SEREMBAN 2 – Sasha Weemaes’ victory at Stage 7 of Le Tour de Langkawi today was a testament to the saying “If you fail, try and try again.”
Weemaes, who rides for Human Powered Health, had faced disappointment in previous stages, finishing as the runner-up in Stage 1, third in Stage 4, and again as the runner-up in Stage 6.
But his perseverance finally secured him a victory in Stage 7, covering a distance of 123.8km from Muar to Seremban 2.
Stage 7 was relatively flat with no climbing zones, providing the perfect opportunity for Weemaes to showcase his sprinting skills.
“I’m really happy for today, this is why you never give up.
“Today the situation was perfect and I’m really proud of the team,” said the Belgian.
He outperformed Arvid de Kleijn of Tudor Pro Cycling Team and Gleb Syritsa of Astana Qazaqstan, who rounded up the podium.
Weemaes said he strategically used Dutchman De Kleijn’s slipstream in the final 200m to secure the win, which had eluded him in previous stages.
He added that the win was especially meaningful to him, considering the rumours that Human Powered Health might close shop at the end of the season.
“After a really bad year with a lot of health problems, this victory means a lot.
“My teammates are all my friends, some of them are out of contract, so if any teams are looking for riders they can find them among us,” he added.
The best Malaysian finisher was Muhammad Aiman Rosli from the national team.
Tomorrow marks the conclusion of this year’s edition of the tour.
The race will start in Setia Alam and end in Kuala Lumpur, covering a distance of 156.5km. — September 29, 2023
Stage 7 Classification winners:
Individual General Classification (Green Jersey): Simon Carr of EF Education-EasyPost
Best Asian Rider (White Jersey): Vadim Pronskiy of Astana Qazaqstan Team
Best Sprinter (Orange Jersey): Arvid de Kleijn of Tudor Pro Cycling Team
Best Climber (Polka Dot Jersey): Simon Pellaud of Tudor Pro Cycling Team
Most Combative Rider: Masaki Yamamoto of JCL Team Ukyo