Nicolas Breuillard wins stage 5 of Le Tour de Langkawi as Lennart Jasch keeps firm grip on overall lead in Genting Highlands queen stage

Nicolas Breuillard (TotalEnergies) bounced back from illness earlier in Le Tour de Langkawi to claim the final summit finish of the eighth stage race, winning in the Genting Highlands after dropping his break companion Josh Burnett (Burgos-Burpellet BH) in the final kilometres and also holding off a chase including GC leader Lennart Jasch (Tudor Pro Cycling).

Jasch crossed the line in third place, 21 seconds behind Breuillard and 13 seconds back from second-placed Burnett. Neither were any threat to his overall lead, which he carved out in spectacular style on stage 2. On Thursday Jasch, also with the help of the third-place time bonus, extended his lead on Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) to 26 seconds and put Jan Castellon (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA ) 42 seconds behind. It's going to now be hard to budge the first-year professional from that top spot given the flat terrain ahead.

"The race isn't over yet but we are a big big step closer to the finish line in terms of the GC I would say," said Jasch in a post stage interview.

For Breuillard and TotalEnergies, the team of last year's winner Joris Delbove, it was a welcome turn of fortunes for the rider and squad. They first had to give their team leader, Jordan Jegat, over as a late replacement for the French team at the Road World Championships, then they lost a retiring Geoffrey Bouchard to a stage 1 crash and also were faced with an unwell Breuillard on the first crucial climbing stage.

More to come ...