Dyball wins 2019 Tour de Langkawi

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Ben Dyball wrapped up 2019 Tour de Langkawi victory on the eighth and final stage of the race. Marco Benfatto (Androni) won stage 8 of the race in a bunch sprint with Dyball safe in the front group. Victory on Genting Highland set up Dyball's overall victory as he successfully defended his yellow jersey across four sprint stages. The win was the biggest yet for Dyball and his Malaysian Continental Sapura team.

In the sprint for the stage win, Matteo Pelucchi was unable to change into his 11-tooth sprocket, and teammate Benfatto was the beneficiary, with the Italian nimbly adjusting from his lead-out role to sprinter. Blake Quick (St George) finished half a wheel behind Benfatto in second with Pelucchi holding on for third place.

The day wasn’t without drama for Dyball, though, who finished the stage with a bloodied knee from a crash but was able to raise his arms in triumph as he crossed the line. The 29-year-old delivering on his season goal and bettering his third place overall from 2018.

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“I crashed 70 km into the race, I hit some oil on the road or something and lost the front wheel. I had to swap bikes but it was no problem,” Dyball told Cyclingnews on the finish line.

“Injuries are nothing, to win the yellow jersey is a big relief. Especially after the crash just to get to the finish, I was really happy. It is hard to describe the feeling, it hasn’t quite sunk in it. This is the biggest goal for the whole year so this is amazing.”

The overall podium was unchanged from stage 7 with Dyball’s winning margin 50 seconds ahead of Keegan Swirbul (Floyd’s) and 1:05 minutes to Vadim Pronskiy (Vino-Astana Motors). The overall win a first for an Australian since Damien McDonald claimed victory in the inaugural edition of the race in 1996.

The final four stages of the race proved a boon for Italy with three different sprinters tasting success. However, there was no success for Andrea Guardini and his Bardiani-CSF team. On the first of the three finishing circuits, Guardini flatted and abandoned. The Italian unable to add to his 24 previous stage wins and finishes an edition of the race winless for the first time.

Travis McCabe of Floyds won the sprint classification with his Canadian squad also winning the teams classification. Angus Lyons (Oliver’s) won the KOM classification and 20-year-old Vadim Pronskiy added best Asian rider to his third place finish.

How it unfolded

Sunshine and hot conditions greeted the riders at Dataran Lang for the eighth and final stage of the 2019 Tour de Langkawi. As the peloton rolled out for the 103.8 km stage, finishing with three 8.8 km circuits in Kuah, the afternoon storm hit, soaking the riders.

In the wet conditions a group of eight, James Oram (Mitchelton-BikeExchange), Metkel Eyob (TSG), Massimo Rosa (Neri), Daniel Savini (Bardiani), Charles-Étienne Chrétien (Interpro), Daniil Pronskiy (Vino-Astana Motors), Kent Main (ProTouch) and Soon Young Kwon (KSPO), quickly formed the day's major breakaway.

The octet enjoying a 1:30 minutes lead on the peloton by the quarter mark of the stage. The peloton content to let the break go that had no GC threat to Dyball’s yellow jersey. On the first crossing of the finish line, the break was down to seven riders, 2:20 minutes ahead of the peloton.

As the breakaway was looking unlikely to stay away on the finishing circuit, Savini attacked his companions and went solo. The Italian holding off the peloton until four kilometres to race. In the fast run in to the line, it was Androni taking front position. Benfatto swiftly adjusting from leadout man to sprinter for his 16th professional win and first outside China.

Full Results

Points

Mountain

General classification after stage 8

Point classification

Mountain classification