this year and a lot of faith, and any day it doesn't work out, you're a little bit disappointed for yourself, and you're disappointed because your teammates have worked so hard for you and you didn't come away with the win," said Pickrell.
"And everyone knows it's part of the sport, but when you finally do get a win, it really feels like you're paying them back, and I can't be happier."
Though that doesn't mean he is going to lose focus on trying to do it all again in the next two sprint opportunities to come.
"I would say I walk away happy now, but I'm not going to walk away, and I'm always going to want more," said Pickrell.
*Cyclingnews attended Le Tour de Langkawi on an invitation/media package from the race that included travel and accommodation. In line with our editorial standards, our coverage is independent and was not subject to review, approval or influence by the organiser or any sponsor; no favourable coverage was promised or given in return.
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