Connor McConvey has made a very solid start to his time with the UCI Continental Synergy Baku team
The only Irish rider in the Tour de Langkawi, Connor McConvey has been finding his early season climbing legs in recent days and was today in the winning breakaway until he was overhauled inside the last kilometre.
Riding for the new Synergy Baku team of David McCann and David McQuaid, McConvey is now a very respectable 28th overall after the world class field has tackled some of the hardest climbs of the UCI 2.HC 10-day event.
On today’s mammoth 213km sixth stage from Mentakab to Kuantan, the profile looked like it would favour the sprinters. However, the savage speed – averaging 49kmph for 150km – coupled with the sheer length of the stage and monsoon-like conditions, meant it was never going to be straightforward.
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The first hours of racing were characterised by a flurry of attacks. But it was not until the 50km to go mark that the stage-winning move went clear.
In it was McConvey and 15 other riders; with teams like Blanco, Orica GreenEdge, Garmin-Sharp and Omega Pharma-Quickstep all represented.
They combined well and built a lead of one minute very quickly, which they maintained until the 10km to go mark. The attacking from the lead group quickly started from that point, with Australian Travis Meyer (Orica GreenEdge) doing most of the damage and splitting the group. He dragged four others with him, with those five surviving out front until the end to fight for stage honours, though splitting up before they reached the finish.
Thomas Leezer (Blanco) attacked from the leading five some 6km out and took stage honours in a downpour by 27 seconds from Ji Min Jung (KSPO), with Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) a further 12 seconds back in third.
Just three seconds later, Italian sprinter Andrea Guardini (Astana) led in the group sprint for 6th. McConvey was in 37th spot, losing six seconds to Guardini’s time as a small split emerged in the sprint in what was left of the peloton.
The Irishman and the remains of the breakaway were swept up by that bunch just inside the final 500metres.
"I'm a bit frustrated,” McConvey said afterwards.
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“I had good legs, well as good as anyone had at that stage. There were a few moves and I went with Serge Pauwels in an attack which looked to be good, but it was brought back. Then it was the very next counter-move that stuck. I was riding as strongly as anyone there though. And the team were on a par with the big teams all day. So we have to be happy with that.”
Synergy Baku performance director, David McCann said the rain was so heavy there was 20cms of water on the roads in some places.
"There were several really dangerous large groups away, often containing all five of the World Tour teams plus Europcar and the strongest Italian teams. Baku had a rider there every time. The team was riding fantastically. Connor's performance in the final break was really solid. After he sacrificed his own chances to wait for Kirill (Pozdnyakov of Russia) on Cameron Highlands the other day, I’m pleased he got his chance to show what he can do today."
The team is in its first race since its inception and is riding well, occupying third place in the overall team classification.
They also have John Ebsen of Demark in 8th place overall, some 2:55 down on overall leader Julian D Arredondo Moreno from Colombia and riding for Nippo-De Rosa.
McConvey finished in the bunch on the opening two stages last Thursday and Friday, which ended in bunch sprints won by Theo Bos (Blanco).
On the mountains of stage three to Cameron Highlands the Belfast man was 32nd, some 6:05 down on a day when the time gaps were big. On Sunday’s stage four he was 39th in a bunch sprint and yesterday, Monday, to the top of the savage Genting Highlands he was 29th, some 8:08 down. The 10-day race concludes on Saturday.
Stage 6: Mentakab - Kuantan 212.8km
1 Thomas Leezer (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team 4:33:42
2 Ji Min Jung (Kor) KSPO 0:00:27
3 Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:00:35
4 Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
5 Travis Meyer (Aus) Orica Greenedge
6 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:40
7 Allan Davis (Aus) Orica Greenedge
8 Jacob Keough (USA) United Healthcare Pro Cycling
9 Saleh Mohd Harrif (Mas) Terengganu Cycling Team
10 Anuar Manan (Mas) Synergy - Baku Cycling Project
11 Rico Rogers (NZl) Synergy - Baku Cycling Project
12 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
13 Hossein Nateghi (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
14 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team
15 Omar Bertazzo (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
37 Connor McConvey (Irl) Synergy - Baku Cycling Project @46 seconds
General Classification
1 Julian D Arredondo Moreno (Col) Team Nippo - De Rosa 22:17:48
2 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica Greenedge 0:01:16
3 Sergio Pardilla (Spa) MTN Qhubeka 0:02:10
4 Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Sharp 0:02:32
5 Meiyin Wang (Chn) Hengxiang Cycling Team 0:02:40
6 Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin - Sharp 0:02:48
7 Fortunato Baliani (Ita) Team Nippo - De Rosa 0:02:49
8 John Ebsen (Den) Synergy - Baku Cycling Project 0:02:55
9 Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay (Eth) MTN Qhubeka 0:02:58
10 Amir Kolahdozhagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team
11 Victor Nino Corredor (Col) RTS Racing Team 0:03:19
12 Yonatha Monsalve (Ven) Vini Fantini - Selle Italia 0:03:31
13 Misbani Iranagh Ghader (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 0:03:38
14 Jacques J Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN Qhubeka 0:03:58
15 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar 0:04:03
28 Connor McConvey (Irl) Synergy - Baku Cycling Project @12:02
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